Parmesan meatballs: the recipe for tasty and fragrant cheese croquettes

Ingredients
GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE
280 gr
ALBUM
140 gr
SWEET PAPRIKA
q.b.
BABY
q.b.
YOU ALSO NEED IT
PEANUT SEED OIL
q.b.
Parmesan meatballs are a quick and tasty appetizer , perfect to bring to the table for a dinner with vegetarian guests or to enjoy on the tip of your fingers, as a delicious finger food, at a buffet lunch.

To bring them to the table, simply mix the grated parmesan with the egg whites in a bowl , spice everything with a little sweet paprika and freshly ground pepper, and then let the resulting mixture firm up in the fridge for at least half an hour. . Once the time has passed, many balls the size of a walnut are shaped and then fried in boiling seed oil: the result will be golden and fragrant croquettes, ideal to serve, in generous quantities, also as a second course in combination with a portion of grilled vegetables or salad.

A clever and anti-waste dish , also excellent for recycling leftover egg whites from other recipes, to be customized with your favorite ingredients: if you like, you can add finely chopped mortadella or cooked ham to the mixture, or you can make it tastier by opting for a mixture of grated parmesan and pecorino.

If you prefer, you can arrange the meatballs on a baking tray and place them in the oven at 180°C with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for about 25 minutes or, for a super light version, you can cook them in an air fryer without adding fat, about half the time.

Find out how to prepare parmesan meatballs following the step-by-step procedure and advice. If you liked this recipe, also try the  potato meatballs or the ricotta and spinach meatballs .

How to prepare parmesan meatballs

Step 1
Collect the grated Parmesan cheese in a bowl and flavor it with a little sweet paprika, mixed with freshly ground pepper
1
.

Step 2
Mix with a wooden spoon
2
.

Step 3
Pour the egg whites into a bowl and add the flavored parmesan
3
, little at a time.

Step 4
Mix everything well until you obtain a homogeneous mixture
4
, then transfer it to the fridge and let it harden for half an hour.

Step 5
Once the time has passed, take small portions of the dough and form many meatballs the size of a walnut with this
5
.

Step 6
Heat plenty of seed oil in a large pan and, when it is hot, dip the meatballs
6
.

Step 7
Let them fry for a couple of minutes on each side, or until golden and fragrant
7
. Once finished, remove them gently and let them drain on a sheet of absorbent kitchen paper.

Step 8
Arrange the parmesan meatballs on a serving plate
8
.

Step 9
Bring to the table and serve the meatballs, as desired, accompanied by your favorite sauce
9
.

Advice
To make the meatballs more delicious, you can enrich them with your favorite aromatic herbs such as rosemary, thyme or chopped basil leaves or you can spice them to taste with a pinch of curry, a little grated nutmeg or some turmeric powder.

If you prefer, for an even more fragrant result, you can coat the cheese morsels in a rich breading made with flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs, or you can replace the latter with panko : particularly suitable for making fried foods dry and crunchy.

Also excellent for aperitif time , parmesan meatballs can be served with your favorite dressing: from Greek yogurt flavored with chopped chives to a delicate homemade mayonnaise , to a stronger barbecue or ranch sauce .