Fall is my favorite time of year for so many reasons, but making cozy dishes like this is right at the top of the list. These Pork Meatballs with Mustard Cider Cream Sauce are creamy, savory, herby, and just the definition of Fall comfort food. The meatballs are tender and flavorful and the creamy sauce is perfectly balanced by the tanginess and tartness of the mustard and cider. Give this easy, impressive dish a try and be prepared to add it to your chilly weather meal rotation!
Pork Meatballs
Meatballs - such friendly little things, aren't they? I feel like most people's eyes light up when they hear meatballs are on the menu. There's just something very homey and nostalgic about them and they can be made in so many different ways. This version is my very Fall-inspired, slightly Frenchified pork meatball version. Pork is my first choice for these meatballs as it pairs so well with apples and mustard, but you could use chicken, turkey, veal, or even beef. I get my ground pork from Hayfield Farm and I highly encourage you to find a good, local source for yours as well.
And about that mustard cider cream sauce
I love incorporating hard apple cider into recipes during the Fall months - it adds the same tang and balance as wine, but with a little seasonal, Fall flair. Try to find a dry cider - we have some beautiful cideries here in Virginia, but a dry, French cider is a great choice, too. The cider cooks down and pairs so well with the cream, herbs, and mustard. You'll want to lick this sauce off your plate it is so good!
What to serve with these pork meatballs
As pictured here, mashed potatoes are a top choice, but rice or egg noodles would be great too. Polenta would be good. Or spaghetti squash if you're doing the low carb thing. Heck, just a good loaf of crusty bread for mopping up that sauce would be perfect and so easy. I hope you'll give this one a try and let me know if you do by leaving a comment and rating below. I LOVE seeing you all make my recipes! xo - Anita
Check out these other cozy dinner recipes:
Pork Meatballs with Mustard Cider Cream Sauce
Fall is my favorite time of year for so many reasons, but making cozy dishes like this is right at the top of the list. These pork meatballs with mustard cider cream sauce are creamy, savory, herby, and just the definition of Fall comfort food. The meatballs are tender and flavorful and the creamy sauce is perfectly balanced by the tanginess and tartness of the mustard and cider. Give this easy, impressive dish a try and be prepared to add it to your chilly weather meal rotation!
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
For cooking meatballs:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb ground pork
- ¼ cup dried bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup grated yellow onion (save the rest for the sauce)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
For the sauce:
- ½ cup onion, grated or chopped (use what you have left from making meatballs)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces dry, hard apple cider
- 8 ounces heavy cream
- 4 ounces chicken or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup grainy mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- pinch of ground nutmeg (optional but really good)
- fresh herbs for garnish - parsley, dill, chives are all good choices
Instructions
- Combine all meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well to combine. At this point you can cover this mixture and stash in the refrigerator for 24 hours. I often do this as it allows the flavors to meld.
- To form meatballs, use a small cookie scoop to get about 2 tablespoons of meat mixture. You can make any size you like, but I prefer smaller meatballs. Forming them into 2 tablespoon-sized balls will give you about 35 meatballs. Once scooped, roll them in your hands to even them out into nice, round meatballs.
- When all meatballs are formed, heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil. Cook meatballs in a single layer, checking for browning and flipping as needed to achieve even browning on all sides. Remove from pan and proceed with sauce.
- In same pan, add onion and garlic and cook for about a minute to soften. Add cider and allow to reduce by half before adding cream and broth. Allow this to reduce again until sauce thickens slightly - you are looking for a not-too-thick gravy consistency. This will take about 10 minutes.
- Add remaining sauce ingredients and stir before returning meatballs and any juices to pan. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes until sauce is thick and meatballs are warmed through. If you have made larger meatballs, check for doneness with a meat thermometer or by slicing into one - there should be no more pink and the temperature should be 160 degrees F.
- Taste sauce for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or mustard to taste before serving.
Notes
Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, egg noodles, polenta, spaghetti squash, or a big loaf of crusty bread.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Leslie says
I found this to be much too tart for my tastes - could barely recognize the mustard in it, which was the whole reason I made it in the first place.
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
The mustard is what adds tartness along with the cider - it is kind of the main flavor profile of the dish. Perhaps your cider was very tart and reducing an already tart cider would certainly result in a more tart sauce. Either way, if you wanted more mustard flavor you could have added more to taste in step number 6 or simply served extra mustard on the side.
LG says
Five stars for the meatballs, the flavor was amazing!
As for the sauce, I had some trouble and can’t really leave a rating. The sauce was broken from the moment the cream came in. I followed the recipe exactly except for the cider. I mistakenly thought “cider” instead of “hard cider” when ingredient shopping and maybe that is where things went wrong for me.
Despite the sauce troubles, my family did enjoy this served with spaetzle and roasted broccoli. I would try this again!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the meatballs and I'm sorry the sauce gave you trouble. I think it must have been the difference between the cider and the hard cider. Were you using a full fat heavy cream? Thank you for trying the recipe and for leaving this comment! I do hope you'll try it again in the future and have success with the sauce.
Cristina says
This was such a delicious recipe! A new go to comfort meal for my family. 10/10 recommend!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Thank you Cristina! It means SO much that you made this and enjoyed it. Thank you for coming back and leaving such a kind comment and rating!