Want to Taste the World? Make These Meatballs

From classic Italian meatballs to tender turkey meatballs floating in a delicate onion broth, these global recipes are the perfect comfort food. (Eva Kolenko/)
Full-flavored chicken meatballs dressed with a sweet and salty glaze. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/ginger-chicken-meatball-recipe/">Japanese Grilled Chicken Meatballs (Tsukune)</a>
In Sweden meatballs are served plain, as a snack; on a sandwich with beet salad; or as they are here, with mashed potatoes, creamy gravy, and tart lingonberry preserves. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Swedish-Meatballs-With-Mashed-Potatoes">Swedish Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes (Køttbullar mit Potatismos)</a> (Todd Coleman/)
Ground lamb adds rich flavor to this traditional Turkish meatballs. Serve them simply with mustard for a first course, or with rice or pasta for something more substantial. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/beef-lamb-kofta-meatballs-recipe">Beef and Lamb Koftas with Mustard</a> (Cem Talu/)
These liver-enriched pork meatballs, named for the old northern British term for uncased sausage, are delicious doused in a buttery onion gravy. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/faggots-with-onion-gravy-welsh-style-pork-meatballs-with-onion-gravy">Welsh-Style Pork Meatballs with Onion Gravy (Faggots with Onion Gravy)</a> (Helen Rosner/)
"Spices have always fascinated me. I collect them from all over the world," says Giorgia Goggi, who accents this soup with Middle Eastern sumac and Indian garam masala. If you can't find fresh yellow tomatoes, red will work just as well. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/yellow-tomato-soup-lamb-meatballs-yogurt-mint-recipe/">Yellow Tomato Soup with Lamb Meatballs, Yogurt, and Mint</a> (Eva Kolenko/)
A simple onion–potato broth acts as the poaching liquid for tender turkey meatballs, the whole thing punched up with pungent, fermented dill, basil and parsley. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/frikadelki-in-broth-turkey-meatball-soup-with-fermented-herbs">Frikadelki in Broth with Fermented Herbs</a> (Justin Walker/)
These holiday favorites benefit from a spicy, sage-heavy bulk pork sausage. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/sharp-cheddar-and-pork-sausage-balls-recipe">Cheddar and Sausage Balls</a> (Marcus Nilsson/)
The key to making these meatballs is to brown them first in a skillet and then braise them in a sauce of red wine and tomatoes. Serve them with crusty bread or spaghetti to sop up the sauce. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Meatball-Recipe">Classic Meatballs</a> (Todd Coleman/)
"Sardines" and "miso soup" probably don't go in the same sentence very often, but here they make a great pair. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/sardine-miso-ball-soup">Sardine Miso Ball Soup</a> (André Baranowski/)
Cumin- and paprika-spiced <em>kefta</em> (lamb meatballs), baked eggs, and kalamata olives are the hallmarks of this elegant tagine from the Moroccan restaurant Le Timgad in Paris. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Lamb-Meatball-Egg-Tagine">Kefta Tagine (Lamb Meatball and Egg Tagine)</a> (Landon Nordeman/)
For this traditional Iraqi-Jewish dish, ground-lamb meatballs are braised in a vibrant beet stew. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Beet-Stew-with-Lamb-Meatballs">Beet Stew with Lamb Meatballs</a>
These succulent Sichuan meatballs are fried until crisp, then coated with a sweet and sour sauce. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Pork-Oyster-Meatballs">Sweet and Sour Pork and Oyster Meatballs (Tangcu Muli Rouwan)</a> (Ariana Lindquist/)