English Meatballs & Mash with Onion Gravy is a take-off from the classic and beloved English dish, Bangers & Mash. The idea came to me when I was savoring an order of bangers and mash in my favorite English pub, Shades, located in the quaint town of Crawley, West Sussex. The Shades’ version is served in a “bowl” made of Yorkshire pudding, which is topped with real mashed potatoes, sticky-cooked English bangers, and richly flavored onion gravy. This dish was so good, when I returned home, I immediately began working on a version using meatballs from the meatball module which were waiting for me in my freezer. (Incidentally, I would never insult my family by serving those disgusting rubbery balls which are found in the freezer section of most grocery stores; I know they are called meatballs, but they’re only partially real meat, and mostly textured vegetable protein, fillers, and preservatives. Yuk!)

While it takes about 30 minutes to caramelize the onions for the gravy, it is not “hands-on” time, and the cook only has to stir them once in a while. If you have leftover mashed potatoes from your Sunday dinner, this is a great time to use them up; heat them in the microwave, then whip in a little milk and butter to revive them. Otherwise, you can peel and boil potatoes to make real mashed potatoes if you have time, or cheat and use frozen, which, believe it or not, aren't too bad. I discourage the use of instant potatoes, since I’ve never found a brand that tastes like real mashed potatoes.

Meatballs and Mash with Onion Gravy

6 Servings

2 tablespoons butter
3 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 cup dry marsala
2 cups beef broth

30 meatballs from the Meatball Module

6 cups mashed potatoes

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley


Melt the butter in a skillet and add the onions; cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized, 25-30 minutes. Pour the marsala wine over the onions and turn the heat to high; when the wine has reduced by half, 2-3 minutes, add the beef broth and bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes, then add the meatballs, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Serve over the mashed potatoes and sprinkle with the fresh parsley.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 365 Calories from Fat 137
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 38% Protein 16% Carb. 46%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 15 g
Saturated Fat 8 g
Cholesterol 75 mg
Sodium 1157 mg
Total Carbohydrate 42 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 15 g

Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 25% Calcium 0% Iron 4%