It's easy to think of the meatball as three things: Italian, covered with red sauce and served with spaghetti. It's iconic. The reality, though, is that meatballs could be considered an international phenomenon, inspiring creative dishes around the globe! Swedes love their sweet and sour meatballs. French North Africans enjoy fragrant boulettes in their tagine. Chinese hot pots often feature fish balls. Vegans even have meat-less meatballs!