Classic Italian Meatballs

The perfect meatball is a work of art. It must be tender, packed with flavor, nicely round, and hold together while cooking. Lucky for you, our classic Italian meatball recipe passes all of these tests with flying colors. Searing meatballs on the stovetop and simmering in a homemade (or store-bought!) marinara results in extra-flavorful, tender meatballs that won’t fall apart. Read on for our top tips (and best-kept secret) on perfecting our best-ever classic meatballs:

How To Make Classic Italian Meatballs

INGREDIENTS

• Bread Crumbs & Milk: A panade, a binder made by soaking bread crumbs in milk until it becomes a paste, is the secret to moist, tender meatballs. Top tip: This recipe works best with fresh bread crumbs. You can make your own by pulsing white or sourdough bread (without the crust) in a food processor.
• Beef, Pork & Italian Sausage: Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with all beef, but using a trio of ground beef, ground pork, and Italian sausage gives them a much more complex flavor.
• Onion & Garlic: These are classic recurring characters in our recipes that create a base of savory flavor and texture, and this recipe is no different.
• Eggs: Eggs serve as a binder for these meatballs, keeping them together when we form and put them in oil.
• Parmesan: I highly suggest using fresh finely grated Parmesan for the best flavor and texture.
• Parsley: Parsley not only adds a fresh flavor, but serves as a garnish as well.
• Marinara: Our homemade marinara is worth every second of time and effort, but if you’re low on time, a jar works as well.
  

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, we’re going to make the panade by combining the bread crumbs and milk. Mix together until combined, then let it soak for at least 15 minutes until it becomes a paste.

Then, we can start to make our meatballs. In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, sausage, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, then use your hands to combine. Once combined, gently stir in the bread crumb mixture along with the eggs, Parmesan, and parsley. Stir, again with your hands, until everything is just combined, but make sure to mix gently to prevent making your meatballs tough. Once combined, form the beef mixture into 1 1/2" balls using a cookie scoop (or damp hands).

Once your meatballs are all formed, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add your meatballs, working in batches to sear them on all sides. Make sure you work in batches to prevent overcrowding your pan. When searing, you’re looking to develop a crust—this should take around 2 minutes per side. Once one batch is done, transfer to a large bowl or plate and add your other batch.

Once all of your meatballs are seared, bring your sauce to a simmer in the same skillet. Once it’s simmering, add your meatballs back into the skillet in the sauce. Cover the skillet and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, which should take around 8 minutes more.

Once done, top the meatballs with more Parmesan (don’t be shy) and parsley and serve!

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• The secret to perfect, tender meatballs. Two words: Mix gently. Overmixing ground meat can make meatballs too compact and tough. Working with your hands lets you incorporate everything more quickly and gently. I also recommend beating the eggs before adding them so that it combines more easily with the other ingredients.
• Use a cookie scoop. If you want them all to cook in the same amount of time (and look the same), use a cookie scoop. Just scoop, level, and roll. It’s faster, easier, and you’ll grab the same amount of meat each time for uniformity.
• Roll with damp hands. To keep the meat from sticking to your hands while you roll, keep a little bowl of cold water next to you as you work.
• Sear the meatballs first. The browned outsides of meatballs contribute a ton of flavor. Plus, it helps the meatballs to stay together. You need to work in batches, though, since you'll have no chance at a good sear if the meatballs are crowding the pan.
• Simmer in the sauce. After searing, simmer the meatballs in the marinara sauce to guarantee that they’re cooked through and that the sauce clings to the meatball’s nooks and crannies.
• Alternate cooking methods. For these classic meatballs, I prefer (and highly recommend) searing on the stovetop, but you can absolutely make baked meatballs if you prefer. Can't get enough of the air fryer? Make our air fryer meatballs instead!
  

What To Serve With Meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic pairing, but Italian meatballs are more versatile than that. Serve over polenta or mashed potatoes, top with cheese and broil until bubbling and golden, sandwich between a hoagie roll with more cheese for the perfect meatball sub, or just put a fork right into the skillet!

Storage

If you have any leftover meatballs, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.