Ready to unlock the secret to unbelievably tender and juicy Italian meatballs that will disappear from the plate?
Ditch the dry, dense disappointments and prepare for a culinary revelation where simple ingredients transform into a family-favorite masterpiece.
Get ready to learn the secrets to making meatballs so good, everyone will be begging for more.
Ingredients
Okay, let's gather our ingredients—this is where the magic really begins! For the meatballs themselves, you're gonna need one lightly packed cup of diced white sandwich bread—yep, the plain kind! We're also gonna need a small brown, white, or yellow onion, 14 ounces of ground beef, plus 3 ounces of ground pork. These meatballs, much like tasty cheeseburger meatballs, also greatly benefit from using ground beef. Don't forget one egg, a quarter cup of finely chopped fresh parsley, two minced garlic cloves, and a quarter cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or parmesan. And, of course, three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and a quarter of a teaspoon of black pepper to round it all out.
For cooking, we'll need 2.5 tablespoons of olive oil, two minced garlic cloves, three-quarters of a cup of finely chopped onion, 24 ounces of tomato passata, and a half cup of water! Then, one teaspoon of red pepper flakes, three teaspoons of dried Italian herb mix, one teaspoon of salt, and some black pepper.
Instructions
Alright, let's dive right into the instructions—this is where we transform raw ingredients into a mouthwatering masterpiece! You're gonna love how simple this is.
First, though, I suggest grating your onion; don't skip that step! Then:
- Mix the grated onion with bread—this'll make 'em super soft, trust me, ha!
- Add the meatball ingredients and smoosh it all together with your hands. Get in there!
- Roll 'em into balls–about a heaped tablespoon each.
- Brown those bad boys in olive oil, and then—bam!—onto the sauce! Remember, high-quality ingredients are key to a delicious outcome.
Next, I suggest that we get our sauce ready. Sauté onion and garlic, and stir in sauce ingredients, which you know is going to be good. Into that sauce, you're going to add your meat balls! Simmer for about ten minutes until cooked. And there you have it, folks!
Recipe Notes
Now, let's chat about some recipe notes, 'cause I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to make sure these meatballs turn out perfect every single time!
For the bread, plain white sandwich bread works best–trust me! You can use other kinds too, but don't include the crust. Sightly stale bread? That's A-OK! Breadcrumbs work too, use 1/2 cup Panko.
Pork makes them extra juicy if you use it with 14 oz of ground beef, but sometimes I just use 1 lb of ground beef. It's all good!
Fresh parsley is great, but you can use 1 1/2 tbsp of dried parsley, or an Italian herb mix.
For the tomato passata, it's just pureed tomatoes. If you can't find that- puree canned tomatoes. I explain rolling 'em in the video!
Baking Option
If you're looking to bake these meatballs, here's how I do it! It's super easy and a great alternative if you don't want to stand over the stove! I find this method to be pretty effective!
First, you'll need to grab a tray and a rack that fits inside. Then, give the rack a good spray with oil — don't be shy, now! It keeps the meatballs from sticking, of course.
- Place a rack on a tray.
- Spray rack well with oil.
- Place meatballs, evenly spaced, on rack.
- Spray meatballs with oil!
Then, pop them into a preheated oven at 200C/400F for about 20 minutes until they're nicely browned. After that, simply simmer them in the sauce for a few minutes — just to let all those yummy flavors come together! I think you'll love this baking option! It's a set-and-forget kind of thing!
Nutrition Information
Let's explore into what these meatballs bring to the table, health-wise—after all, knowing what you're eating is half the fun! I've calculated the nutritional info per serving, assuming about five servings from this recipe; just the meatballs though so add pasta values separately.
A single serving clocks in at around 442 calories. We're looking at 22 grams of fat — that's 34% of your daily value — and 34 grams of protein. Not bad, right?
Keep an eye on the sodium! It's a high 1552mg — that's 67% of your daily value. So, maybe go easy on the added salt elsewhere in your meal.
But hey, you're also getting a decent dose of vitamins! We're talking about 20% of your daily Vitamin A, 33% of your Vitamin C, and 35% of your daily Iron! Enjoy every bite!
Short Recipe Version
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Ground Meat (Beef or Pork)
- 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Egg
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- Tomato Sauce
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Mix gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Form into 1-inch meatballs.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Alternatively, simmer in tomato sauce until cooked through.
Nutrition (estimated per serving):
- Calories: 350
- Protein: 30g
- Fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 10g