The Best Italian Meatballs - Authentic and Homemade
Learn how to make classic homemade meatballs! For the BEST authentic Italian meatballs and sauce mix together ground beef with fresh bread crumbs, parmesan, and spices then then pan fry and braise until tender.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 300kcal
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- kosher salt
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, pureed in the blender
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef, or half ground beef and half ground pork
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 oz parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs, plus another 1/2 cup if needed
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk, optional
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ----
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Tomato Sauce
- Before you start the meatballs, get the sauce done and simmering.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium-low heat and add garlic and a sprinkle of salt. Saute for 1 minute and then add tomatoes, oregano, and bay leaves.
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring sauce to a boil, reduce to low and let simmer while you make the meatballs.
Meatballs
- Move oven rack to lower middle position. Heat oven to 300F.
- Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, but gently. If you think it needs some more breadcrumbs or the egg yolk, add them now and mix in the additions.
- To portion out the meat, I like to use a cookie scoop. It goes very fast and they all end up the same size. However you portion them, take each portion and roll it between your hands until it is well shaped and then lay it out on a cookie sheet or a plate.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs in batches and brown them all over, about 5-6 minutes per batch. (One pound of meat takes me two batches.)
- As you finish browning, add to the sauce. Once all have been browned and added to the sauce, cover the pot and put it in the oven. Braise the meatballs for at least 2 hours, but they can sit in the oven at that temperature for 4-6 hours.
- When you are ready to eat, serve with pasta, on rolls, or by themselves as an appetizer or on a buffet.
Notes
- Doubling: Recipe doubles or triples easily for larger crowds or future meals.
- Make Ahead (Uncooked): Meatballs can be formed ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 day (in a sealed container) or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Make Ahead (Cooked): The entire recipe can be made and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Simply warm through in the oven. Or the meatballs and sauce can frozen for up to 2 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then heat and enjoy.
- Slow Cooker: Once you have made the sauce and fried the meatballs, add everything (while still hot) to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. The slow cooker is also an EXCELLENT way to keep them hot at a party.
- Size: I use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of mix per meatball. I use a #40 cookie scoop to make them all even. This is a great size for dinner and for meatball sandwiches. If you are making them for a party, smaller meatballs (about 2 tsp for each - using a #100 scoop) work great.
- Oven Temperature: Don't be tempted to increase it! A low oven is very important in allowing everything to braise without browning or burning the sauce or meat.
Nutrition
Calories: 300kcal