Easy Italian Meatballs

Easy Italian Meatballs! There’s nothing better than a good old fashioned meatball smothered in your favorite marinara sauce.  Plus, leftovers make a terrific hoagie style sandwich the following day!

Ingredients:

Ground Beef: I like to use 85% lean meat vs the 90-95% lean ground beef when making meatballs.  The fat content will help keep them moist.  You can also use a combination of ground beef and pork.

Parmesan Cheese: Is one of the key ingredients, it adds flavor, moisture and saltiness to the meat. You can also substitute pecorino Romano cheese.  Always use freshly grated cheese from the dairy section and not one from dry food shelf at the grocery store.

Bread:  I like to use day old Italian bread or something similar. Remove and discard the crust, tear the bread into small pieces. Bread is used as a filler and it also adds texture to the meatball. Use 1 cup of bread pieces per pound of ground meat.

Eggs: Eggs are used for binding and they also help keep the meatballs from falling apart.

Water or Milk: Liquid helps maintain moisture while cooking. I prefer milk but water works too.

Flavoring: For increased flavor use fresh, finely chopped parsley and minced garlic, along with salt and pepper.

Pro Tip for Italian Meatballs

The tenderness of the meatball will depend on the a couples of things. First, the addition of Parmesan cheese and fresh bread instead of dried bread crumbs. The second tip is not to over mix the meatballs.

Try some of our other recipes:

Easy Marinara Sauce

Pasta Fagioli

Grandma’s Macaroni Pie

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Easy Italian Meatballs

Make your own Italian meatballs at home with this simple recipe. Perfect for a comforting meal or a classic Italian sub.

5 from 5 votes

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Course main dish, Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pound ground beef, 85% lean
• 2 slices Italian bread, torn crusts removed (about 1 cup)
• 1/3 cup milk or water
• 4 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 small egg
• 1 1/2 cloves fresh minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons oil for frying

Instructions

 

• Combine the bread in a large bowl with the milk. Soak for 5 minutes, stir with a fork.
• In a bowl with the mashed bread crumbs, add ground beef, cheese, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix together just until combined. Do not over mix.
• Using a cookie dough scoop or ice cream scoop, measure out the meat, with wet hands, shape into meatballs.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add oil, and once the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the skillet. Turn every 2-3 minutes. Sauté until evenly browned and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Serve as is or add to marina sauce.

Notes

To Bake:  Place meatballs on a lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes, or until the center reaches 160 degrees F.

 

For extra large meatballs:   Use a 1/2 cup measure and shape into meatballs. (1 pound of ground beef will make 7-8 large meatballs or 15 smaller ones)

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