Classic Italian Meatballs
This easy and simple recipe produces a soft and tender meatball. One of the best Classic Italian Meatball Recipes. Serve them the Italian way as a Main Dish or topped on a big bowl of pasta. Perfect either way!
Meatballs are one of our favourite meals in my family. My daughters would love when I served them with a side dish of Peas. I would usually serve them the Italian way as a Main dish or second plate. and sometimes a simple pasta or risotto as a first plate.
How to make them
In a large bowl mix together the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
Slowly add the milk until you have a soft compact mixture.
Form the mixture into small balls.
In a large pan add the olive oil, garlic, tomato puree/passata or a can of peeled tomatoes, salt, fresh basil, oregano and water. Mix to combine. Add the meatballs and gently mix to cover them in sauce.
Cover the pan and cook for about 20 minutes, uncover and continue to cook for about 15 minutes or until cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Serve as a main dish or over a bowl of your favourite al dente pasta. Don’t forget a sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese.
What is the best meat to use?
This recipe (and also the way my mother-in-law made them) is with one pound of 80% lean ground beef, if you prefer you can add half ground beef and half ground pork or even Italian sausage with the casing removed.
Ingredients for the Best Meatballs
- Be sure to use freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and not the cheese sold in plastic packages, cans or jars.
- Ground beef with 15-20 % fat. A little fat content helps the meatballs stay juicy.
- For the Tomato sauce be sure to use tomato puree/passata, just the tomatoes with nothing added.
- Use fresh parsley and fresh basil.
What does Meatball mean in Italian?
In Italian meatballs are called polpette and they are usually made from beef or sometimes an addition of ground pork, they contain ingredients such as garlic, eggs, parsley, bread or bread crumbs and usually Parmigiana. Polpette in Italian is also used as a term of endearment, used to express affection.
How to store them
The cooked meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three to four days. They can also be frozen cooked in a freezer safe container for up to three months. If you prefer you can even freeze them uncooked. Place on a cookie in the freezer until firm then transfer to a freezer safe container or bag. They will keep for three to four months.
More Meatball Recipes
- Double Cheese Meatballs 2 Ways
- Italian Eggplant Meatballs
- Little Meatballs with Parmesan Garlic Rice
So if you are looking for a delicious way to make meatballs then I hope you try this Classic Italian Meatball Recipe. Buon Appetito!
Classic Italian Meatballs
Ingredients
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- 1 pound ground beef (500 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½-1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 dashes black pepper
- ¼ cup milk (I used 2%) (60 grams)
FOR THE SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ cups tomato puree/passata (338 grams)
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt
- 4-5 fresh basil leaves (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ cup water (60 grams)
Instructions
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- In a large bowl mix together the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Slowly add the milk until you have a soft compact mixture.Form the mixture into small balls.
FOR THE SAUCE
- In a large pan add the olive oil, garlic, tomato puree/passata, salt, fresh basil, oregano and water. Mix to combine.
- Add the meatballs and gently mix to cover them in sauce. Cover the pan and cook on low/medium (more low than medium) heat for approximately 15- 20 minutes, uncover and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and the sauce has thickened. If you find the sauce thickening too much then add a little more water.
- Serve immediately as a main dish or over your favourite al dente pasta. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese before serving. Enjoy!
I was just wondering how much pasta to use with this for dinner has anybody tried this with spaghetti? Is this enough for a pound or should I only use a half pound
Hi Marie, meatballs are served as a main course in Italy so if you do want to serve it with pasta I would double the sauce for a pound of pasta or even a bit more pasta. Hope that helps. Take care!
These were delicious! I used 80/20 ground beef, I think it flavored the sauce so well. Thanks for a recipe so easy and flavorful I will make again and again.
Hi Tonig, thanks so much, so glad you liked it. Take care!
Tried this recipe, and it’s our new family favorite.
But, anything I have tried from your recipe list always becomes a favorite. Really really enjoy your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi Lorraine, thanks so much, so glad you enjoy the recipes and the meatballs. Take care and have a great weekend!
This recipe is absolutely delicious – my family’s new favorite. I add dried basil to the meatballs – that’s the only thing I do differently from the recipe! Thanks 😊
Hi Diane, thanks so much, so glad everyone enjoyed it. Take care!
Excellent – have made a number of times
Hi Deb, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
Quick question for you…Do you use plain breadcrumbs or Italian flavored breadcrumbs?
Hi Sophie, I use plain breadcrumbs. Take care!
i love to make for my grandkids
But they always come ou heavy How do I get them lighter and fluffier?
Thank You
Love reading your website
For those that do not eat meat could I make the meatballs with ground turkey breast?
Hi Eileen, make sure you don’t handle or mix the meat too much, that can cause heavier meatballs, or maybe use a fattier ground beef, that should help also. And yes you could use ground turkey. Thanks so much, so glad you enjoy the site. Take care.
I’m not one to rate recipes I find online but this was amazing! I substituted the milk for equal parts ricotta cheese… These were so so good. Will definitely make again!
Hi Claudette, thanks so much, so glad you liked them.
Excellent recipe!
Hi Linda, thanks so much so glad you enjoyed it. Have a great week.
I use Romano cheese in my meatballs, and I grate my garlic rather than mince, it seems to bland better. What are your thoughts on this?
Hi Sandra, sure Romana is a good cheese to use, a stronger flavour, and grating your garlic is a good idea. 🙂
Hey again Rosemary, I’ve got your Classic Italian Meatballs underway at this present moment.
I’ve put them into my Slow Cooker so that they cook nice and slow.
My only query is this, you don’t say to brown off the meatballs in this recipe. Am I reading that correctly? In all the years that I’ve made Meatballs I’ve always browned them off and find it strange not to do so.
As I said, they are cooking away now so we’ll see how they turn out.
Many thanks as always.
Stephen.
Hi Stephen, no browning of the meatballs in this recipe, that’s what makes them extra soft. Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Hi Rosemary, The Meatballs we’re well received. My wife loved the sauce, she said it was nice to have a home made sauce instead of the jars that I’ve used before. I think I’ll be making it as a staple for some of my future pasta dishes. The meatballs were absolutely delicious, lovely & soft. Shirley (my wife) loved them too.
Slow cooker method on Low took 4 hours tho, well worth the wait.
Thanks again Rosemary.
Regards, Stephen.
Hi Stephen, thanks so glad to her you both liked the recipe and that turned out well with the slow cooker also. Take care.
Just love all your recipes, and the meatballs are grand, almost the same recipe as mine. Thanks so much Rosemary
DB
Hi Douglas, thanks so much. Have a great week.
These sound super delicious! I’ll make them soon, & serve ’em with a loaf of crusty bread w/olive oil, & a huge Italian Salad. We adults will love this, but I’m sure my little ones will want some ‘Pazghetti’ with their Meatballs. That’s ok with me. I’ll cook-up some whole wheat Angel Hair pasta for them. Thank you.
Hi Angelina, thanks so much, let me know how it goes. Have a great weekend.