Traditional Italian Meatballs
These are my Mom’s Traditional Italian Meatballs, a fast and delicious Italian Recipe. Made with beef, Parmesan cheese and Italian spices in a delicious tomato sauce. These Meatballs are going to be your family’s favourite new recipe.
This is one of my mother’s recipes (her father was Italian, so it still counts), and they are the best I have ever eaten. My mother-in-law makes her pretty much the same way. So authentic Italian they are.
Recipe Ingredients
- Milk – whole or 2% milk
- Bread – crusts removed, I use day old Italian
- Ground beef – 80% lean
- Eggs
- Parmesan cheese – freshly grated
- Parsley
- Basil
- Oregano
- Salt
- Garlic – 1-2 cloves minced
How to make them
In a small bowl soak the bread in the milk, then squeeze out moisture and crumple into small bits. In a medium bowl combine the bread with the remaining ingredients, gently mix to combine well. Gently form into small balls.
In a medium frying pan on medium heat, add the olive oil and the meatballs, brown them on all sides. While meatballs are browning, in a separate, large deep pan add the olive oil, the tomato puree, spices and water, stir to combine. Add the browned meatballs. Cook until sauce has thickened and meatballs are cooked through. Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.
I discovered that in Italy you don’t eat Spaghetti and Meatballs together. Spaghetti is considered a primo piatto (first dish) and Meat is a secondo piatto (second plate). Therefore they should not be combined. Personally I think they are missing out on something, which is something the Italian doesn’t understand. My Mom always served them together and I love it. Sometimes he wins, sometimes I do.
She would always make them in a delicious tomato sauce and they would be served over Rigatoni or Penne. I like Spaghetti myself. Or if you are looking for something a little different why not use Ground Turkey and make a Pasta Bake. So you can dish it up the Italian way, and serve it as a secondo piatto, with a nice salad or vegetable of choice, our preferred veggie are Peas.
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.
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.
Can they be baked?
You can even fancy them up a bit and top the cooked meatballs with some shredded mozzarella or parmesan cheese, make sure they are in an oven safe pan and bake for about 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Related Recipes
- Italian Eggplant Meatballs
- Double Cheese Meatballs Two Ways
- Italian Meatballs in a Red Pepper Tomato Sauce
- Italian Meatballs in Cream Sauce
These are so good, you won’t even miss the pasta! Just make sure you have some crusty bread to catch the sauce. Or make it your way (our way) with pasta. These Easy Traditional Italian Meatballs are cooked in a sauce, so they can be served over pasta al dente. Buon appetito!
Mom’s Easy Traditional Italian Meatballs
Ingredients
- ¼-½ cup milk (2% or heavy)
- 2-3 slices bread (remove crusts, I use day old Italian and if it is extra thick use 2 slices)
- 1 pound ground beef (80% lean)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 -2 clove garlic minced
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups tomato puree* (passata) (450 grams)
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 – 1½ teaspoons oregano
- 1 – 1½ cups water (236 – 354 grams)
*or 1 can peeled tomatoes nothing added (400 grams)
Instructions
- In a small bowl soak the bread in the milk for about 5 minutes, then squeeze out moisture and crumple into small bits.
- In a medium bowl combine the bread with ground beef, eggs, parmesan and spices gently mix to combine well (I use my clean hands, its the best way to do it). Form into small balls ( I form the meatballs into the size of a golf ball). In a medium frying pan on medium heat, add the olive oil and the meatballs, brown them on all sides.
FOR THE SAUCE
- While meatballs are browning, in a separate, large deep pan add the olive oil, the tomato puree (or peeled tomatoes), spices and water, stir until well combined. Add the browned meatballs. Over medium heat, heat to boiling, then lower heat to medium low and simmer for approximately 20 minutes (covered), then raise the heat to medium, (leave pan slightly uncovered 1/3 uncovered) and cook an additional 20 minutes, until sauce has thickened and meatballs are cooked through. Serve immediately, top with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired. Don't forget some crusty Italian bread to soak up the delicious sauce. Enjoy!
- **If you decide to bake the meatballs, shred approximately 1/3 cup of firm mozzarella on top and bake in the oven until melted, make sure you use an oven safe frying pan.
Notes
Nutrition
Republished from February 14, 2014.
These were simple to put together. I used dried herbs as called for in the recipe, but next time I plan to use fresh homegrown. There will definitely be a next time. These were given a tier 1 status by the family; which is their highest rating. They loved it! Instead of serving with pasta I chose to use another recipe from this site, Parmesan Rice. Wowza! Great combination and satisfies those comfort food cravings. Thank you for another wonderfully flavorful meal.
Hi Monica, thanks so much, glad your family liked them also. Take care.
My Mom used to make her meatballs the same way! OMG I can’t wait to make these!
Hi Kristyn, thanks I hope you enjoy them. Let me know.
I love your site and so many good recipes! Thank you!
Hi Jennie, thanks so much, so glad you like the site. Take care.
finaly a real meatball ….only thing I have to say is a tomato sauce shuld be cooked 8 to 10 hours.. at the last 2 hrs the meatballs shuld be cooked in a pan till golden brown and finish cooking in the pot with the sauce last 2 hr also recomend puting all the grese in from the meatballs it will bring intence flaver to the sauce
I make mine pretty much the same except I use 80% chopped meat. Much tastier and softer.
Beautiful dish , my family loved it. Thankyouo
Hi Piia, thanks so much, so glad they all enjoyed it. Take care.
Maybe a little too salty for my liking and I had to reduce the sauce a bit, but these were absolutely delicious. I will definitely make again.
My husband will love this! I will be making this for his birthday dinner this weekend!
Hi Wilhelmina, thanks so much, I hope he does, let me know and Happy Birthday to your husband.
Your Meatballs I would make this way, they truly look authentic I had a childhood friend we used to walk to his grandmas house and she would make us this dish,I can smell the sauce as I write you now, she also mad us her version of a sloppy Joe, she seem to always have a pot of her sauce on the stove, she would have us sit on the stairs and she would cut a thick slice of crusty Italian bread spread sauce on it and some fresh grated cheese now that is how I recall good Italian eating these meatballs took me back a few days Thanks so much I will make some soon.
Chef Ernesto`
Hi Ernest, thanks so much, nothing like the amazing smells in an Italian kitchen. I hope you enjoy the meatballs.
I love this recipe.. The only thing I did a little different was slow cooked the meatballs in the sauce… It was fantastic… I also used fresh ground chuck roast and fresh herbs from my garden… my family DEVOURED this!! They can’t wait to have it again!!! It was the first time I used bread instead of
Store bought breadcrumbs and it was so much better… Thank you for sharing!!!
Hi Rebecca, thanks so much. So glad you and your family enjoyed it. Have a great weekend.
The ingredients say two eggs but the video says one or am I missing something?
Hi Davis, it is two eggs, the video because of the time length just the one egg was shown. 🙂 Thanks.
I have a non cheese Thinking daughter.what do you recommend to replace the Parmesan with? I generally use the nutritional yeast
Hi Carrie, I think I would just leave it out, I never used nutritional yeast so I have no idea how it would change the taste. Hope that helps. Let me know what you decided to do. Have a great weekend.
I made these for my family, and they are delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hi Kimberly, thank so glad you liked it.
Good meatballs but the sauce is very thin. I would use 1 cup of water instead, add 1 teaspoon of fennel, and a half cup of onion; seasoning is too light.
Hi Sophia, you should let it cook longer (or longer uncovered) so the sauce thickens.
Thank you so much! I’ve wanted a really good, authentic Italian meatball recipe. Now I’ve found it! 🙂
Thanks, glad I could help, hope you enjoy them. Rosemary