Description
These melt-in-your-mouth Italian meatballs are tender, juicy, and full of rich, savory flavor. Made with a mix of ground beef and pork, Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and simmered in a robust tomato sauce, they’re the ultimate comfort food. Serve them over pasta, tucked into hoagie rolls, or freeze for a quick, satisfying meal anytime.
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2 large eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup whole milk
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, grated
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying)
28 oz crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and whole milk. Let soak for 5–10 minutes until softened.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, eggs, grated onion, minced garlic, Parmesan, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands just until combined—don’t overmix.
3. Roll the mixture into 1.5-inch balls and place them on a lined baking sheet.
4. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides in batches. They don’t need to cook through, just develop a golden crust.
5. Transfer the meatballs into a pot of simmering crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce. Cover and simmer on low for 25–30 minutes until cooked through and juicy.
6. Serve over your favorite pasta, polenta, or in sandwich rolls.
Notes
For evenly moist meatballs, don’t skip soaking the breadcrumbs in milk.
Browning before simmering builds flavor—don’t skip it unless you must.
Want a cheesier result? Mix in extra Parmesan or Asiago to the meat mixture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (about 4 meatballs)
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 880mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
Keywords: Italian meatballs, classic meatballs, pasta dinner