Classic Italian Meatballs
Classic Italian meatballs—just like Nonna used to make! These meatballs are actually my mother’s recipe, the ones she’s been making for years. Made with a blend of ground beef, pork, and veal and simmered in marinara sauce, they’re tender, delicious, and hard to beat.
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Ah, the Italian meatball. Who doesn’t love one? Or several? They’re irresistible and a staple comfort food. As for these particular meatballs? They’re my mother’s recipe, the ones she’s been making for decades, with only slight variations along the way.
However, the word “recipe” may be an overstatement here, as her meatballs were always a “non-recipe recipe” until I chose to include them on this blog. For many Italians—and even Italian-Americans—precise measurements aren’t always a “thing,” with many of them preparing meals by simply adding “a little bit of this and a little bit of that.”
When I started making my mom’s meatballs a few years back, she basically communicated the directions to me similarly. It required a lot of eye-balling of measurements on my part, but it worked because my meatballs came out pretty darn good.
As for how my mother’s classic Italian meatballs evolved over the years? She used to make them with ground beef only and always used dry breadcrumbs. Those two ingredients—and a par fry—produced a firm yet delicious meatball.
Her other ingredients included garlic powder, Pecorino Romano cheese, fresh parsley, and eggs. She never added salt because of the inherent saltiness of the cheese, and she always put in plenty.
Over the years, my mom made just two noticeable changes to her meatballs: She began making them with a mix of ground beef, pork, and veal, and she used bread torn from either leftover Italian bread, ciabatta, or something similar. I believe those two changes transformed her meatballs into something more tender and delicious.
My mom was present when I made her meatballs again for this blog, and we carefully measured the previously eye-balled ingredients to achieve the exact amounts. My mom was impressed with the final result and even declared them the best meatballs she had in a long time (Thanks, Mom!).
As delectable as my mom’s meatballs are, I still do one thing differently: I don’t par fry them, which has led to some friendly contention between us. You see, she thinks frying them on the outside before simmering them in a pot of marinara or meat sauce gives them extra “oomph.”
On the other hand, I think the difference is barely discernible. In fact, I don’t even bake them. I form the meat into balls and gently drop them into a large pot of marinara sauce. I believe cooking them raw right in the tomato sauce keeps them moist and tender, and that’s why you don’t need to add any milk-soaked breadcrumbs to them (as some do). And my mom loved them so much, I think she forgot I didn’t even fry them!
Oh, and if you’re wondering why my mom always uses garlic powder and not fresh garlic in these homemade Italian meatballs, it’s because she thinks fresh garlic doesn’t really cook when it’s tucked inside the meatballs and makes them bitter. And I agree!
Why You’ll Love These Classic Italian Meatballs
- They don’t require frying: Just drop them raw into a pot of marinara sauce and simmer them for 45 minutes.
- They’re easy to make: Comfort food that’s easy to make = nothing better.
- These meatballs are soft and juicy: Cooking them directly in the sauce prevents them from drying out.
- They’re even better as leftovers: You could make these ahead of time and enjoy them over several days. They also freeze beautifully.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Meatball/Meatloaf Mix: Use all ground beef if you can’t find this blend, but it will alter the results a bit.
- Fresh Breadcrumbs: Do not use dried breadcrumbs from the grocery store.
- Garlic Powder: Fresh garlic will make the meatballs bitter. Garlic powder is easier anyway!
- Pecorino Romano Cheese: Generic Parmesan is not strong enough. Neither is Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Eggs: Large eggs are best.
- Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley: Do not use dried parsley. Fresh only!
- Marinara Sauce: Use jarred or double this homemade marinara sauce.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Classic Italian Meatballs
- Mix the meatballs: Place all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix with your hands until combined.
- Form: Roll the mixture into individual balls a little larger than the size of a golf ball.
- Cook the meatballs: Place the meatballs gently into a large pot of heated marinara sauce and simmer until they’re cooked through, about 45 minutes.
Pro Tips
Use garlic powder: The rawness of fresh garlic may not thoroughly cook through inside the meatballs and could be bitter.
Be sure to use Pecorino Romano cheese: Ordinary domestic Parmesan will be different, and this is one time I encourage splurging on the real thing. Another option is Parmigiano Reggiano, but it’s less intense than Pecorino, and you may need to increase the amount or make up the difference with some added salt.
You can mix the meatballs beforehand: To save time, you can mix the ingredients for the meatballs the day before you plan to cook them. Just cover the mix with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
Drop the balls gently into the sauce: Place the meatballs into the pot of marinara sauce one at a time. Use a wooden spoon to carefully push them around the pot so they submerge under the sauce (Don’t worry about completely submerging them.) They shouldn’t break (I’ve never had one break yet!)
Suggestions for Variations and Substitutions
- You can use all ground beef if you can’t find a meatball/meatloaf mix. It will alter the results, though.
- You can par-fry the meatballs first, then finish cooking them in the pot of marinara sauce.
- Other than the above suggestions, I strongly recommend adhering to the recipe.
Recipe FAQs
This is debatable, but I believe a blend of ground beef, pork, and veal makes the best meatballs. They yield more tender meatballs with a slightly more contrasting texture compared to those made with all ground beef.
No, you can form the meatballs, place them directly into the sauce, and simmer them until they’re cooked through.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Freezer
You can freeze these meatballs for up to 3 months. Defrost them in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat
Gently simmer the meatballs in a pot (preferably with some marinara sauce) on the stovetop until heated through. You can also microwave them in a microwave-safe bowl covered with a sheet of wax paper.
More Italian-Inspired Recipes
- Linguine aglio e olio with roasted garlic
- Linguine with clams, anchovies, and breadcrumbs
- Fried caper and garlic pasta
If you love this recipe, I’d appreciate it if you could take a moment to review it below. You could also tag me on Instagram (@forcarbssake) with a picture of your finished dish!
Classic Italian Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Marinara Sauce
- 2 cans whole tomatoes (28 ounces each)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion, peeled and minced
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, or more, torn
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound meatball/meatloaf mix (a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal)
- 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs, crusts removed and the white part of the bread torn into small pieces (Use a hearty bread, such as ciabatta or boule.) (Note 1)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (Note 2)
- ¾ cup Pecorino Romano cheese (Note 3)
- 2 to 3 large eggs
- ½ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced (Note 4)
Instructions
- Puree the canned whole tomatoes using an immersion blender, food processor, or traditional blender.2 cans whole tomatoes (28 ounces each)
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot on medium-low to medium heat. Add the minced onion and crushed garlic, stirring the onion periodically and cooking until it becomes soft and transluscent, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, press the garlic cloves into the olive oil to release their flavor (it's OK if any cloves break). Remove them once they start to turn a golden color.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; ½ cup yellow onion, peeled and minced; 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- Pour the pureed whole tomatoes into the pot. You may want to lower the heat or temporarily remove the pot from the heat in case it's too hot and causes the tomatoes to splatter. Add the salt, ground black pepper, and basil. Turn the heat to low so that the sauce simmers gently.½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste; freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon fresh basil, or more, torn
- As the sauce cooks, place all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix by hand, careful not to overmix. Start by adding 2 eggs, and if the meat looks a little dry, use the 3rd egg.1 pound meatball/meatloaf mix; 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ¾ cup Pecorino Romano cheese; 2 or 3 large eggs; ½ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced
- Roll the mixture into individual balls slightly larger than the size of a golf ball. You should end up with about 15 to 18 meatballs.
- Before placing the meatballs in the sauce, taste for salt and add more if needed. If the tomatoes taste bitter, add a pinch of granulated sugar. Drop the meatballs gently into the pot and move them around carefully with a wooden spoon until they're just submerged in the sauce. Gently simmer them for 45 minutes before removing the pot from the heat.
- Serve these meatballs alongside some pasta or a salad. You could also turn them into meatball subs. Enjoy!
Can I mix all this a day ahead? I am doing a lot of cooking the day I will be making these. Thank you. Recipe looks awesome!
Yes, you can absolutely mix a day ahead! I hope you love them!