Nothing like the aroma of great Italian meatballs simmering away in tomato sauce to tantalize the taste buds! These juicy, tender meatballs are made with a blend of ground beef, pork and veal with ricotta, parmesan cheese and spices for irresistible flavor.
Homemade Italian meatballs are by far among the most-requested dinners in our house for birthdays, Sundays, game days, and whenever there's a craving. Italian comfort food at its finest!
I grew up watching my mom make delicious Italian meatballs with marinara sauce all the time. And like countless families, with no recipe. Nothing existed on paper until now.
Maybe there's a tomato-splotched index card somewhere, who knows. But this great meatball recipe with Sunday gravy is now documented to eliminate any guess work and ensure you have mouthwatering meatballs every time.
And if you’re looking for more craveable Italian food, be sure to check out our shrimp scampi over linguine, veggie stuffed shells with pesto, and vodka rigatoni with smoked sausage and peas!
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love this Italian Meatball Recipe
- Italian Meatball Ingredients
- Variations
- Mixing and Forming Meatballs
- Cooking Instructions
- Top Tips for Perfect Homemade Meatballs
- Homemade Tomato Sauce
- Ways to Serve
- Side Dishes for Italian Meatballs
- Italian Meatballs Recipe FAQs
- More Meatball Recipes to Try!
- 📋 Recipe
- Related Posts
- 💬 Comments
Why You’ll Love this Italian Meatball Recipe
- Tender and juicy meatballs full of amazing flavor.
- So versatile – serve on a bed of pasta, in a sandwich or skewer for an appetizer.
- Make ahead – meatballs can be frozen once formed either cooked or uncooked.
- Always a total crowd pleaser.
- Easily customizable.
Italian Meatball Ingredients
See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Meat Selection – I like using a blend of ground beef with ground veal and pork for a little extra fat and flavor.
- Breadcrumbs – Day-old bread broken up into small pieces in a food processor and moistened with milk will make your meatballs soft and tender.
- Large Egg for binding.
- Cheeses – Parmesan cheese gives the meatballs a bit of salty, nutty flavor while creamy ricotta cheese keeps the meatballs tender and moist.
- Seasoning and Spices – You’ll want to add fresh garlic and typical Italian seasonings to the meatball mixture, like parsley, basil or oregano. To enhance the taste even further, I like to add crushed fennel seeds and a bit of freshly grated nutmeg.
Variations
- Meat Mixture – You can stick with using just ground beef but be sure to use an 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio. You may also add sweet or hot Italian sausage to the mix for extra flare.
- Ground chicken or turkey can also be used but the flavors will stray from classic Italian meatballs.
- Breadcrumbs - If I don’t have bread, I like using panko breadcrumbs. You can also use fine seasoned breadcrumbs, but you’ll need less and may need more milk to get the right consistency.
- Spices – If you like a little kick, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the mixture.
Mixing and Forming Meatballs
In a large bowl, add the ground meat, breadcrumb mixture, egg, cheeses, garlic, spices, water and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
Use your hands to mix all the meatball ingredients together just until combined. Overmixing will risk having dense meatballs.
When forming the meatballs, have a small bowl of water next to you to wet your hands so the mixture doesn’t stick to you.
Form the meatballs about 2 inches in diameter and place them on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Try to keep them all the same size to ensure even cooking. You should get 16-20 meatballs.
You can make the meatballs a day ahead of cooking. Simply cover and refrigerate until ready to use. See the FAQs section below for how to freeze uncooked meatballs.
Cooking Instructions
Bake in the Oven – Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake formed meatballs for 10-12 minutes. You don’t want them to cook all the way through so they can absorb the flavor of the sauce as they simmer.
Simmer in Sauce – Place the par-cooked meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce. Partially cover the pot with a lid and let simmer about 30 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
They should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F in the center with an instant-read thermometer. (There’s no need to simmer for hours, the meatballs will become tough!)
Other Cooking Methods
Frying in a Skillet – Alternatively, you can brown the meatballs on all sides in some olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or other heavy, large skillet. You’ll need to work in batches to not overcrowd the pan.
Using an Air Fryer – You can definitely air fry your meatballs as well. Place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Whether skillet frying or air frying, add your meatballs to the simmering sauce to finish cooking.
Top Tips for Perfect Homemade Meatballs
- For starters, to make dry, tough meatballs a thing of the past, use fresh breadcrumbs moistened with milk. It makes a huge difference.
- Also, combining beef with fattier ground pork and veal is also a must for soft, pillowy meatballs.
- Use fresh ingredients like freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano for the best results rather than what comes in a bright-colored can.
- Mix the ingredients just until combined with your hands, otherwise they'll get tough. Give the mixer a day off.
- When forming meatballs, remember you're making a meatball, not packing a snowball. Keep them loose so the sauce can penetrate those nooks and crannies to maximize flavor.
- Keep the meatballs the same size for even cooking. Using an ice cream scoop can help with this as long as the mixture isn’t packed tightly.
- Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet so the meatballs don’t stick to the pan and makes cleaning up easier.
Homemade Tomato Sauce
While you can always simmer your meatballs in a store-bought tomato sauce, making your own is so easy and uses simple pantry ingredients. Plus, you can make a double batch and freeze some to have on hand for another time.
I’ve included a recipe below that I've been making for decades. The keys to a great sauce are using high-quality crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh onion and garlic, ample dried or fresh herbs, and a parmesan rind. You’ll thank me later.😉
Ways to Serve
When it comes to serving Italian meatballs, a few nestled on a plate of twirled spaghetti with ladles of tomato sauce is our go-to.
You can also serve the meatballs over creamy polenta or mashed potatoes with a dollop of ricotta on the side. Either way finish with some fresh parsley and basil, and an extra shave of parm.
These meatballs also play very well with mozzarella cheese for a meatball parmesan sandwich or skewered with a marinara dipping sauce for a yummy appetizer. Or, slice them for a perfect pizza topping!
Side Dishes for Italian Meatballs
Whether you’re serving the meatballs with your favorite pasta, in meatball subs on crusty bread or as an appetizing snack, here are a few side dish ideas to round out the menu.
- Bright citrusy green salad for a lighter option to complement the heavier main course.
- Roasted broccoli and green beans as a delicious vegetable side.
- Parmesan zucchini bites can be served as an appetizer or side dish.
- Buttery garlic bread when feeling indulgent.
Italian Meatballs Recipe FAQs
It really comes down to personal preference. I prefer to bake the meatballs so some the fat will render out in the oven. Frying will brown them more but makes the meatballs greasy which will add extra oil to the sauce.
You can store any leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days. Or, you can freeze them, and the sauce they cooked in, in a resealable freezer bag up to 3 months.
To freeze uncooked meatballs, flash freeze on a sheet pan for 2 hours so they don’t stick together then transfer them to a freezer bag. Let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cooking by one of the methods above.
If you froze meatballs with sauce, the best way to reheat them is in a saucepan or pot on the stove over medium heat until they’re hot in the center, stirring occasionally. Thaw in the fridge overnight if you want them to reheat quickly.
For meatballs that were frozen without sauce, bake them in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan or baking dish covered with aluminum foil to stay moist at 300 degrees F until warmed through. Timing will vary depending on the size and number of the meatballs you’re reheating.
By mastering this easy meatball recipe and exploring different cooking methods, you can create a dish that is sure to excite your palate and impress your guests. Whether served as a main course or appetizer, Italian meatballs are a timeless classic that is always satisfying. Enjoy!
More Meatball Recipes to Try!
📋 Recipe
Classic Italian Meatballs and Sauce
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground veal
- ½ pound ground pork
- 2 cups white bread crumbs from day-old bread, cube 2 thick slices and spin through processor
- ⅔ cup milk, to moisten bread crumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3-4 cloves
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley, or 2 tablespoons fresh
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed in mortar and pestle
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
- ¼ cup warm water
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes with puree (I prefer San Marzano, but go with your favorite)
- 2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
- 12 ounces water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 8 fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1 ½ pounds pasta, cooked according to package instructions
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Place ground meats in large mixing bowl. In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs with milk to moisten. Add moistened breadcrumbs and all remaining ingredients to large bowl with ground meats.
- Mix gently with your hands until combined. Form into 16-20, 2 – 2 ¼ inch meatballs, and place on large, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.) Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
Sauce
- Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring frequently.
- Pour in wine and cook until half the liquid evaporates, 3-5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, dried herbs, bay leaf, and parmesan rind. Bring to simmer.
- Nestle partially-baked meatballs into sauce. Cover pot with lid slightly ajar, lower heat to low and simmer 25-30 minutes until meatballs are cooked through, stirring occasionally.
- Remove bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat before continuing.)
- Add grated Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and torn basil leaves. Serve meatballs and sauce with pasta of choice. Pass extra parm separately and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Michelle says
Such a delicious classic! Love how this version uses the 3 diff types of ground meat.. really adds so much complexity and depth of flavor!
Kim Peterson says
Thanks Michelle! They're always a hit!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen says
Pasta and meatballs are an ultimate comfort dish, if you ask me. And these meatballs look terrific! I love the use of three kinds of meat as well as the addition of ricotta. Nicely done!
Kim Peterson says
Thanks Ben! Always a fave!😊