Best 6 Best Ever Italian Meatballs Recipes

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Craving a taste of Italy without leaving your kitchen? Look no further than our guide to crafting the "best ever Italian meatballs." Get ready to embark on a culinary journey as we uncover the secrets to making these delectable orbs of savory goodness. With careful selection of ingredients and a step-by-step guide, we'll transform simple ingredients into a masterpiece that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more. So, gather your apron, fire up your stove, and prepare to be amazed as we dive into the art of creating the ultimate Italian meatballs.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

CHEF JOHN'S ITALIAN MEATBALLS



Chef John's Italian Meatballs image

Homemade meatballs are a very easy to make, and since we skip the very messy step of pan-frying these before they hit the sauce, it becomes downright simple. Here I use a standard half-beef/half-pork mixture. You can substitute water or beef broth for the milk, if preferred.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     Italian

Time 2h15m

Yield 30

Number Of Ingredients 14

⅓ cup plain bread crumbs
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
¼ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
  • Soak bread crumbs in milk in a small bowl for 20 minutes.
  • Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onions in hot oil until translucent, about 20 minutes.
  • Mix beef and pork together in a large bowl. Stir onions, bread crumb mixture, eggs, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian herb seasoning, and Parmesan cheese into meat mixture with a rubber spatula until combined. Cover and refrigerate for about one hour.
  • Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  • Using wet hands, form meat mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Arrange onto prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 81.9 calories, Carbohydrate 1.7 g, Cholesterol 32.3 mg, Fat 5.5 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 6.2 g, SaturatedFat 1.9 g, Sodium 192.1 mg, Sugar 0.5 g

THE BEST MEATBALLS



The Best Meatballs image

I never knew how to make good meatballs until I found this recipe. I normally make mine with just ground beef and they still taste great. I've used the combination of pork, beef and veal and they are equally good. Definitely use fresh bread crumbs and freshly grate your cheese instead of using the canned variety...it really does make a difference.

Provided by Geanine

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     Italian

Time 50m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 pound ground beef
½ pound ground veal
½ pound ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 ½ tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups stale Italian bread, crumbled
1 ½ cups lukewarm water
1 cup olive oil

Steps:

  • Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
  • Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)

Nutrition Facts : Calories 613.4 calories, Carbohydrate 6.6 g, Cholesterol 148.6 mg, Fat 53.2 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 26.6 g, SaturatedFat 15 g, Sodium 333.1 mg, Sugar 0.3 g

BEST EVER ITALIAN MEATBALLS



Best Ever Italian Meatballs image

This is a recipe I was given from a lady from Italy. She told me that the secret of mouth watering meatballs is not to cook them before adding them to the sauce, as cooking them in the sauce will not only add more flavor to the sauce, but also to the meatballs. What I do is make these a day ahead of time, with my sauce. Then, I refrigerate it over-night, which makes any fat rise to the top and harden, where it is easily removed. This process also allows all of the flavors to "marry" together, making it especially delicious!

Provided by Irishcolleen

Categories     Meatballs

Time 1h55m

Yield 16 Meatballs

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
2 large eggs
1 cup onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup bell pepper, finely chopped
3/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons anise seeds (optional)

Steps:

  • Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
  • Shape into small meatballs.
  • Drop the meatballs into simmering sauce. It is important not to stir the sauce for at least 25 minutes. This will allow the meatballs to firm up enough as not to break up in the sauce. Make sure your burner is low enough so that your sauce does not scorch during this process.
  • Continue simmering until sauce reaches desired consistency and meatballs are cooked through.

EXCELLENT MEATBALLS



Excellent Meatballs image

Provided by Anne Burrell

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h23m

Yield 18 to 20 meatballs

Number Of Ingredients 20

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, 1/4-inch dice
Salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
Pinch crushed red pepper
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmigiano
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup water
Marinara Sauce, recipe follows
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound diced pancetta
2 large Spanish onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Kosher salt
4 large garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
4 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum San Marzano tomatoes

Steps:

  • Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat. Season the onions generously with salt and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. The onions should be very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool.
  • In a large bowl combine the meats, eggs, Parmigiano, parsley and bread crumbs. It works well to squish the mixture with your hands. Add the onion mixture and season generously with salt and squish some more. Add the water and do 1 final really good squish. The mixture should be quite wet. Test the seasoning of the mix by making a mini hamburger size patty and cooking it. The mixture should taste really good! If it doesn't it is probably missing salt. Add more. Add more anyway.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Shape the meat into desired size. Some people like 'em big some people like 'em small. I prefer meatballs slightly larger than a golf ball. Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake them in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through. If using right away, add them to your big pot of marinara sauce. If not using right away, they can be frozen for later use. Serve with pasta and sauce or just eat them straight out of the pot! YUM!
  • Coat a large saucepot with olive oil and add the pancetta. Bring the pot to a medium-high heat and cook the pancetta for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, season generously with salt and stir to coat with olive oil. Cook the onions for 6 to 7 minutes stirring frequently. The onions should become very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes stirring frequently.
  • Pass the tomatoes through the food mill. Be sure to pass all of the pulp through the holes leaving only the stems and the seeds, and be sure to scrape the pulp off of the bottom of the food mill. That's all of the big money stuff! Add the tomatoes to the pot and rinse out 1 of the empty tomato cans with water and add that water to the pot (about 2 to 3 cups). Season generously with salt and TASTE IT!!!! Tomatoes take a lot of salt. Season in baby steps and taste every step of the way. Cook the sauce for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting frequently.
  • Use the sauce right away on pasta or for any other tomato sauce need. This sauce can also be cooled and stored in the refrigerator for a few days and freezes really well.
  • Yield: 2 quarts

THE BEST MEATBALLS EVER!



The Best Meatballs Ever! image

This is an old Italian recipe. There is no frying involved. I guarantee you'll love these melt in your mouth meatballs!

Provided by Dawn Michelle

Categories     Meat

Time 30m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 lbs ground beef
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 large egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (i use italian style)
2 slices white bread (crusts removed)
1 cup chopped fresh basil
2 cups water
tomato sauce, of choice, for stewing

Steps:

  • Place tomato sauce in large pot on the stove on medium heat.
  • Soak crustless bread in medium bowl with the two cups of water about 2 minutes until bread is totally moistened; squeeze out excess water.
  • In a large bowl combine bread and all other ingredients except water, mix well with hands until all are combined. Add water if needed.
  • Transfer onto plastic wrap and flatten meat to about 1/4 inch (this is an easy method to make meatballs eaqual in size, but optional of course; score meat mixture into 2 inch squares, (like a checker board).
  • Roll'em up and place them in sauce.
  • Stew in sauce for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 401.3, Fat 24.3, SaturatedFat 9.3, Cholesterol 138.1, Sodium 236.3, Carbohydrate 12.1, Fiber 1, Sugar 1.3, Protein 31.3

GREAT-GRANDMA'S ITALIAN MEATBALLS



Great-Grandma's Italian Meatballs image

My great-grandmother started this easy meatball recipe with our family. We use ground beef and turkey for these meatballs, and the flavor's so good, you won't miss the extra calories. -Audrey Colantino, Winchester, Massachusetts

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 50m

Yield 8 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and parsley flakes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
Optional: Hot cooked pasta and pasta sauce

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375°. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Cool slightly., In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, seasonings and onion mixture. Add turkey and beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls., Place meatballs on a rack coated with cooking spray in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake until lightly browned and cooked through, 18-22 minutes. If desired, serve with pasta and pasta sauce.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 271 calories, Fat 13g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 125mg cholesterol, Sodium 569mg sodium, Carbohydrate 10g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 27g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

Tips:

  • Use a combination of ground beef and ground pork for the best flavor and texture.
  • Soak the bread in milk before adding it to the meatball mixture. This will help keep the meatball moist and tender.
  • Season the meatball mixture generously with garlic, onion, parsley, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
  • Form the meatball mixture into 1-inch balls and roll them in flour.
  • Brown the meatball in a large skillet over medium heat. This will help seal in the flavor and prevent the meatball from falling apart.
  • Add the browned meatball to a pot of tomato sauce and simmer for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the meatball to absorb the flavor of the sauce.
  • Serve the meatball with spaghetti, rice, or your favorite side dish.

Conclusion:

These Italian meatball are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They are perfect for a weeknight dinner, a special occasion, or a party. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can make these meatball that will impress your family and friends.

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