Best 7 Sicilian Meatballs Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Sicilian meatballs, also known as polpette, are a classic Italian dish that embodies the culinary traditions of Sicily. These tender and flavorful meatballs are typically made with a combination of ground beef, bread crumbs, cheese, herbs, and spices. They are often simmered in a rich tomato sauce, creating a hearty and comforting meal that is perfect for gatherings with family and friends. Whether you prefer your meatballs soft and juicy or crispy and browned, there are countless variations of this beloved recipe, each offering its own unique take on the Sicilian tradition. In this article, we will explore some of the best recipes for succulent Sicilian meatballs, guiding you through the process of selecting the right ingredients, preparing the meatballs, and cooking them to perfection.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

FAMILY SICILIAN SAUCE AND MEATBALLS



Family Sicilian Sauce and Meatballs image

My mother's family originally came from Sicily and every family member makes his or her own version - this version came most recently via Brooklyn. If there are any leftovers, they freeze very well. MANGIA! Serve with red wine and a good loaf of crusty Italian bread.

Provided by PETEIYC

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     Italian

Time 4h55m

Yield 24

Number Of Ingredients 23

3 slices white bread, torn into pieces
¼ cup milk or water
1 ½ pounds ground beef
2 eggs
½ cup grated Romano cheese
1 pinch dried parsley
¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
12 (3.5 ounce) links sweet Italian sausage
1 ½ pounds cubed beef brisket
½ pound pork neck bones
4 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
3 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
½ cup red wine
4 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
3 (16 ounce) packages dry pasta

Steps:

  • To make the meatballs, combine bread and milk or water in a medium bowl. Mix in ground beef, eggs, Romano cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Form golf ball-sized meatballs; place into freezer to firm up.
  • To make sauce, heat olive oil in a large pot on medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and 1 sausage link; cook about 3 minutes more.
  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, brown beef chunks and pork neck bones; set aside.
  • When onions and garlic are done, turn heat down to low. Add tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the browned beef and pork, crushed tomatoes, wine, bay leaves, cinnamon, parsley, basil, and salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 3 to 4 hours.
  • Once you add the meatballs, let sauce simmer for 1 hour. When sauce is nearly ready, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Cover pasta with sauce and meatballs and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 669.1 calories, Carbohydrate 58.6 g, Cholesterol 105.3 mg, Fat 34.4 g, Fiber 5.3 g, Protein 30.8 g, SaturatedFat 12.6 g, Sodium 921.5 mg, Sugar 6.1 g

SPAGHETTI WITH SICILIAN MEATBALLS



Spaghetti with Sicilian Meatballs image

Categories     Pasta     Pork     Tomato     Bake     Sauté     Kid-Friendly     Mother's Day     Dinner     Sausage     Fall     Bon Appétit     Peanut Free     Soy Free     Small Plates

Yield Serves 4 to 6

Number Of Ingredients 19

Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Meatballs
2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 large egg
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons dried currants
1 pound spaghetti

Steps:

  • For Sauce:
  • Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add onion; sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juices and 2 tablespoons basil; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, breaking up tomatoes with fork, about 1 hour. Mix in 2 tablespoons basil. Season with salt and pepper. Set sauce aside.
  • For Meatballs:
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil baking sheet. Mix crumbs and milk in medium bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Mix in Parmesan, onion, basil, egg, garlic and pepper. Add sausage, pine nuts and currants; blend well. Using wet hands, form mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place on baking sheet. Bake until meatballs are light brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Add to sauce.
  • Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Mound in dish. Bring sauce and meatballs to simmer. Spoon over spaghetti.

SICILIAN MEATBALLS



Sicilian Meatballs image

Family recipe that goes way back. My mother said her uncle would always take a little of the meat and fry her a "hamburger" in the skillet as the rest were in the oven. It's a lot of work, but the results are way worth it. If you are going to make this, make a bunch and freeze it!!!! LOL

Provided by Doxie lover in the

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 1h20m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 lbs ground beef
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley
4 small garlic cloves
2 small onions
1/8 cup water
1 egg
1/4 cup olive oil

Steps:

  • Mince or press the garlic, and chop the parsley into fine pieces (or you can cut the measurement and use dried parsley flakes).
  • Grate the onion and place in a bowl.
  • Add all of the ingredients above, except for the olive oil, and mix together in the bowl.
  • Form balls into the size of golf balls and then dip your hand (or brush) in the oil and then rub it on the balls.
  • Place on cookie sheet and brown at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
  • I usually add these to my marinara sauce, but you can eat them many other ways as well!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 518, Fat 34.4, SaturatedFat 11.1, Cholesterol 140.5, Sodium 504.2, Carbohydrate 17, Fiber 1.4, Sugar 2.3, Protein 33.4

SICILIAN MEATBALLS



Sicilian Meatballs image

The best darn garlic lovers' meatballs ever. The whole family will love them.

Provided by jewelrydivamom

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Meatball Recipes

Time 1h

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 11

⅓ cup chunky pasta sauce
2 pounds ground sirloin
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¾ cup crushed buttery round crackers (such as Ritz®)
1 egg
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Coat the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with pasta sauce.
  • Place ground sirloin, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, crushed crackers, egg, garlic, parsley, allspice, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; mix by hand until combined. Form mixture into meatballs slightly larger than golf balls.
  • Arrange meatballs over sauce in the baking dish. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until juices run clear, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until meatballs start to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 587.3 calories, Carbohydrate 20.3 g, Cholesterol 185.3 mg, Fat 33.3 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 48.9 g, SaturatedFat 13.1 g, Sodium 701.5 mg, Sugar 3.9 g

SICILIAN MEATBALLS



Sicilian Meatballs image

Make and share this Sicilian Meatballs recipe from Food.com.

Provided by ratherbeswimmin

Categories     Meat

Time 1h30m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 20

6 slices white bread, torn into pieces
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 (28 ounce) can san marzano tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can san marzano tomatoes
salt
pepper
2 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
6 garlic cloves, minced
finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (a generous handful)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup currants
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 loaf ciabatta
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil leaf, shredded

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Place the torn bread in a small bowl and pour the milk over it; set aside to soak.
  • Place a roasting pan on the counter; add a healthy drizzle of oil, about 1 tablespoon.
  • Add the canned tomatoes to the pan and crush with a potato masher or a wooden spoon.
  • Season the tomatoes liberally with salt and pepper.
  • In a large bowl, using your hands, combine the ground sirloin, the remaining tablespoon oil, the garlic, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, allspice, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pine nuts, currants, egg, and salt and pepper.
  • Squeeze out the excess milk from the soaking bread (it should be loose and in small pieces), then add it to the meat mixture; discard the milk.
  • Form the meatball mixture into 12 baseball-size balls, each about 3 inches in diameter, and place them in the roasting pan, nestling them into the tomatoes.
  • Roast until the meatballs are brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes.
  • Place the ciabatta, unwrapped, in the oven to heat when the meatballs are just about done.
  • Tear the warm, crusty bread into large pieces.
  • Remove the meatballs from the oven and arrange the torn pieces of bread in and around the meatballs and sauce.
  • Stir the ricotta cheese together with the basil, season with salt and pepper, and pass at the table.
  • Complement each serving of 2 large meatballs with 2-3 tablespoons of cool ricotta spooned along side.

POLPETTINE ALLA GRIGLIA (SICILIAN LEMON GRILLED MEATBALLS)



Polpettine Alla Griglia (Sicilian Lemon Grilled Meatballs) image

Taken from here = http://www.zonefresh.com.au/component/content/51?task=view uploaded to keep and to share. If you're in Brisbane I highly recommend checking out the link above, the shop has some super yummy things :) Quantity and Time are estimates only, I haven't had a chance to try it out yet.

Provided by Satyne

Categories     Meatballs

Time 30m

Yield 15 Meatballs

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 kg ground pork or 1 kg veal
125 g ground pecorino siciliano cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs, soaked 3 minutes in milk and the excess squeezed out
3 eggs
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
salt & freshly ground black pepper
organically grown lemons or orange leaves, rubbed with olive oil
lemons or orange juice

Steps:

  • Combine all the ingredients except the leaves, and make many slightly flattened meatballs small enough that you can wrap each in a leaf (use a toothpicks or skewers to keep them rolled).
  • Grill the meatballs until done and squeeze with lemon before serving. (The leaves are not edible, so you may wish to wrap the leaves in a manner that will be quick to unwrap.).

SICILIAN STYLE MEATBALLS



SICILIAN STYLE MEATBALLS image

Categories     Beef     Sauté

Yield 36 meatballs

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 slices of white sandwich bread
4 large eggs, beaten
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon minced marjoram
1 pound ground beef (85/15)
1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup dried currants
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Steps:

  • In a bowl, soak the bread in water until saturated. Squeeze out the water and transfer the bread to a large bowl. Mash the bread to a paste and stir in the eggs, garlic, parsley, marjoram, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Mash until smooth. Add the beef, pork, currants, pine nuts and cheese and mix until combined. Add the bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, and knead until the mixture is firm enough to roll. Form the mixture into 36 meatballs (about 3 tablespoons each), tucking in the currants and pine nuts. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the meatballs in 2 batches and fry over moderate heat, turning, until browned and cooked through, about 12 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a plate. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 30 minutes. 36 meatballs

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ground beef: 80/20 or 70/30 ground beef is best for meatballs, as it contains enough fat to keep them moist and juicy.
  • Add some bread crumbs: Bread crumbs help to bind the meatballs together and keep them from falling apart. You can use fresh or dry bread crumbs.
  • Use a variety of herbs and spices: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper are all classic Sicilian meatball spices. You can also add other herbs and spices to your taste.
  • Don't overmix the meatball mixture: Overmixing can make the meatballs tough. Just mix the ingredients until they are combined.
  • Form the meatballs into uniform sizes: This will help them cook evenly.
  • Brown the meatballs in a hot skillet: This will help to seal in the juices and prevent them from drying out.
  • Simmer the meatballs in a flavorful sauce: A good sauce will add even more flavor to the meatballs.
  • Serve the meatballs over pasta, rice, or vegetables: Meatballs can be served with a variety of sides.

Conclusion:

Sicilian meatballs are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They are perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion. With a few simple tips, you can make Sicilian meatballs that are sure to impress your family and friends.

Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »

    #time-to-make     #course     #main-ingredient     #cuisine     #preparation     #occasion     #main-dish     #beef     #easy     #european     #italian     #dietary     #one-dish-meal     #comfort-food     #low-carb     #ground-beef     #low-in-something     #meat     #taste-mood     #4-hours-or-less

Related Topics