Servings
Font
Back
0 from 6 votes

Polpette - Italian Meatballs

The BEST polpette! Juicy inside and crispy outside, serve Italian meatballs with spaghetti and tomato sauce, roasted potatoes, salads and more!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 456 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 2 thick slices of ciabatta bread crust cut off
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese grated
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 10 oz ground beef
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut the bread into small cubes, and place them into a bowl with the milk. Allow the bread to sit for a few minutes, then drain it and squeeze out the excess milk with your hands, and place it in a large bowl.
  2. Add in the egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, thyme and ground beef, and season generously with sea salt and black pepper. Mix to combine all the ingredients.
  3. Lightly oil your hands, take off a small piece of the mixture and gently roll it between your hands to form 1-inch (2½-cm) meatballs (about 1 full tablespoon each). Flatten each meatballs slightly with your hands.
  4. Arrange the meatballs on a baking tray covered with parchment paper.
  5. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fold in the meatballs and leave them undisturbed until they are brown on one side. Shake the pan to loosen the meatballs, then turn each one with tongs to cook on the other side for 4-5 minutes.
  6. Remove the meatballs from the pan, and arrange them on a plate covered with paper towels to absorb the oil in excess. Transfer the meatballs to a large serving plate and serve, or mix them with tomato sauce and serve with pasta.

Notes

  • Ingredients substitution:
  • Storage tips:
  •  
  • breadcrumbs: substitute with gluten-free breadcrumbs for gluten-free chicken meatballs.
  • milk: substitute with dairy-free milk for dairy-free chicken meatballs.
  • Store: Refrigerate leftover meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Reheat: Reheat leftover meatballs in the oven at 170C/350F for 5-10 minutes, or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
  • Freeze uncooked: Place the cooked meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer the frozen meatballs to an airtight freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • Freeze cooked: Place the cooked meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer the frozen meatballs to an airtight freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Calories 456kcal (23%) Carbohydrates 22g (7%) Protein 19g (38%) Fat 32g (49%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 18g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 97mg (32%) Sodium 313mg (13%) Potassium 320mg (9%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 237IU (5%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 141mg (14%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 456

% Daily Value*

Calories 456kcal 23%
Carbohydrates 22g 7%
Protein 19g 38%
Fat 32g 49%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 18g 90%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 97mg 32%
Sodium 313mg 13%
Potassium 320mg 7%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 237IU 5%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 141mg 14%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.