The BEST Meatball Recipe
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5
54 reviews
Excellent
The BEST Meatball Recipe
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This meatball recipe uses a panade of soaked bread and milk combined with ground beef and pork for tenderness. Seasoned with garlic, parmesan, herbs, and a subtle touch of nutmeg, the meatballs balance savory, aromatic flavors. The mixture is gently blended then shaped into even portions for consistent cooking.
Description
The BEST Meatball Recipe begins with making a panade by soaking white bread in cold milk, which is mashed into a smooth paste. This helps maintain moisture and softness inside the meatballs. Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, dried parsley, onion powder, oregano, crushed red pepper (optional), nutmeg, salt, and black pepper are incorporated to create a flavorful mixture. Ground beef and pork provide a balanced texture and flavor profile. The mixtures are combined carefully to avoid overworking, which could toughen the meatballs.
The addition of nutmeg offers a subtle warmth and complexity that complements the savory meat and herbs without being recognizable on its own. The meatballs are portioned into uniform balls for even cooking, which may then be browned and cooked further in sauce.
This recipe produces tender, well-seasoned meatballs suitable for serving with marinara sauce and pasta or as a component in meatball sandwiches or casseroles.
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Ingredients
For Meatballs
- 3 lices white bread crust removed
- ½ cup milk cold, whole
- ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 large egg cold, lightly beaten
- 3 large cloves garlic pressed (or minced if you do not have a garlic press)
- 1 ½ teaspoons parsley dried
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon oregano dried
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ground
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- 1 lb ground beef I used 90% lean
- 1 lb ground pork
- olive oil
For Sauce (Or you may substitute 3-4 cups of your favorite, quality marinara sauce)
- 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 ½ Tablespoons garlic about 3-4 cloves, minced
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons basil dried
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoons oregano dried
- ½ teaspoon salt sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
Instructions
For Meatballs
- Start by making a “panade”. To do this, tear bread into approximately 1” sized pieces and place in a medium-sized bowl. Pour milk over bread and turn with a fork until completely coated with milk. Allow to sit for 10 minutes until milk is fully absorbed and then use your fork to mash bread until it forms a paste.
- Add grated parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, parsley, onion powder, oregano, crushed red pepper (if using), nutmeg, salt, and ground pepper to panade and stir until well-combined.
- Place ground meats in a separate, large bowl. Tear off about 2 Tablespoons of meat each from ground beef and ground pork and add to the panade mixture. Stir very well until well-combined.
- Pour panade mixture into large bowl with remaining meat and use your hands to gently work ingredients together until completely combined. Do not over-work or your meatballs will be tough!
- Scoop dough into 2-Tablespoon sized balls (I use a cookie dough scoop to make this easier) and lightly grease your hands with olive oil. Roll into a round ball (don't roll too tightly) and place on a wax paper lined plate or baking sheet until you have formed all of your meatballs.
- Grab a large stockpot or enameled Dutch oven (I don’t recommend non-enameled cast-iron as it can cause a metallic taste) and add enough olive oil to completely cover the bottom of the pan so that it is ⅛-¼” deep. Heat over medium/medium-high heat until oil shimmers.
- Add meatballs to the pan (I use tongs) in batches of just 3-4. Sear/cook until browned on one side, flip and cook until browned on the other side (if your meatballs are sticking, use a spatula to gently loosen them from the pan), then remove to a clean plate. Meatballs will still be pink inside, this is expected. Repeat until all meatballs have been cooked.
- If you have more than about 2 Tbsp of grease left in the pot, drain excess grease (I use a ladle to remove). If you don’t have any grease left, add a splash more olive oil and allow it to heat and prepare your sauce. Do not remove caramelized/brown bits at the bottom of the pot!
For Sauce
- Add onion to pot and cook until translucent. As the onion cooks, use your spatula to gently scrape the bottom of the pan, loosening any browned bits from the meat (don’t discard these).
- Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant (30 seconds)
- Add crushed tomatoes, basil, sugar, oregano, salt, and pepper and stir well.
- Bring sauce to a simmer and then gently place meatballs back into the pot, submerging in the sauce (it may seem like a lot of meatballs but they should all be able to be submerged into the sauce).
- Cover pot and continue to simmer over low heat until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature should reach at least 165F/75C. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes for me.
- Gently stir sauce and serve alone, with a side salad, on subs, or over pasta.
Equipments used:
Notes
- Nutmeg enhances the flavor subtly and is a traditional ingredient in authentic meatballs.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for better flavor.
- Avoid overmixing the meat mixture to prevent tough meatballs.
- Cold ingredients help maintain the right texture.
- Uniform portioning ensures even cooking.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1serving (approximately 5 meatballs)
Calories
539kcal
(27%)
Carbohydrates
23g
(8%)
Protein
34g
(68%)
Fat
35g
(54%)
Saturated Fat
14g
(70%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
146mg
(49%)
Sodium
1020mg
(43%)
Potassium
943mg
(20%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
10g
(20%)
Vitamin A
452IU
(9%)
Vitamin C
16mg
(18%)
Calcium
219mg
(22%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings (approximately 5 meatballs per serving)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 539 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving (approximately 5 meatballs) | |
| Calories | 539kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 23g | 8% |
| Protein | 34g | 68% |
| Fat | 35g | 54% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 146mg | 49% |
| Sodium | 1020mg | 43% |
| Potassium | 943mg | 20% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
| Vitamin A | 452IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 219mg | 22% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
54 reviews
Excellent
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