The Best Meatball Recipe Ever
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Servings
40 meatballs
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Calories
106 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer
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Cuisine
Italian
The Best Meatball Recipe Ever
Description
The Best Meatball Recipe Ever starts by soaking French or Italian bread in water, then squeezing it dry before mixing with ground sirloin and pork. Fresh onion, minced garlic, parsley, rosemary, basil, grated Parmesan cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper are combined thoroughly. The mixture is shaped into golf-ball-sized portions and baked at 425°F on parchment-lined trays until browned and cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. This method yields meatballs with a firm exterior and a moist, tender interior. The seasoning steps ensure a rich herbaceous and savory depth.
Optionally, spaghetti can be cooked and tossed with sauce, alongside the meatballs, for a complete meal. The meatballs can be stirred into sauce before serving for added flavor. The recipe emphasizes seasoning to avoid blandness, advising to taste and adjust salt and pepper accordingly.
Make-ahead tips note the meatballs can be prepared hours in advance and kept warm, and leftovers refrigerate well for up to 5 days or freeze for three months. Reheating gently in the oven or sauce maintains texture. Substituting milk for soaking bread is possible, and the loaf size is flexible without affecting results.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 2/3 French bread or Italian bread, submerged in cold water
- 2 yellow onion small, peeled, small diced
- 4 garlic finely minced cloves
- 1 ½ pounds ground sirloin 90/10 lean to fat ratio
- 1 ½ pounds ground pork
- 4 egg large
- ¼ cup parsley chopped, fresh
- 1 ½ tablespoons rosemary chopped, fresh
- 3 tablespoons basil chopped, fresh
- 1 Parmigiano Reggiano cheese heaping cup, grated
- 1 ½ tablespoons salt coarse salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons black pepper coarse salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
Optional Spaghetti and Sauce
- 1 pound spaghetti uncooked
- ½ pomodoro sauce batch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 425°.
- Add the bread to a large bowl or pan and completely submerge it in water. See the video above.
- Squeeze as much liquid out of the water-soaked bread as possible, and add to a large bowl along with all of the meatball ingredients and mix until completely combined.
- Next, form golf-ball-sized meatballs and place them 1” apart on cookie sheet trays lined with parchment paper.
- Bake them at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes or until they begin to get a little brown on top and are cooked throughout. Serve.
- Optional: With 10 minutes left in the cooking process add the spaghetti to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally so that the pasta does not stick.
- Remove the meatballs from the oven, place the desired serving amount for 4 people into the sauce, and coat in the sauce. Remove and briefly set them aside.
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce and toss to coat.
- Serve with meatballs over top and garnish with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and parsley.
Notes
- Prepare meatballs up to 2 to 3 hours before serving and keep warm at low temperature.
- Store meatballs covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze covered for up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen meatballs overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat meatballs in a foil-covered casserole dish at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or warm in sauce over low heat.
- After browning, simmer meatballs in sauce for 15 to 20 minutes to finish cooking and enhance flavor.
- Bread can be soaked in milk instead of water if desired.
- Loaf size variations do not significantly affect the recipe; aim for approximately two-thirds of a 16-inch loaf.
- Season meat mixture well with salt and pepper, tasting before baking to ensure balanced flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 40meatballs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 106 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 106kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 4g | 1% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 32mg | 11% |
| Sodium | 65mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 122mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 0.3g | 1% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 55IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 13mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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