Authentic Italian Meatballs (Printer-Friendly)

Tender beef and pork meatballs in a rich tomato sauce—classic Italian comfort food.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Meatballs

01 - 1.1 lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)
02 - 7 oz ground pork
03 - 2.1 oz fresh breadcrumbs
04 - 0.25 cup whole milk
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 2.1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
08 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 0.5 tsp salt
11 - 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ For the Tomato Sauce

12 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
13 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
14 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
16 - 1 tsp sugar
17 - 1 tsp dried basil
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, soak the breadcrumbs in milk for 2–3 minutes until softened.
03 - Add ground beef, ground pork, eggs, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix gently until just combined—do not overwork.
04 - Form the mixture into golf ball–sized meatballs (about 16) and place them on the prepared tray.
05 - Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes, until lightly browned but not cooked through.
06 - Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
07 - Pour in crushed tomatoes, sugar, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
08 - Add the partially baked meatballs to the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through and sauce is thickened.
09 - Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley, over spaghetti or with crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef and pork blend creates meatballs that stay impossibly tender while developing deep, savory flavor
  • Baking first then simmering in sauce gives you that perfect texture without the mess of pan frying
  • These freeze beautifully and taste even better the next day, making them perfect for meal prep
02 -
  • Overmixing the meat mixture is the number one mistake people make that leads to tough, rubbery meatballs
  • Letting the meatballs rest in the sauce for at least 10 minutes off the heat helps them stay incredibly juicy
  • The sauce needs to simmer gently, not boil rapidly, or the meatballs will break apart and the texture will suffer
03 -
  • Grating your own Parmesan makes a noticeable difference in both flavor and how the meatballs hold together
  • Day-old bread processed into fresh breadcrumbs gives better results than store bought packaged versions
  • Letting the sauce rest for at least 15 minutes before serving allows all the flavors to fully come together

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