These meatballs are tender and delicious with tons of flavor and are finished in a delectable tomato sauce. We use a balanced combination of three meats (beef, veal and pork) and a variety of delightfully flavorful ingredients in these Classic Italian Meatballs for a true taste of Italy. They can be served as appetizers or a main course by themselves, with pasta, rice or on a roll as an Italian Meatball Sub! These are truly the best Italian meatballs that everyone will love!
Looking for more dishes like this? Try out our Fettuccine with Winter Spiced Cream Sauce and Rosemary Sage Meatballs or Baked Veal Saltimbocca Meatballs in Brown Butter Sage Sauce.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love this Recipe
- What's so special about authentic Italian Meatballs?
- Ingredients
- Substitutions
- How to Make Classic Italian Meatballs
- Equipment
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Variations
- Storage
- Top Tip
- Troubleshooting
- What to serve with Classic Italian Meatballs
- What Wines To Drink with Classic Italian Meatballs
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- These tender gems are super tasty!
- These juicy meatballs are great leftover.
- These meatballs are versatile and can be served with so many different things for the comfort of Italian cooking at home.
- A big batch can be made in advance and the meatballs can be frozen by themselves or in the sauce.
- Perfect meatballs are always a fan favorite!
What's so special about authentic Italian Meatballs?
The flavor and texture combine to make humble homemade Italian meatballs a show-stopping masterpiece! But that's the hard part too! Flavor can be achieved but a dense meatball or a dry meatball loses its luster quickly. If done right, thes delicious and tender meatballs can be memorable and will quickly become a comfort food favorite and your go-to meatball recipe!
Ingredients
Here is what you need to make this recipe:
- Bread: We use sourdough with the crust removed. Bread is often used in an authentic recipe for Italian meatballs to help with texture and binding.
- Milk: The bread soaks in the milk before going in the meatball mixture. This helps to keep the meatballs tender and juicy after cooking.
- Wine: A dry red wine added to the milk softens the bread and adds some flavor.
- Ground Beef: 85/15 is the beef we like to use in this recipe since we are two other meats that balance the fat content.
- Ground Pork: Ground pork has a great flavor in these meatballs and the perfect fat content to keep the meatballs tender.
- Ground Veal: Our favorite addition! Veal is delicious and delicate and contributes to the great texture.
- Fresh Parsley: The fresh parsley helps brighten the meatball flavor.
- Fresh Basil: A great flavor addition, fresh basil is a classic ingredient in Italian meatballs.
- Dried Oregano: We prefer dried oregano in this recipe for the flavor in addition to the fresh herbs.
- Onion Powder: Onion powder adds onion flavor without pieces of onion in the meatballs.
- Garlic Powder: We don't use a lot of garlic powder, but just enough for a hint of flavor without being too garlicky.
- Red Pepper Flakes: This is a spicy element but it is used sparingly so the meatballs themselves aren't considered "spicy" but have a nice flavor from the peppers.
- Salt & Pepper: Just a bit of kosher salt and black pepper round out the flavor profile.
- Parmesan Cheese: The king of cheeses, parmigiano reggiano, is so delightful in these meatballs. Use the real stuff, freshly grated for best results.
- Eggs: One whole egg and 2 yolks add richness and a good texture to the meatballs. The egg and yolks help bind the ingredients.
- Italian Tomato Sauce: This sugo di pomodoro sauce is the perfect rich tomato sauce accompaniment to the meatballs and also serves to finish cooking the meatballs.
See recipe card below for quantities.
Substitutions
Here are a couple of common substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:
- Bread: You can use a different crusty Italian bread or a french baguette for the bread instead of sourdough.
- Meats: You could use all beef or a mixture of beef and one of the other ground meat options in a 2:1 ratio if desired, although the combination of three meats here really adds to the perfect texture in these meatballs.
- Parmesan: Grana Padano or pecorino cheeses are both quality substitutes for parmesan.
- Homemade Tomato Sauce: We love this sugo di pomodoro recipe, but you can use your favorite Italian tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, marinara sauce or even a store-bought version.
How to Make Classic Italian Meatballs
This classic dish is just an easy mix and roll exercise. Next, you will bake the meatballs and then finish cooking them in the sauce.
Equipment
Here is what you need to make this dish
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Tomato Sauce
- If you plan to make sugo di pomodoro from scratch, begin the sauce before starting your meatballs. If using pre-made Italian tomato sauce, then skip to the next step.
Soak the Bread
- In a large bowl, add the bread pieces, milk, and wine. Let the bread soak for as long as it takes to prepare your other ingredients, but at least 5 minutes.
Make the Meatball Mixture
- Add the three meats and all of the other ingredients (except the tomato sauce) to the bowl with the milk-soaked bread. With a gloved or bare hand, mix everything well to combine.
Roll out the Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- While the oven is preheating, prepare two half sheet trays by putting parchment paper on them. Make the meatballs by rolling them between your hands. We like to make medium-large meatballs that are 3-ounces (85 grams) and use a kitchen scale to weigh each one so they are all the same size (slightly larger than a golf ball). As you roll the meatballs, place them on the parchment paper-lined baking sheets in a single layer with some space in between each meatball.
Bake the Meatballs
- Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes.
Heat the Sauce and Finish the Dish
- While the meatballs are baking, heat your tomato sauce in a large pot over medium heat. Once the meatballs are done baking, transfer the cooked meatballs to the pot of sauce to finish for about 10-15 minutes. The pork should be fully cooked at this point. Remove from the heat and serve with fresh basil, freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and some crusty bread to sop up the sauce!
Variations
Here are a couple ways to change up this Italian meatballs recipe:
- You could make the meatballs out of ground chicken or ground turkey for a lighter take.
- Cook in the oven 8-10 minutes longer if you aren't planning to finish cooking them in a tomato sauce.
Storage
How to store leftover meatballs:
- Store in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
How to reheat leftover meatballs:
- You can either reheat on the stovetop in the sauce or in a covered oven-safe dish in the oven at 325°F until heated through.
Can you freeze leftover meatballs?
- Absolutely! They'll be just as good within 3 months. When ready to enjoy, you can transfer the frozen meatballs into a pot of tomato sauce and simmer on low until defrosted fully then serve.
Top Tip
Weighing the meatballs really helps keep them uniform and they'll cook evenly and perfectly.
Troubleshooting
If you are not using kosher salt, the saltiness may be too much so be careful to use less salt if using table salt or an aggressive sea salt.
What to serve with Classic Italian Meatballs
This goes with nearly anything in the Italian arsenal of food! They can be on a sandwich with melty provolone cheese, on pasta, by themselves with a salad! They're great on polenta or risotto rice as well!
What Wines To Drink with Classic Italian Meatballs
Nearly any dry red wine that you enjoy with a tomato sauce will be perfect. You can go from big and bold to subtle and lighter! You really can't go wrong here but we will usually gravitate towards an Italian sangiovese, such as Chianti Classico, or other Tuscan red wine.
FAQ
We think the secret lies with the milk and wine-soaked bread. But the meat ratio and egg yolks definitely help as well.
The flavors of course! Other famous meatballs, like Swedish meatballs and American homestyle meatballs won't have oregano and basil nor will they have parmesan cheese. And beef, pork, and veal is a classic Italian combination of meats for polpette (meatballs)! Also each version has a different sauce. Italians generally serve meatballs in a sugo di pomodoro (Italian tomato sauce), whereas American homestyle meatballs may be served with bbq sauce and Swedish meatballs are served in a gravy.
The answer is both yes and no, but not the same way it has been popularized in the USA. Polpette are eaten (usually) as a second course of protein and often in a tomato sauce like in this recipe. The pasta would come before this course and you won't find large meatballs sitting on top of a mound of spaghetti! Some areas in Italy serve tiny meatballs mixed into pasta or with al forno (baked) pasta dishes though, but generally Italians serve meatballs as a second course after a first course of pasta.
Related
Looking for other Italian recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are our favorite side dishes to serve with Italian Meatballs:
📖 Recipe
Classic Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Polpette al Sugo)
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale optional
Ingredients
- 4 cups Sugo di Pomodoro or other pre-made Italian Tomato Sauce
- 3 oz 85g sourdough bread, crust removed and torn into small pieces
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup dry red wine
- 1 pound ground beef 85% lean
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground veal
- 2 Tablespoons parsley finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons basil leaves finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 whole egg
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions
Prepare the Tomato Sauce
- If you plan to make sugo di pomodoro from scratch, begin cooking the sauce before starting your meatballs. If using pre-made Italian tomato sauce, then skip to the next step.4 cups Sugo di Pomodoro
Soak the Bread
- In a large bowl, add the bread pieces, milk, and wine. Let the bread soak for as long as it takes to prepare your other ingredients, but at least 5 minutes.3 oz 85g sourdough bread, crust removed and torn into small pieces, ⅓ cup whole milk, ¼ cup dry red wine
Make the Meatball Mixture
- Add the three meats and all of the other ingredients (except the tomato sauce) to the bowl with the milk-soaked bread. With a gloved or bare hand, mix everything well to combine.1 pound ground beef, 1 pound ground pork, 1 pound ground veal, 2 Tablespoons parsley, 2 Tablespoons basil leaves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 Tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 2 Tablespoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 whole egg, 2 egg yolks
Roll out the Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- While the oven is preheating, prepare two half sheet trays by putting parchment paper on them. Make the meatballs by rolling them between your hands. We like to make 3-ounce (85 grams) meatballs and use a kitchen scale to weigh each one so they are all the same size (slightly larger than a golf ball). As you roll the meatballs, place them on the parchment paper-lined baking sheets in a single layer with some space in between each meatball.
Bake the Meatballs
- Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes.
Heat the Sauce and Finish the Dish
- While the meatballs are baking, heat your tomato sauce in a large pot over medium heat. Once the meatballs are done baking, transfer the cooked meatballs to the pot of sauce to finish for about 10-15 minutes. Since there is pork in the meatball, you want it to be fully cooked. Remove from the heat and serve with fresh basil, freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and some crusty bread to sop up the sauce!
Notes
- Bread: You can use a different crusty Italian bread or a french baguette for the bread instead of sourdough.
- Meats: You could use all beef or a mixture of beef and one of the other ground meat options in a 2:1 ratio if desired, although the combination of three meats here really adds to the perfect texture in these meatballs.
- Parmesan: Grana Padano or pecorino cheeses are both quality substitutes for parmesan.
- Homemade Tomato Sauce: We love this sugo di pomodoro recipe, but you can use your favorite Italian tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, marinara sauce or even a store-bought version.
- How to store leftover meatballs: Store in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- How to reheat leftover meatballs: You can either reheat on the stovetop in the sauce or in a covered oven-safe dish in the oven at 325°F until heated through.
- Can you freeze leftover meatballs? Absolutely! They'll be just as good within 3 months. When ready to enjoy, you can transfer the frozen meatballs into a pot of tomato sauce and simmer on low until defrosted fully then serve.
- Weighing the meatballs really helps keep them uniform and they'll cook evenly and perfectly.
Nutrition
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