Classic Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Polpette al Sugo)
Classic Italian meatballs made with beef, pork and veal along with fresh herb. Served in a delicious sugo al pomodoro (tomato sauce) for the perfect Italian meal!
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
Substitutions:
- 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
Calories: 457kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 35gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 197mgSodium: 1998mgPotassium: 574mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 400IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
