Italian Meatballs Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

Place the fresh breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the milk over them. Let sit 5 minutes until absorbed and the mixture is moistened.

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, black pepper, and dried oregano. Gently mix with your hands or a spoon just until combined. Do not overwork the meat to keep meatballs tender.

Portion and shape

Portion the mixture into three equal meatballs (approximately 4–5 oz each). Roll gently between your palms to form smooth balls; avoid compacting them too tightly.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the meatballs and brown on all sides, turning gently, about 2–3 minutes per side (total 6–8 minutes). They do not need to be fully cooked through at this stage. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.

Sweat aromatics

In the same pan (wipe out excess oil if there's too much, leaving about 1 tablespoon), add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Brown additional beef and deglaze

Add the 0.25 lb ground beef to the pan and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to caramelize. If using, pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits; simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.

Simmer sauce with meatballs

Stir in crushed tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Return the browned meatballs to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally and spoon sauce over the meatballs to ensure even cooking.

Finish sauce

Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the heavy cream (if using) and adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered 1–2 minutes to incorporate.

Transfer three meatballs to each serving plate or bowl, spoon generous Bolognese sauce over them, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley leaves. Serve hot, optionally with crusty bread or pasta on the side.