Old School Meatballs Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

In a small bowl combine the fresh breadcrumbs and whole milk. Stir and let sit 5 minutes until milk is absorbed and mixture is pasty.

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl add ground beef, ground pork, ground veal, the soaked breadcrumbs, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, egg, Kosher salt and black pepper. Using clean hands, gently mix until ingredients are evenly combined — avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender (about 30–40 turns).

Shape meatballs

Portion mixture into 1 1/4–1 1/2 inch meatballs (about 1.5 oz / 45 g each) — you should get approximately 16–18 meatballs. Roll each between your palms to form smooth balls, set on a tray.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add meatballs in a single layer without crowding (work in batches if needed). Brown on all sides, turning carefully with tongs, about 6–8 minutes total until nicely caramelized but not cooked through. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and reserve pan juices.

Sweat aromatics

In the same pan (add 1 tablespoon olive oil if pan is dry), reduce heat to medium and add the thinly sliced garlic and diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and garlic fragrant, about 4–5 minutes. Do not let garlic burn.

Build sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes, dried oregano, sugar, Kosher salt and black pepper. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.

Simmer with meatballs

Bring sauce to a gentle simmer, then nestle the browned meatballs into the sauce. Add the fresh basil leaves torn in half. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, turning meatballs once halfway through, until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F / 71°C) and sauce has thickened slightly.

Finish sauce

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove and discard large basil stems. If sauce is very acidic, stir in an extra 1/2 teaspoon sugar to balance.

Combine ricotta

While the meatballs simmer, in a small bowl combine whole-milk ricotta, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon zest (if using), chopped basil, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir until smooth and taste for seasoning — adjust salt or lemon zest as desired.

Warm slightly (optional)

If you prefer the ricotta warm, stir a few spoonfuls of hot sauce into the ricotta to temper it, or briefly microwave the ricotta for 15–20 seconds and stir to loosen.

Spoon a ladle of pomodoro onto plates or into a shallow bowl. Place 3–4 meatballs on top of the sauce. Dot or spoon 1–2 tablespoons of seasoned ricotta alongside or over each serving. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve with crusty bread or over cooked pasta if desired.