Meatballs Recipe

Prepare breadcrumb soak

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

Combine meatball ingredients

In a large bowl add ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, grated onion, minced garlic, chopped parsley, egg, dried oregano, kosher salt and black pepper. Using clean hands, mix gently until just combined — about 20–30 strokes. Do not overwork or meatballs will be dense.

Form meatballs

Portion the mixture and roll into even meatballs about 1 1/4 inches (makes ~18–20 meatballs). Place on a rimmed tray or baking sheet lined with parchment.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total. They do not need to be cooked through — just nicely browned. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate.

Sauté aromatics

In a large, deep sauté pan or Dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped half onion and sauté until translucent, 4–5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring so it doesn't brown.

Build sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to caramelize. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, sugar (if using), salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer with meatballs

Gently add the browned meatballs into the simmering sauce, nestling them into the sauce so they are partially submerged. Reduce heat to low, cover partly with a lid, and simmer gently 20–25 minutes until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C) and sauce has mellowed. Stir occasionally very gently to avoid breaking meatballs.

Finish sauce

Stir in torn fresh basil leaves (if using) in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper or a pinch more sugar if needed.

Transfer meatballs and sauce to a serving dish or serve directly from the pan over cooked pasta or with crusty bread.

Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the meatballs and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve hot.