Italian Meatballs In Cream Sauce Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the milk over them. Let sit 5 minutes until absorbed and soggy.

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, minced garlic, egg, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Use your hands or a fork to gently mix until just combined; avoid overworking the meat to keep meatballs tender.

Shape meatballs

Wet your hands lightly and shape the mixture into 1 1/4-inch (about 1.5 oz) meatballs. You should get roughly 18–20 meatballs.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary so as not to crowd the pan, brown meatballs on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side, until a crust forms (they will not be fully cooked through). Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.

Sweat aromatics

Reduce the skillet heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons butter to the same pan. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Make roux

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the softened onions and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.

Add liquids

Gradually whisk in 1 cup chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and let the sauce thicken slightly, about 2 minutes.

Finish cream sauce

Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Return the sauce to a gentle simmer (do not boil vigorously). Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and whisk until melted and smooth. Taste and season with salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, adjusting to your preference.

Simmer meatballs in sauce

Return the browned meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the cream sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover loosely, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 10–12 minutes (internal temperature 160°F / 71°C). Spoon sauce over meatballs occasionally as they cook.

Finish and garnish

Uncover, if sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered 1–2 minutes to reach desired consistency. Stir in chopped fresh basil or parsley if using. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

If serving with pasta: divide cooked pasta among plates or a serving platter, spoon cream sauce and meatballs over the pasta, and finish with extra grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of chopped parsley or basil.

Alternatively, serve meatballs and sauce over polenta, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread to mop up the sauce.