Aug 27 2026
Restaurants›Mario's Pizza›Meatballs Recipe

Meatballs Recipe

Inspired by Mario's Pizza
Time1h
Serves4

Make Meatballs Recipe in just 1h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Meatball mixture

For browning / cooking

Sauce (simple tomato)

To finish

Method

Meatball mixture

  1. 1

    Soak breadcrumbs

    Place panko breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the whole milk over them. Stir and let sit 5 minutes until absorbed; this keeps meatballs tender.

  2. 2

    Prepare aromatics

    Finely grate or very finely mince the onion and mince the garlic. Finely chop the parsley and grate the Parmesan if not pre-grated.

  3. 3

    Combine ingredients

    In a large bowl, add ground beef and ground pork. Add soaked breadcrumbs (including any remaining milk), egg, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, grated onion, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, dried oregano and red pepper flakes (if using).

  4. 4

    Mix gently

    Using your hands or a fork, gently combine until evenly mixed. Avoid overworking the meat — mix until ingredients are just incorporated (about 30–60 seconds). Overmixing makes dense meatballs.

  5. 5

    Portion meatballs

    With wet hands or lightly oiled hands, portion the mixture into even balls about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter (~1.5 oz each). You should get approximately 18–20 meatballs depending on size. Roll each between your palms to form smooth balls, but do not compress too tightly.

For browning / cooking

  1. 6

    Heat pan

    Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter (if using) and swirl to coat.

  2. 7

    Brown meatballs

    Working in one or two batches (do not overcrowd the pan), add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on most sides, about 6–8 minutes. They do not need to be fully cooked through at this stage. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer browned meatballs to a plate.

Sauce (simple tomato)

  1. 8

    Sauté garlic

    In the same skillet (wipe out if there is excessive burnt bits but keep fond), add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

  2. 9

    Add tomatoes and seasoning

    Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add tomato paste, dried basil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon sugar if using. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

  3. 10

    Simmer with meatballs

    Return the browned meatballs to the sauce, nestling them into the liquid. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F / 71°C) and sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally and spoon sauce over the meatballs while cooking.

To finish

  1. 11

    Check seasoning and rest

    Taste sauce and adjust salt or pepper as needed. Turn off heat and let meatballs rest in the sauce 5 minutes to settle flavors.

  2. 12

    Serve

    Spoon meatballs and sauce onto plates or over pasta, polenta, or in a sandwich roll. Garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley and a sprinkle of additional grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

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