House Made Meatballs Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

Place the fresh breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the milk over them. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes until the crumbs have absorbed the milk.

Combine ingredients

In a large bowl, add the ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, minced garlic, grated onion, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Using your hands or a spatula, gently mix just until combined — do not overwork the meat to keep meatballs tender.

Shape meatballs

Portion the mixture into 1.75–2 ounce (roughly golf-ball-sized) portions — about 12–14 meatballs from this recipe. Roll each portion gently between your palms to form smooth balls. Place on a tray or baking sheet lined with parchment.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In batches (do not overcrowd), sear the meatballs on all sides until golden-brown, about 2–3 minutes per side. They do not need to be cooked through. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate lined with paper towel.

Sweat aromatics

In a deep sauté pan or medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook until translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

Add tomatoes

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

Simmer

Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 15 minutes to develop flavor. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If using, tear in fresh basil leaves during the last 2 minutes of simmering.

Combine meatballs and sauce

Gently nestle the browned meatballs into the simmering marinara, spooning sauce over the tops so they are partially submerged. Simmer, uncovered, for an additional 12–15 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C) and the sauce has slightly thickened. Turn the meatballs once or twice during simmering to coat them evenly.

Add mozzarella and melt

Preheat the broiler if you prefer a broiled finish (optional). Spoon the meatballs and sauce into an ovenproof serving dish or leave in the skillet if ovenproof. Distribute the sliced or shredded fresh mozzarella evenly over the top of the meatballs. If using the broiler, place under broiler 2–4 inches from the heat for 1–3 minutes, watching closely, until the mozzarella is melted and slightly browned. Alternatively, cover and let the residual heat melt the cheese for 3–5 minutes on low heat.

Garnish and serve

Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot with crusty bread, over spaghetti, or as a meatball sandwich filling.