Italian – Style Meatballs Recipe

Prepare bread crumb soak

In a small bowl combine the plain dry breadcrumbs and whole milk. Let sit 5 minutes until the milk is absorbed and mixture is slightly collapsed.

Mix aromatics

Finely mince the garlic and very finely dice the half onion. Place in a medium bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of the salt; mash lightly with the back of a spoon to release juices.

Combine meatball ingredients

Add ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, drained garlic/onion, dried oregano, remaining salt (about 1 1/4 tsp), black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) to the bowl. Using your hands or a fork, gently mix until ingredients are evenly distributed — do not overwork the meat (mix just until combined, about 30–45 seconds).

Form meatballs

Portion the mixture into roughly 1 1/4 inch (about 2 oz) meatballs for a classic size. Wet your hands lightly to prevent sticking and roll into smooth balls. You should get about 18–20 meatballs.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Sear without moving for 2 minutes to get a brown crust, then gently turn to brown other sides, total browning time about 6–8 minutes. They do not need to be fully cooked through — just nicely browned. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.

Start the sauce

In a medium-deep saucepan or the skillet used for browning (wipe excess oil leaving fond), heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add tomatoes

Stir in the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste (if using). Scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Season and simmer

Add dried basil, dried oregano, sugar (if using), salt and black pepper. Stir to combine, reduce heat to low, and let the sauce simmer gently for 8–12 minutes to meld flavors.

Finish with meatballs

Nestle the browned meatballs into the simmering sauce. Spoon sauce over the meatballs, cover partially, and simmer gently 12–15 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through to 160°F (71°C) and the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir gently once or twice while cooking to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking. If using fresh basil, tear and stir in in the last minute.

Cook pasta

While the meatballs simmer in the last 10 minutes, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti or chosen pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.

Combine and finish

If you prefer the pasta tossed with sauce, add drained pasta to the sauce and meatballs along with up to 1/4–1/2 cup reserved pasta water to loosen and coat. Toss gently to combine. Alternatively, plate pasta and top with meatballs and sauce.

Garnish and serve

Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.