Description
Succulent Homemade Italian Meatballs blend classic Mediterranean flavors with comforting family tradition. Rich ground beef, herbs, and Parmesan cheese create a mouthwatering experience that brings warmth to your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef (85% lean)
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground pork
- 1/2 pound (227 grams) ground veal
Binding and Moisture Ingredients:
- 4 slices Italian bread, crusts removed
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) whole milk
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 cup (100 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
Herbs, Spices, and Aromatics:
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) fresh basil, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) freshly ground black pepper
Sauce:
- 4 cups (960 milliliters) fresh marinara sauce
Instructions
- Crumble bread into tiny fragments and bathe them in milk, allowing the liquid to penetrate for a brief moment.
- In a spacious mixing vessel, amalgamate ground beef, pork, veal, and eggs until thoroughly integrated.
- Fold in breadcrumbs, aromatic herbs, minced garlic, and seasoning, ensuring uniform distribution throughout the protein mixture.
- Delicately incorporate the milk-softened bread and grated Parmesan, gently blending to maintain a light, airy texture.
- Craft uniform spherical portions, approximately the size of a golf ball, arranging them on a chilled tray.
- Refrigerate the formed meatballs for a short interval, allowing them to firm and retain their sculptural shape.
- Activate the oven to a moderate temperature, positioning the rack in the central section.
- Transfer the chilled meatballs onto a prepared baking surface, ensuring slight separation between each sphere.
- Roast the meatballs, rotating midway through cooking to achieve an evenly caramelized exterior and thoroughly cooked interior.
- Simultaneously, warm the marinara sauce in a capacious pot, creating a welcoming bath for the freshly baked meatballs.
- Gently nestle the golden-brown meatballs into the simmering sauce, allowing them to infuse and absorb the rich, tomato-based flavors.
- Present the meatballs steaming hot, garnished with an extra cascade of sauce and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Ensure meat mixture isn’t overmixed to maintain tender, juicy meatballs by gently combining ingredients with fingertips or fork.
- Soak bread in milk creates incredibly moist texture, preventing dense, dry meatballs that could ruin the dish’s delicate balance.
- Refrigerating formed meatballs helps them retain shape during cooking and prevents falling apart, giving professional-looking results.
- For gluten-free version, substitute breadcrumbs with almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs and use lactose-free milk alternatives.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 552
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 787 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg