Italian Meatballs

5 from 11 votes

This recipe uses Ground Beef and sausage meat as a base combined with breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs creating a flavorful meatball everyone will love!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword homemade meatballs, Italian meatball recipes, Italian Meatballs

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 347

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

1 cup bread crumbs
¼ cup milk or water – plus more if needed
1 lb ground beef 80-85% lean
1 lb Italian sausage Meat
2 large eggs
6 cloves garlic minced
fresh parsley a good handful, chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese fresh grated
Salt to taste (I use at least a tablespoon of salt)
freshly ground black pepper about 15 turns of the grind
olive oil For frying

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix the milk into the breadcrumbs and stir together. If not completely moistened, mix in more milk 1 tablespoon at a time to moisten the breadcrumbs fully. Let rest while you prep the rest of the ingredients (or at least 5 minutes).
In a large mixing bowl, add the beef, sausage meat, eggs, breadcrumb mixture, garlic, parsley, and Parmesan cheese, and season with about a teaspoon of salt and freshly grated pepper (if using jarred sauce, it may be salty, so season to taste). Mix until combined.
Gently form 3 tablespoons of mixture into 1.5-inch round meatballs; repeat with remaining mixture. This recipe makes approx 30 meatballs.
Heat ¼ -inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a 10 or 11-inch sauté pan. When the edge of a meatball dipped in oil sizzles, add the meatballs in a single layer about 2 inches apart. Fry, turning several times until nicely browned on all sides (about 10 minutes), regulating heat as needed to keep oil sizzling but not smoking. Transfer the browned meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Repeat, if necessary, with the remaining meatballs.
Serve with the sauce of your choice.

Notes

This recipe calls for pan-frying the meatballs. For information on oven baking, see my Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe.

Tips

Overmixing ground beef can make it tough so it’s important to avoid handling it too much. A good shortcut is to use a stand mixer to mix your meatballs, but if you do, be sure to use it on a low speed to not overwork the beef.
Before you assemble your meatballs it is worth taking the extra time to taste test. Make a mini patty and pan fry in olive oil until cooked. Taste and check if you should add more seasoning
When rolling your meatballs by hand try oiling your hands so that the mixture doesn’t stick when handling
When cooking, make sure your meatballs are placed about 2 inches apart. Pan fry until brown and crisp. Do this in batches rather than crowding the pan.
If making to serve with sauce, you’ll either a big batch of Homemade Tomato Sauce, Marinara Sauce, or at least two 24oz jars of store-bought.

Nutrition