Italy · Meat Dishes · High protein

Meatballs

Name: Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 48 min
Total time: 68 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 500 g mixed minced meat; 100 g breadcrumbs; 100 ml milk; 1 egg; 50 g Parmesan; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp fresh parsley; to taste salt and black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil for frying; 800 g canned tomatoes in their own juice; 1 onion; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp dried oregano; to taste salt and pepper; a few leaves fresh basil

Italian meatballs (polpette) — juicy balls of mixed minced meat seasoned with aromatic herbs and cheese, fried to a golden crust and stewed in a rich tomato sauce.

68 min 530 kcal 4 serves Advanced💪High protein🇮🇹Italy★★★★★4.7· 6 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric

500 gmixed minced meat
100 gbreadcrumbs
100 mlmilk
1 egg
50 gParmesan
2 clovesgarlic
2 tbspfresh parsley
to tastesalt and black pepper
2 tbspolive oil for frying
800 gcanned tomatoes in their own juice
1 onion
2 clovesgarlic
2 tbspolive oil
1 tspdried oregano
to tastesalt and pepper
a few leavesfresh basil

Note from Sergei

Sergei Martynov

“The secret to truly tender Italian meatballs is a panade — bread soaked in milk until it's a mushy paste, then mixed into the meat. This is what keeps meatballs soft and moist instead of dense and bouncy like rubber balls. The other critical mistake is compacting the meat too tightly: roll them gently, just enough to hold their shape. I learned from an Italian nonna that you should be able to press a meatball and have it yield easily — if it feels firm, you've overworked it. A mix of beef and pork gives the best flavor and fat balance, and a generous amount of Parmigiano Reggiano adds umami depth that no amount of seasoning alone can match.”

Don't fry meatballs all the way through — brown them on the outside for 2 minutes, then finish in simmering tomato sauce for 20-30 minutes. They absorb the sauce flavor and stay incredibly moist inside.

Method

In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the milk and leave for 5 minutes. Add the minced meat, egg, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Form the mince into small balls about 3-4 cm in diameter.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the meatballs on all sides until golden.
For the sauce: in another frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Add the sautéed meatballs to the sauce and braise for another 15-20 minutes over low heat. Add fresh basil at the end.

FAQ

The most common reason is too little binder. Add one egg per 500 g of meat and 2–3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs soaked in milk for a few minutes. The soaked bread absorbs moisture and holds the mixture together better than dry crumbs. Also make sure to mix the meat thoroughly — knead it for at least 2 minutes so the proteins form a network that keeps the ball intact. Chilling the shaped meatballs in the fridge for 20–30 minutes before cooking also helps them hold their shape.

Share this recipe ★★★★★4.7

Rate this

Rate this recipe

Keep browsing

More dishes from the Italian archive — picked by overlap with what you're cooking now.

Appetizers and Sandwiches · Italy

Bruschetta

Appetizers and Sandwiches · Italy

Carpaccio

Sauces and Dips · Italy

Pesto

Join the conversation

Comments (1)

Sergei Martynov✍ Author
29d ago
I never cut into the mixed minced meat to check doneness for meatballs. A thermometer preserves the juices; a knife wound lets them escape. Every cut is flavor leaving the meat.