Italian Meatball Recipe
If you’ve been searching the net for the perfect recipe for Italian meatballs, your search has officially come to an end. Look no further because today I have for you the best Italian meatball recipe on the face of this earth. Now before I continue I already know what your thinking, “but Bobby everyone claims to have the best meatball recipe,” and as true as that may be, these meatballs really are the best! With their amazing flavor they are sure to impress anyone, and they are great for eating for a casual dinner or to make on any special occasion. If you’re feeding a large crowd, make sure to make a lot because these are going to disappear. I usually bake these in the oven, but you can also simmer them in pasta sauce for about 40 minutes and you will be amazed with the perfect texture it gives them. These meatballs can also be pre-made and then frozen, so you can just pull them out of the freezer and cook them whenever you like. They go great with noodles and pasta sauce topped with mozzarella or parmesan cheese. Enjoy.
1 ½ pounds of lean beef or pork (or use a mixture of both)
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 large slightly beaten egg
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
2 teaspoons of salt (can use less)
1 teaspoon of black pepper
½ cup of milk
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons of dried parsley
Cooking Instructions:
Step 1: Mix all of the ingredients into a large bowl.
Step 2: Shape the mixture into small-medium sized meatballs. At this point if you don’t want to cook these right now you could put them in the freezer for later.
Step 3: Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees, and place the meatballs on a baking sheet. As you can see, I had to use pizza pans.
Step 4: Put your meatballs in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.Another cooking method is to simmer the meatballs in pasta sauce for about 40 minutes. This will give them great flavor and texture.
[...] presents Italian Meatball Recipe posted at Free Online Recipes | Free Recipes, saying, “hi, please consider my italian [...]
Just wanted to comment on your photography! It’s great – I have tried to take decent food shots but never get anything i like (though I don’t have a macro lens) – but even still, most of the time the images just look washed out. The first and third shots on this post are great.
Max – thanks for the compliments on my photos!
What will doubling the recipe require for adjusted oven time/temperature? Thanks.
Geoffrey – Shouldn’t require any additional oventime or a higher temp. 25-40 minutes should easily fully cook them. To check if they are done just cut one in half, if it’s brown all the way through they are done. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Thanks.
I have tried your recipe, and it was awesome!! I actually baked the meat balls and froze them for a later date, (kind of like those kind you get from the grocery store!!) so I was just wondering how you mixed your meat and ingreatens up, like I used a spoon, but I think I will be using my hands next time!! I have pictures of my process if you’d like to see it, web site is…
http://jellybean1727.livejournal.com/197721.html
and yes you can see your recipe in the back ground and I put it in my notebook!! I feel like a dork now haha
Thanks for the recipe!!
This was the first time I ever made meatballs. They tasted amazing. My dinner guests loved them. This is a keeper.
I just tried your recipe and it was great. Great flavor and consistency. Thanks for the recipe!
Im at work right now preparing ideas for our presidential debate party tonight. Looks like im gonna go with your Italian meatball’s here. Simplistic, attractive recepie. Thanks, i’ll let you know how it went.
I too am preparing your meatball recipe for my debate party. The kids will be fed early so I’ll have a verdict before the adult passion and spirits.
I’ll email a review.
Hi, going to try this tonight. I have a 6 yr-old who is complaining that I always cook the same thing- but he hates trying ‘new’ food. Will try your meatballs and see what he thinks.
I have the first batch in the oven– smells delicious! the baby in my tummy can’t wait for some yummy protein.
We just tried these meatballs and even though we had to substitute wheat hamburger buns instead of Italian breadcrumbs, the meatballs turned out fabulous! Great recipe!
I am not much of a cook, but have been trying to make good n’ hearty meals to freeze. That way, I can have a great home cooked meal at any time. I found your meatball recipe and IT WAS AMAZING! I am passing this recipe on to a friend of mine after telling her how awesome they were. Now I feel like I can whip these up for company and everyone will leave with their taste buds satisfied! Thanks!
: )
I’m in the process of making these meatballs right now… I have to say they look (and smell) delicious! I opted for the baking method because I’m making dinner in a couple of hours and just wanted to have them ready ahead of time so it wouldn’t be a bum rush to get everything done all at once. I mixed them with a fork and because I have fairly long fingernails, I put ziploc baggies over my hands to roll them up and it worked out just fine. I got 25 meatballs out of this recipe and I actually only had 1 lb. of ground beef. Hopefully they will taste as good as they smell!
Thanks for sharing this recipe with us. I tried it last night and loved it!
Quick, simple, straightforward and delicious result. Made about 10 meatballs for tonight and froze the rest for another random monday night when I crave a little Italian dinner with a bottle of red wine. I think these also would be great on a sandwich. Thanks for the recipe!
I am going to try and make these, and I am wondering what kind of sauce I would put them in to cook them in the crock-pot, any Ideas? Thanks!
Jenny – spaghetti sauce or marinara would be great. I hope you enjoy the meatballs!
These are the best meatballs I’ve ever had. I used them for meatball subs. They are simple but have a great flavor! Thanks!
I’ve used this recipe twice. Everyone loves them. It’s simple. Most ingredients already in the cupboard.
Just a quick tip; I place my meatballs in the microwave for a few minutes. They brown nicely. Then I drain off all the fat and place them in the sauce or freeze. Saves me time.
I never made meatballs before either, but I’m going to try this recipe. Should I do a combination of baking and simmering in the sauce? Can you just put the raw meatballs ni the sauce for 40 mins or should I bake them for a while (or 20 mins) first? Im’ 26, but I’m pretty much just starting out cooking with meat. Any comments/help would be appreciated.
Mike – You can simmer them from the raw state for 40 minutes. I would recommend browning the meatballs in the oven as you stated and then simmering. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Can i just bake them right into the oven and not simmer it? This really smells good..Im actually preparing it right now for dinner.
janice – yes you can. Enjoy the recipe.
Well I have a very picky husband and my food is never as good as his mothers. However, I can now say I make something better than her! He loved your meatball recipe! Thanks for giving one up on my mother in law!
I am making these today. Would you know how many garlic cloves make 2 tablespoons? Thank you.
Maureen – It all depends on the size of the cloves. If they are decent sized I would say about 5.
Great recipe – my family loved the meatballs! I used them in a traditional spaghetti and meatballs dinner. I baked the meatballs as suggested, then added them to the sauce to simmer a little while. The only thing I changed was using garlic powder instead of the cloves since that’s what I had on hand.
Yummy recipe – definitely one that goes in the rotation!
Everyone in my family LOVES these!
This was a simple recipe, thanks for sharing. Made spaghetti and “Your” meatballs. Everyone asked for more meatballs. I cant wait for a Meatball sandwich.
Thanks for the recipe. It was a hit! This was my first time making meatballs. I think I added a little too much salt, but no one said anything other than it was good.
I usually brown my meatballs in a pan with olive oil. Drain. And then add to sauce. Do you think this is an unnecessary step? If I choose to bake them, could I coat them with olive oil for a little more flavor or should I just leave them alone. I think that the oil also adds to the sauce that I make and add the meatballs to. Your suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks.
Joan – I think baking them in the oven is the best way. If you want to coat them in olive oil, I don’t think it could hurt. What I usually do its brown them in the oven and then finish by simmering in the sauce. The combination is great.
just had to say- excellent meatball recipe! they were delicious & very easy to make! i baked them for about 22 minutes, then added them to the sauce for another 20 minutes or so. they added great flavor to any otherwise dull jar sauce. i froze half & can’t wait to dig into those.
thanks for a recipe that is now one of my favorites!
I’m making these right now w/ some modifications cause I always go overboard
I did not read the reviews first and put the raw meatballs right into the sauce. I hope they turn out okay still. I’ll post back after I eat them and if they are good, I’ll state my added ingredients.
Can’t wait to try them!
Wow, I made a triple batch and they are wonderful. I used half ground turkey instead of beef (can’t eat beef). My husband was very happy, and now I have bags frozen for several meals. One hint: to make the balls quickly, I used a small Ice cream scoop that has a lever to pop out the balls. They needed only a tiny bit of rolling to finish shaping, and they are all the same size (I have problems getting them even in size by hand.) YUM!
Made these tonight and they are delicious!! Thanks for a simple and tasty recipe that will become a house favorite!!
I’m curious to know, I am going to be making these meatballs today for the first time, but what do you think about putting a sauce on them before freezing? I always put a sauce I make (brown sugar, mustard, garlic and onion spagetti sauce… and just this and that for seasonings) on my meatloaf every 30 minutes or so while I bake it… just enough to lightly cover the top each time – so that it doesn’t spill over and burn in the pan – hate when that happens.
So would you put the sauce on it – then freeze it, or would you wait? I guess I’m asking if it would hurt to do this? If it would taste okay when thawed and reheated then.
Fran – Yes, you can freeze the meatballs with the sauce.
What about when cooking in a crockpot?
I baked for 15 minutes in the oven and plan on cooking in a crockpot at the lowest setting for about 8 hours tomorrow.
I wonder if I should have baked for more time? Less time?
Thanks.
Mike – I would check them after about 4-5 hours on low if you already baked them for 15 minutes. Let me know how they turn out.
This is similar to what I usually “piece” together from around the kitchen – it’s nice to have it in print! Here’s a tip to help on time and mess: I used my KitchenAid with the dough hook to mix. No more messy, frozen fingers! Combine with the mini ice cream scoop for forming the meatballs and production is a breeze.
I have made these once and they are so good. My husband and kids loved them. I like that you have pictures as well. Thank you.
I am not even a very good cook at all, and these were so tasty! I used them to make meatball subs. Yum!
These are easy to make and the best meatballs I’ve ever had
Awesome meatballs! My first time from scratch and I’ll be hanging on to this recipe. In fact, I’m still taste testing as I sit at my computer… hope there is enough for dinner!!
Thanks for your wonderful recipe. It helped me to remember how my mother made them. It has that same wonderful taste. (though she browned them in a pan) The only thing I added to the recipe was an equal amount of ground veal to the beef and pork per her recipe. She would wake me up on Sunday mornings with one of these delicacies under my nose and say “time to get up for church. What a reward.
Thanks so much for the great recipe, I’m going to give it a shot for the first time ever.
I’m Italian and I’ve never made a meatball, for being alive for 33 years, that’s a sin!
I am glad everyone left helpful tips too!
I made meatballs tonight for dinner. I made two separate recipes. THIS ONE ROCKED!!! The other was really good as well, but these were THE BEST! and MUCH easier to make.
For my two recipes I used 1# of ground beef; 1# of ground pork and 1# of ground veal, then split it between the two recipes.
I added Paprika that a friend brought to me from Hungary recently also some fresh parsley and extra garlic (since I had it for the other recipe) in addition to the dried parsley. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly and it was Perfect, Easy and Delicious!!!
I will definitely be making these again. I got 12-13 decent sized meatballs out of this recipe.
BON APPETITE!!!
i just finished dinner and wanted to say that these were the best meatballs i have tasted, i will definitely pass this on! THANK YOU
I just happened to stumble across your blog while looking for a recipe for meatballs( I’ve been craving them for a whileee). I this is the first time I’ve ever made meatballs and I just wanted to let you know I’ll be making these for a more dinners to come.
This recipe was great! My meatballs always do something funky — fall apart or are too crumbly or too hard. These were perfect. Because I like spicy, I added about 1/3 cup of dried onion flakes and about 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes. The recipe made 18 meatballs — I cooked all of them then froze half of them to heat up for sandwiches or pasta. Many thanks!
I love to cook but have never made meatballs. I am hoping its ok to use some garlic powder instead of fresh garlic because thats what I have.
Wish me luck.
These meatballs were delicious. Excellent recipe, easy to find ingredients and easy preparation. Thanks for sharing!
These meatballs reminded me of my(recently deceased) aunt Nuncy’s recipe- she used to put larger chunks of Italian bread soaked in milk and some mozzarella bits in hers, then baked on a full sheet pan. When I was young, we couldnt visit her without sitting at the table and eating some meatballs and sauce. What great memories you stirred up!
any recommendations for tweaks on this recipe if im not using lean pork/beef? does it need more egg/breadcrumbs as a binder?
Carol – What exactly are you planning on using? No meat at all?
How many is this recipe supposed to serve?
The flavor was VERY good. I used 85/15 ground chuck. However, even after baking them, draining the grease, and simmering them in marinara they were SO HEAVY. I might want to a mix of beef and ground chicken next time to decrease the fat. Also, salt content is a bit much.
I DO like them, don’t get me wrong. I just need to modify a bit so they are not in my stomach 6 hours later!
Jessica – I would say it serves about 4.
Excited about making them, but curious to know the sauce you serve with it.
I found one of yours on this site, but it calls for italian sausage.
What would you make to go with these meatballs?
Thank you!
Jerrilyn – You could use that sauce recipe, just leave out the italian sausage. I usually cheat and get a can of spaghetti sauce from the store
truely classics. authentic. great recipe.
Me & my 11 year old daughter made these with my grandmothers Mothers Spagetti recipe and they go together so nice, thanks for the recipe
ps awesome pics too, Sincerely, Anna,Md
Wat other recipes u have? Tryin out the meatball recipe, waitin 4 outcome, let u no da outcome
evelyn – many, take a look around.
I have made a very similar recipe to this. I used a little beef broth on the pan, and it made great “drippings” to add to my sauce, using the renderings from the meatballs and the broth. It only takes about a can to make two cookie sheet pans… and the bonus is that it helps the meatballs not to stick…
I made these last night, they were so flavorful! Thank you for posting this wonderful recipe, I finally found the perfect meatball recipe, and the ingredients were so simple (which is what I was looking for) and easy to make too. I will definately be keeping this recipe and using it in the future. My picky daughter even loved them. I was wondering, what does the milk do in the recipe? I was a little unsure of adding it, so I only added 1/4 cup, and it started to look a little mushy so I stopped, but they still came out good. I also didn’t add the oregano or parsley, and only a little minced garlic but still wonderful.
christina – milk is used to keep them from drying out. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
This turned out to be the best meatball recipe I’ve every tried. I used beef with veal instead of pork. I will try pork next time. I also opted for 1/2 the salt. Rather than baking, I chose to simmered them separately in a generic pasta sauce. I didn’t use my cherished homemade sauce in case the fat drippings changed the flavor. They were so delicious. My family insists we have ended our search for the perfect meatball. Thanks for this!
Yes, these are indeed the best! Made them last night and the family raved over them.
Thank you.
I’m very new to the whole concept of home cooking and preserving food in the fridge/freezer (my husband and I order out every night). How long are the meatballs good for in the freezer? Also, are regular ziplock bags enough? Or will I need to get the freezer types? Lastly, if I have leftover spaghetti, how long will that last in the fridge? *sorry for my ignorance on the basic stuff
I am planning to cook meatball tomorrow. I will use ground turkey instead, should the cooking time be adjusted? Can I just simmer meatballs in sauce for 40 mins? The taste is still great, right? Thanks!
Cindy – I would say you can keep the meatballs for up to 3 months frozen. Regular ziplocks should work just fine but I am not positive. I personally do not like left over spaghetti noodles, if they are more than a day old, I would make new ones. I hope this helps and you enjoy the recipe.
Wendy – Yes, you can just simmer them for 40 minutes.
I totally enjoyed this receipe, it is great and easy to make.
this is an awesome recipe. i made these for my mother for mothers day. by far the best meatballs ive ever had. i added a 1/4 cup chopped onions for a little extra flavor. but what a great meatball. thank you!
Hi i just had a question, could you brown the meatballs in a frying pan with a little oil and then add them to the spaghetti sauce?
Johnny – Yes, you can.
Just wanted to let you know your the best!! I have made these for my gf like 4 times already… she LOVES THEM… and i always use your recipe and the always come out great… thanks again!!
hai..can i substitute the parmesan cheese with mozarella cheese?coz i had none..and may i know whats the different?thanks for your help.
miz_afzan – You could but the flavor and texture would be different. Parmesan cheese is finely grated and dry. Where as mazerella is going to melt. They are also of course, different flavors. Over-all, mazerella will taste good in these meatballs.
I LOVE DA MEATBALLS SO DOES DA KIDS!I MADE MEATBALL SANDWICHES AN THEY JUST MUNCHED THEM DOWN(;
I have made this recipe three times now, and my boyfriend absolutely loves them, and requests them! Awesome recipe! Thanks!
These meatballs are MAGIC! My personal tweak was to add the filling of 2 fresh italian sausages and use a big handful of chopped fresh italian flat leaf parsley. Oven baked in home made tomato sauce with chunks for fresh mozarella melting throughout, torn fresh basil leaves with scatter of parmesan on top.
These are easy and absolutely fabulous!! You could use these with myriad sauces, make little bitty ones for appetizers or big herkamer ones for a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs. Thanks for the great recipe!
Added a little spice (I’m from New Orleans) and these meatballs ROCKED!
Did this one last night with 1 lb. group turkey and 1 lb. groud italian sausage. Came out perfect, even our two picky boys ate it.
I love your recipe for Italian Meatballs. I substituted fresh oregano and parsley from the garden.
I bake these first so I won’t have so much grease from the meat in my sauce. Bake for twenty minutes, drain and add to sauce.
These balls were the greatest ever.I put fresh chopped herbs from my garden and the flavor was wonderful.
These were really good. I used 2-1-1 ratio of ground turkey to sweet Italian sausage to ground chuck. I used half-n-half instead of milk because I didn’t want to use skim (what we usually drink). I added some fresh spring onions and herbs from the garden and I thought that gave it a freshness.
When they were finished baking, I couldn’t stand to throw away all of that delicious fond (the brown bits in the bottom of the pan), so I made a milk gravy on the stove top right in my pan. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! These may or may not make it into the marinara sauce because they’re so good in their own gravy.
Thanks for a great recipe!
waiting for them to bake….looking good so far…first time making them…Wow great mix to work with…I was amazed i use my hands and I never touch raw meat….Thanks
Bobby,
My husband loved your meatballs and I was so lucky I found the recipe again. I am making them again tonight for dinner. Yes, I printed the recipe this time.
Thanks again
They ARE the best!! I thought “meatballs are meatballs”…….but these were great. Thanks!
Hey Bobby, Thanks so much for the recipe! The meatballs are amazing. The simplicity makes it an anytime meal and the flavor was perfectly balanced! Great job!!!!
Bobby,
I just read through the posts and I know you recommend baking the meatballs, but if I bake them as stated in the recipe for 25 minutes, do I still simmer them in the sauce for 40 minutes, or less? I am making them for the 2nd time tonight, and both times I have browned them in pan with olive oil, then slow cooked w/sauce in crock pot.. but next time I would like to try baking them. I am just not sure how long to cook them, is there a way to tell if a meatball is done. I have just been guessing with the crock pot. Thank you!
I tried the recipe and we all loved it..specially my son! Thanks a lot!
T – Sorry, This comment got sent my spam folder. You can either bake for 25 minutes or simmer for 40, you would do one of the other, not both. What is good to do is a combination of baking and simmering. You could brown them in the oven and then finish cooking them with a simmer in the sauce.
Four year old approved!!! Delicious! Instead of the ground beef/pork I used ground turkey. They were wonderful. I have been unsuccessful in the past at making meatballs that actually held together-these were perfect. I will definitely make them again!
Thank You for a great recipe. I hate to spend time scouring the internet for a recipe only to pick one that winds up being average. Your testimonial won me over and I tried them. This is the best meatball recipe I have ever made. I also love that it makes a large batch. I baked some for dinner and froze the rest. I love to cook in bulk like that.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I used it a few weeks ago — it was my first time making meatballs — and they were so good that I’m about to make them again tonight! Definitely a keeper, thanks again.
Howdy,
THanks for the meatball recipe! I’m about to pop the little nuggets into the oven, so we’ll see how it goes. I had every ingredient except the cheese, so that got left out. I also gave it Emeril’s BAM! — a little organic ancho chile powder — so that should liven up the party just a bit.
Have a great weekend!
This was my first time making meatballs and they were great! Me and my family loved it! Thanks!
Bobby,
I made these last week and loved them. I separated them into 3 servings. I vaccum sealed the portions and put them in my freezer. I did this uncooked. How should I cook these next time since they are frozen uncooked? Would it be better next time I do this recipe to cook first and then freeze? Thanks for your help, can’t wait to check out some of your other recipes.
Kimberley
Kimberley – I see no issues with freezing raw meatballs. Just put them into the sauce and simmer or into the oven. Of course, the cooking times will be longer. Unless there is alot of extra ice on the outside of the meatballs, I don’t see any need to defrost them first. If next time you want to cook the meatballs first, they still freeze well and will be good.
I think I messed up and used too much salt?! Directions called for 2 teaspoonfuls but that seemed too much?! I going to have to try it again with much less salt.
amazing meatballs! I had never made meatballs until this recipe, and they were a hit! my boyfriend loved them. thanks for the recipe!
I just put these in the oven. I made two modifications to it. I did not add milk but a little bit of olive oil and i added mozzarella cheese.
i will let you know how they turn out.
Tried the recipe and absolutely loved it! Instead of baking it, I just added it to a saucepan with 1 jar of speghetti sauce. It was delicious! My fiance enjoyed them as well!
i will try this dish.
Bobby,
These meatballs truly are awesome! I was out of bread crumbs so I crushed up some garlic croutons. My granddaughter Jessica actually made the meatballs while I read the ingredients to her. Thanks!
Patricia
hey, i am 15 and just starting 2 cook. how many will this make because i am trying 2 make a 3 coursed meal 4 a family of 4. is it a expensive meal??? cheers bobby
mollie – it is not very expensive, if you cook alot you probably have several of the ingredients. I would also say this recipe serves 4 people!
Yum! The whole family enjoyed it…that’s quite an accomplishment! Thanks for sharing!
Bobby – after reading all these positive posts, I decided to double the recipe because I was afraid my family of 5 would love the meatballs and I wouldn’t have enough. It fed us all, PLUS I had at least 15 meatballs left over which I froze for future use. I rolled them about the diameter of a quarter. As everyone has said, they were the best I have ever tasted, even better than store bought. I used the oven method and they didn’t shrink at all. The only modification I made was reducing the amount of salt I used. Thank you so much for this recipe. I am going to look for more of your recipes.
Karina
Perfect recipe – succinct and with just the right number of ingredients. I added some basil and thyme in lieu of the oregano, and used Romano cheese instead, as that’s what I had. The result was delicious.
YUMMY!! I made these as is and they were perfect! Easy to make and delicious
I just made these amazing meatballs. My extremely picky 2 year old keeps running in and asking me for more meatballs! Bless you – bless you!!
Just made these with my gf…absolutely amazing with my homade Sunday gravy(tomato sauce) thanks!!!!
Awesome!Awesome!Awesom recipe. If you are looking for the perfect recipe look no further. I always search the web for the perfect recipes and I read all the comments and they were not lying. These meatballs are the BEST!! I immediately had to try one right out of the oven. I used turkey and they came out great. The taste the texture the seasonings. These meatballs are the best.
Absolutely delicious! I added some oregano and thyme in addition to the parsley. Used the meatballs for subs and received rave reviews! Thanks for the recipe!!
Delicious! Thanks so much for this recipe.
Truly loooove ur meatball recipe!!!! Can u please send me other recipes that you may have…thank you so much!!!!
Wow!! read all your reviews….I’m making the meatballs tonight, can’t wait!! They look amazing, and sound easy and delicious:)
oh my LORD! SOOOOOOOO Good! Thank you! I am THE worst cook, and I’m getting MAJOR KUDOS from my husband and kids! THANK YOU!!!!!
Wow, I am so glad everyone is enjoying these meatballs! Thanks.
Fantastic recipe! Thanks so much for sharing. These are delicious. I’m an accomplished home cook who demands more from my recipes and these lived up to my hopes. You are my kitchen hero.
I’m going to try your recipe tonight. I wanted to have something different from the usual frozen meatballs for spaghetti dinner. I just did have a couple of questions before I destroyed your recipe.
1. Is there a difference between regular breadcrumbs and italian breadcrumbs? I have regular but not italian will that make a difference in the quality or taster of the meatballs?
2. What kind of milk do you use. Will any milkfat % work, because we use skim. I’m was just wondering if it should be whole or 2% or something.
Please let me know….
Thanks
~Tanjia~
Tanjia – Sorry for the delayed responce, if you made them, I hope they turned out well. To shed some light on your questions-
1. Yes, there is a difference. Regular bread crumbs are not seasoned, where italian breadcrumbs are seasoned with italian seasonings. So yes, it will make a difference in the taste. However, even with regular breadcrumbs, they should be good.
2. I usually use 2 percent but I don’t see why skim milk wouldnt work fine.
I hope this awnsers your questions and you enjoy the recipe!
Thanks Bobby! I did make them that night. I used my regular breadcrumbs (to get rid of it) but added a little parmesan cheese and romano cheese, Mrs. Dash Italian Medley and a little garlic powder. They turned out great…a little salty…but I think my 5 yr old added more salt when I went to wash my hands. LOL
I baked them for a few minutes to brown them and then I placed them to the sauce and simmered the rest of the time. It was delicious. Thanks for the recipe and thanks for the response.
I can’t thank you enough for this recipe. I made these delicious meatballs with spaghetti and marinara and everyone loved them. Then, we had them with rice and brown gravy and everyone loved them even more.
They are now our standard Sunday family dinner item.
My family loves you!!
Tried this recipe tonite – they where awsome but will cut back some on the garlic next time. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Very Good!! I made a big batch the first time around and froze some meatballs. Yesterday morning I put 2 jars of spag sauce, some grated parma cheese and 10 meatballs in the slower cooker and turned it on 3 and let it simmer all day! It was great to come home to a great smell and dinner was almost done. YUM!!
I tried thias meatball recipe tonight and my son (picky eater) loved them. I didn’t have all of the ingredients on hand, so I ended up substituting grated mozzerella for the parmesan and I left out the egg, and it still turned out fantastic. Love these meatballs and will be making them again. Thanks for sharing!
Now i have been making meatballs for a longggggg time!! But this recipe is hands down THE BEST i have ever tried!! Thank you so much for this recipe!! Everyone had three helpings!!
)
I couldn’t wait to try them after reading all the comments. They were easy and very yummy. I had to tell you the best compliment: my picky boyfriend ate one before I got home from work– straight out of the refrigerator, cold, no sauce, and pronounced them delicious!
All this positive feedback has inspired me to make these for my family. I’m excited to try them, thanks for sharing!
This was my first time ever making meatballs, and of course it was for a surprise dinner for my boyfriend. I was terrified that they’d turn out horrible because I didn’t have half of the ingredients, so I kind of improvised.
Instead of italian breadcrumbs, I crumbled regular bread; garlic cloves, I used garlic powder; no milk, parmesan, oregano, or parsley, so I used Italian Seasoning and a little bit of water (I’ve seen water used in meatballs to substitute milk). I simmered them in Bertolli merlot & portabello mushroom sauce and poured the whole thing over angel hair spaghetti.
I got 20 meatballs out of this recipe and every single one was delicious! I’m saving this recipe so that when I DO have all the ingredients, I can try it again and taste the difference.
Either way, thanks for such a straightforward recipe and for helping my first meatball experience be such a scrumptious one!
My father has been cooking Italian Sauce, meatballs, lasagna, baked ziti, you name it all my life. But when he passed away this year, we had to start figuring out for ourselves how he made all those items. This is it! the key to forming the balls, (as my mother instructed) is to keep your hands wet with water. And FRY them – not bake! Thanks for the direction on the ingredients!
Could you possibly NOT imbed all questions and comments in the recipe section. I printed 23 pages to get this recipe!
Thomas- All you need to do is click on PRINT THIS POST in the upper right hand corner (right by the post title) of each recipe.
Prolly the best meat ball ive eaten, better than my friends grandma’s, my first time cooking meat balls and they tasted great!!! simple delicious tasting recipe.
Such a great recipe! Thank you!
Ballsy statement (no pun intended) you made on your meatball recipe being “the best.” There are several ways you can improve it. First, fresh ingredients — no dried herbs and no prepackaged breadcrumbs (that stuff is like sawdust); homemade breadcrumbs are better. Second, add a little tomato sauce to the meatballs (if you are cooking it with sauce). It makes a moist, taste saturated meatball. Third, Pecorino Romano — way better than parmesan. That’s all the information I’m sharing.
Anthony- thanks for the information but these are still…the best meatballs, EVER!
First of all, let me make it clear that I have NEVER EVER liked meatballs. I’ve had homemade ones and frozen ones, neither could I stomach. My husband, on the other hand, LOVES meatballs. I havent ever made them for him, because I have never found any that I have been able to eat……until now! These are absolutely amazing, both my husband and myself were impressed with this recipe. Thank you thank you thank you for such a wonderful recipe and opening my tastebuds to a great meatball!
Hands down the best meatballs I have ever made, or eaten (and I’m a harsh critic of my own cooking). Huge crowd pleaser–no one could get enough of these! I have made them multiple times, and I prefer browning them in the oven for 25 minutes and then letting them simmer in the sauce for 20 min. They have a whole new dimension of flavor if you use fresh, finely chopped parsley as opposed to dried parsley.
Personally I did not care for these. I followed the recipe exactly so I don’t know why they didn’t taste as good as everyone else said. Way too salty, I would have used less like it was mentioned in the recipe..
Hey there. Definitely trying this recipe over the weekend…looks great!! I was wondering if you can go larger with the diameter of the meatballs without ruining the recipe? Would the cooking time or temperature change? My family likes the traditional large tennis ball size meatballs so I’m looking to modify if it won’t ruin the results.
Michelle – doing the larger meatballs is fine, the temperture would stay the same but they will probably take longer to cook. Just check them after the set time for this recipe and try and go for from there. I cant give you an exact cook time.
What type of parmesan do you recommend? My bf is very simplistic…does the grated stuff that comes in the green can work ok? Or should I get the good stuff in the tub in the refrigerated section?
Jessica Kimball – I use the grated stuff in the gren can myself
I am making these for Christmas Eve. By the other comments I am so excited and jsut know they will taste amazing. Thanks for posting it and the excellent pics!
the best ever. what a meatball sandwich these make!
These are the most amazing meatballs!!! Thank you for the recipe! I make what I call two bite meatballs. I keep the oven at the same temperature but I cook them for 40 minutes (fully cooked) and then let them simmer in a jar tomato sauce for about 20.
Your meatballs were excellent. I am a guy, and i am keeping the recipe to charm the ladies and make them think i can cook lol!
I was looking for a meatball recipe when I came across this one. After reading your intro to your recipe, I told my son even if they are not good I have to try them ,because he sounds so positive they are the best. I made them last week and needless to say, you are right ,they are the best!!
We will definitely keep this one. Thanks
after a little browsing i came across your recipe and decided i would try it. Turned out Excellent! Thanks for posting it.
WONDERFUL!!! They were so good, that my boyfriend made me make them twice in the last month.
I saved this recipe a very long time ago, and I have been making these meatballs ever since! They are by far the best meatballs. I am such a picky meatball eater, and I kid you not, these are the only ones I love! My husband loves them too. Now I just need to find a way to make fresh marinara sauce…
Thank you so much for your meatball recipe!
Thanks this was one of the best recipes i tried for meatballs it turned out great and my friends like it as well
OMG! They are still finishing in the oven but I snuck a try and they are marvelous I think the milk and parmesan really make it stand apart.
I just made these…delicious!! great recipe, thank you!
This recipe is pretty close to my Sicilian grandmother’s recipe that I use. But her recipe also has finely chopped onion, which I highly recommend. Also I double the amount of cheese and use pecorino romano which has a sharper flavor than parmesan. Also I add a small can of roasted garlic flavored tomato sauce to the meat mixture for extra moistness and flavor. The key to tender meatballs is to have enough moisture in the meat mixture.
(wooh! so many comments)
I love love love the recipe, especially with the touch of parmesan. I made these for an intimate gathering over spaghetti and meatballs. Normally I like my meat inside my spaghetti sauce, but I was serving vegetarians.
I prefer making them in a pan on the stove rather than in the oven, because with the oven method, the parmesan cheese melted outside of the meatball. However, I think that when I get the chance I will wholly prefer cooking these babies inside some spaghetti sauce
I got divorced after 25 years of marriage. One of my worries was learning how to cook and not just do takeout or rely on my microwave. I took a look at this recipe and figured “well there’s no time like the present”. I thought that if it does not turn out well my dog will enjoy it. My dog did not get to try them – they came out great !
I happened to come across this recipe recently. These meatballs rock! They go great with my homemade sauce! Lol, I got approval from my picky Italian boyfriend, which is big in my book. He can’t get enough of these! Thanks for sharing this easy and yummy recipe!
I LOVE this recipe! I made it once for my family and they loved it so much, that I had to make the meatballs almost once a week. To change things up a bit, I used this exact recipe to make burgers instead. The best homemade burgers ever.
I have searched high and low for a delicious, yet healthy meatball recipe. I LOVE to cook for my husband and myself (empty-nesters) sometimes spending 3 hrs making a meal! We had meatballs in a restaurant some time ago and he thought they were great…I was not impressed and said I could do better! Whoops! So for Christmas I gave him (2) “coupons” for “Meatballs”. Wasn’t happy with my first attempt but he cashed in his last coupon yesterday and I tried your recipe…Thank you!!!! Love it as you use only one egg and no oil to brown the meatballs. Only change I made was to use 3/4 lb lean turkey and 3/4 lb buffalo. Awesome! Thanks again!
Many thanks! Great recipe, also appreciate comments on using ice cream scoop for forming-my hands don’t “work” too well anymore. Also, the ingredients are those I usually have on hand; fresh is great (for herbs etc.) if you have access, but I don’t all the time. I’ve always used parm, but I’m going to try some mozzarella if I’ve got some around. So, where else can I find more of your recipes? Again, many thanks, a great make-it-now-freeze-for later IF there’s any left over!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I had leftover ground beef and pork from making Korean potstickers (mandu) and thought I’d give this a try. So delicious! My sister and I gobbled them up without sauce or toppings – these are great on their own.
These are without a doubt the best meatballs I have ever experienced. I made some for a snack this afternoon.
I’m definitely going to make burgers using this recipe as layC mentioned above.
Absolutely wonderful, I do allot of entertaining and these meatballs are hit with everyone. Thank you so much..
I made these yesterday. I cut down on the salt and garlic and substituted Contadina thick and zesty tomato sauce for the milk. This is by far the best recipe for Italian meatballs that I have come across. Delicious.
once i bum an egg fr my neighbour i will be making these tonight;) i have to use whole wheat bread (but it is italian!) lol. i’m drying the crumbs in the oven now..will let u know how it goes:)
Thank you so much for this delicious meatball recipe. They are so tender and everyone in my family loves my meatballs now. Can’t thank you enough, couldn’t help but notice you have 2 yrs of positive posts… That’s impressive, and says it all ! Thanks again.
I make these ahead and freeze them in a zip lock bag. Then when I have surprise guests I put them in a pot with a jar of spagetti sauce and have a yummy meal fast.!
The best meatballs I’ve every made!! I did something different though because I couldn’t decide whether or not I wanted to cook them in sauce or not. I broiled them in the oven with some olive oil as stated but after 30 minutes I added sauce and cooked them until the sauce got that deep rich look with a little burn around the corners. Super delicious and so very juicy!!!! Thank you for the recipe.
Great recipe… I substitute 1 lb of ground turkey and 1 lb of Italian sausage (health reasons). Also, can’t have too much minced garlic.
These are fantastic!! My toddler ate six in one shot and constantly asks for meatballs now. Making them again this weekend – can’t wait!
These are so delicious!
I like to make them with my homemade gnocchi and sauce.
Yum!
I am trying these tonight. Do I need fresh grated parmesan or will the Kraft in the can do? I am looking forward to this!!!
Connie – Kraft in the can will work. Enjoy.
These ARE the best meatballs I’ve ever had. Added 1/2 pf a small onion, minced and cut back salt to 1/2 t. We couldn’t stop eating them as a snack. I have to make some more today.
Thanks for this post.