Italian Meatball Recipe

Italian Meatballs
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.

 Italian MeatballsItalian Meatballs

Ingredients:
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:
Italian MeatballsItalian Meatballs
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.
Italian MeatballsItalian Meatballs
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.

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    274 Comments so far

    1. [...] presents Italian Meatball Recipe posted at Free Online Recipes | Free Recipes, saying, “hi, please consider my italian [...]

    2. Max on June 18th, 2008

      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.

    3. Bobby on June 19th, 2008

      Max – thanks for the compliments on my photos!

    4. Geoffrey on August 5th, 2008

      What will doubling the recipe require for adjusted oven time/temperature? Thanks.

    5. Bobby on August 5th, 2008

      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.

    6. Caroline on August 19th, 2008

      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!!

    7. Kelly on October 3rd, 2008

      This was the first time I ever made meatballs. They tasted amazing. My dinner guests loved them. This is a keeper.

    8. j dog on October 5th, 2008

      I just tried your recipe and it was great. Great flavor and consistency. Thanks for the recipe! ;-)

    9. Ethiks on October 15th, 2008

      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.

    10. HEATHER on October 15th, 2008

      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.

    11. celia on October 25th, 2008

      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.

    12. Kathleen on October 29th, 2008

      I have the first batch in the oven– smells delicious! the baby in my tummy can’t wait for some yummy protein.

    13. Tammy on November 2nd, 2008

      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!

    14. Lorraine on November 16th, 2008

      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!
      : )

    15. Melissa on November 19th, 2008

      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!

    16. miguel on November 20th, 2008

      Thanks for sharing this recipe with us. I tried it last night and loved it!

    17. brian on December 1st, 2008

      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!

    18. Jenny Carter on December 2nd, 2008

      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!

    19. Bobby on December 2nd, 2008

      Jenny – spaghetti sauce or marinara would be great. I hope you enjoy the meatballs!

    20. Melinda on December 7th, 2008

      These are the best meatballs I’ve ever had. I used them for meatball subs. They are simple but have a great flavor! Thanks!

    21. Dawn on December 14th, 2008

      I’ve used this recipe twice. Everyone loves them. It’s simple. Most ingredients already in the cupboard.

    22. Lynn on December 14th, 2008

      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.

    23. Mike Zaleski on December 17th, 2008

      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.

    24. Bobby on December 17th, 2008

      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.

    25. janice on December 19th, 2008

      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.

    26. Bobby on December 19th, 2008

      janice – yes you can. Enjoy the recipe.

    27. jamie on December 22nd, 2008

      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!

    28. Maureen on December 28th, 2008

      I am making these today. Would you know how many garlic cloves make 2 tablespoons? Thank you.

    29. Bobby on December 28th, 2008

      Maureen – It all depends on the size of the cloves. If they are decent sized I would say about 5.

    30. Jenny on December 30th, 2008

      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!

    31. upstate Mom on December 31st, 2008

      Everyone in my family LOVES these!

    32. Jeffro on January 10th, 2009

      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.

    33. Christy on January 11th, 2009

      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.

    34. Joan on January 14th, 2009

      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.

    35. Bobby on January 14th, 2009

      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.

    36. amy on January 14th, 2009

      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!

    37. Lisa on January 15th, 2009

      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!

    38. Cathy on January 19th, 2009

      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!

    39. Anita on January 20th, 2009

      Made these tonight and they are delicious!! Thanks for a simple and tasty recipe that will become a house favorite!!

    40. Fran on January 29th, 2009

      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.

    41. Bobby on January 29th, 2009

      Fran – Yes, you can freeze the meatballs with the sauce.

    42. Mike on January 30th, 2009

      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.

    43. Bobby on January 30th, 2009

      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.

    44. Amy on February 1st, 2009

      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.

    45. Laura on Feb 2-09 on February 2nd, 2009

      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.

    46. Carrie Osorio on February 6th, 2009

      I am not even a very good cook at all, and these were so tasty! I used them to make meatball subs. Yum!

    47. paula on February 10th, 2009

      These are easy to make and the best meatballs I’ve ever had

    48. Lisa on February 15th, 2009

      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!!

    49. Joe P on February 21st, 2009

      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.

    50. Tara M on February 22nd, 2009

      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!

    51. JB2theG on March 5th, 2009

      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!!!

    52. Mike R on March 6th, 2009

      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

    53. Nia on March 12th, 2009

      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. :)

    54. robin-m on March 13th, 2009

      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!

    55. Sabrina on March 20th, 2009

      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.

    56. Gr8stogie on March 22nd, 2009

      These meatballs were delicious. Excellent recipe, easy to find ingredients and easy preparation. Thanks for sharing!

    57. Heidi on March 29th, 2009

      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!

    58. Carol on March 29th, 2009

      any recommendations for tweaks on this recipe if im not using lean pork/beef? does it need more egg/breadcrumbs as a binder?

    59. Bobby on April 1st, 2009

      Carol – What exactly are you planning on using? No meat at all?

    60. Jessica on April 2nd, 2009

      How many is this recipe supposed to serve?

    61. Laura on April 2nd, 2009

      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!

    62. Bobby on April 3rd, 2009

      Jessica – I would say it serves about 4.

    63. Jerrilyn on April 7th, 2009

      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!

    64. Bobby on April 8th, 2009

      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 :)

    65. scott on April 12th, 2009

      truely classics. authentic. great recipe.

    66. Anna on April 13th, 2009

      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

    67. evelyn on April 15th, 2009

      Wat other recipes u have? Tryin out the meatball recipe, waitin 4 outcome, let u no da outcome

    68. Bobby on April 15th, 2009

      evelyn – many, take a look around. :)

    69. Anita on April 16th, 2009

      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…

    70. christina on April 22nd, 2009

      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.

    71. Bobby on April 22nd, 2009

      christina – milk is used to keep them from drying out. I hope you enjoy the recipe.

    72. Steve on April 22nd, 2009

      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!

    73. Pat on April 22nd, 2009

      Yes, these are indeed the best! Made them last night and the family raved over them.

      Thank you.

    74. Cindy on April 28th, 2009

      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

    75. Wendy on April 28th, 2009

      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!

    76. Bobby on April 29th, 2009

      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.

    77. Warren on May 2nd, 2009

      I totally enjoyed this receipe, it is great and easy to make.

    78. tom on May 10th, 2009

      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!

    79. Johnny on May 12th, 2009

      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?

    80. Bobby on May 13th, 2009

      Johnny – Yes, you can.

    81. Buddah on May 18th, 2009

      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!!

    82. miz_afzan on May 21st, 2009

      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.

    83. Bobby on May 21st, 2009

      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.

    84. maria on May 30th, 2009

      I LOVE DA MEATBALLS SO DOES DA KIDS!I MADE MEATBALL SANDWICHES AN THEY JUST MUNCHED THEM DOWN(;

    85. Michelle on June 1st, 2009

      I have made this recipe three times now, and my boyfriend absolutely loves them, and requests them! Awesome recipe! Thanks!

    86. Claire on June 3rd, 2009

      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.

    87. Sheskis on June 7th, 2009

      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!

    88. Wendy on June 11th, 2009

      Added a little spice (I’m from New Orleans) and these meatballs ROCKED!

    89. Kevin on June 12th, 2009

      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.

    90. Jacque on June 14th, 2009

      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.

    91. erika on June 14th, 2009

      These balls were the greatest ever.I put fresh chopped herbs from my garden and the flavor was wonderful.

    92. Mindy on June 15th, 2009

      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!

    93. Ellie on June 15th, 2009

      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

    94. Cheryl on June 15th, 2009

      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

    95. Patty on June 18th, 2009

      They ARE the best!! I thought “meatballs are meatballs”…….but these were great. Thanks!

    96. Buffy on June 19th, 2009

      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!!!!

    97. T on June 22nd, 2009

      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!

    98. Naushin on June 26th, 2009

      I tried the recipe and we all loved it..specially my son! Thanks a lot! :)

    99. Bobby on June 27th, 2009

      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.

    100. Crystal on July 7th, 2009

      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!

    101. Kimberley on July 9th, 2009

      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.

    102. Becca on July 9th, 2009

      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.

    103. Aaron on July 11th, 2009

      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!

    104. Maritza on July 15th, 2009

      This was my first time making meatballs and they were great! Me and my family loved it! Thanks!

    105. Kimberley on July 15th, 2009

      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

    106. Bobby on July 16th, 2009

      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.

    107. tom in NJ on July 17th, 2009

      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.

    108. KimP on July 22nd, 2009

      amazing meatballs! I had never made meatballs until this recipe, and they were a hit! my boyfriend loved them. thanks for the recipe!

    109. sistawoman on August 2nd, 2009

      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.

    110. Megan on August 3rd, 2009

      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!

    111. tyler on August 4th, 2009

      i will try this dish.

    112. Patricia on August 9th, 2009

      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

    113. mollie on August 17th, 2009

      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

    114. Bobby on August 17th, 2009

      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!

    115. Lisa on August 17th, 2009

      Yum! The whole family enjoyed it…that’s quite an accomplishment! Thanks for sharing!

    116. Karina on August 17th, 2009

      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

    117. Chris on August 18th, 2009

      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.

    118. Kimberly on August 25th, 2009

      YUMMY!! I made these as is and they were perfect! Easy to make and delicious

    119. Lan on August 25th, 2009

      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!!

    120. Matt on August 29th, 2009

      Just made these with my gf…absolutely amazing with my homade Sunday gravy(tomato sauce) thanks!!!!

    121. Bridgette on August 30th, 2009

      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.

    122. Greta on September 2nd, 2009

      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!!

    123. carry on September 7th, 2009

      Delicious! Thanks so much for this recipe.

    124. Evelyn on September 12th, 2009

      Truly loooove ur meatball recipe!!!! Can u please send me other recipes that you may have…thank you so much!!!!

    125. Tiffany on September 16th, 2009

      Wow!! read all your reviews….I’m making the meatballs tonight, can’t wait!! They look amazing, and sound easy and delicious:)

    126. k bauch on September 16th, 2009

      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!!!!!

    127. Bobby on September 16th, 2009

      Wow, I am so glad everyone is enjoying these meatballs! Thanks.

    128. Monica on September 19th, 2009

      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.

    129. Tanjia on September 20th, 2009

      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~

    130. Bobby on September 21st, 2009

      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!

    131. Tanjia on September 27th, 2009

      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.

    132. Kim on September 27th, 2009

      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!!

    133. Rexque on September 28th, 2009

      Tried this recipe tonite – they where awsome but will cut back some on the garlic next time. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    134. Sue on October 5th, 2009

      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!!

    135. Serena on October 6th, 2009

      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!

    136. Natasha on October 6th, 2009

      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!! :o )

    137. Della Smith on October 8th, 2009

      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!

    138. Chris on October 9th, 2009

      All this positive feedback has inspired me to make these for my family. I’m excited to try them, thanks for sharing!

    139. Hillary on October 16th, 2009

      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!

    140. Paula on October 25th, 2009

      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!

    141. Thomas on October 30th, 2009

      Could you possibly NOT imbed all questions and comments in the recipe section. I printed 23 pages to get this recipe!

    142. Bobby on October 30th, 2009

      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.

    143. Adrian on November 3rd, 2009

      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.

    144. Theresa on November 7th, 2009

      Such a great recipe! Thank you!

    145. Anthony on November 18th, 2009

      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.

    146. Bobby on November 18th, 2009

      Anthony- thanks for the information but these are still…the best meatballs, EVER! :)

    147. Heather on November 23rd, 2009

      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! :)

    148. nicole on November 25th, 2009

      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.

    149. Kim on December 3rd, 2009

      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..

    150. Michelle on December 4th, 2009

      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.

    151. Bobby on December 4th, 2009

      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.

    152. Jessica Kimball on December 11th, 2009

      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?

    153. Bobby on December 11th, 2009

      Jessica Kimball – I use the grated stuff in the gren can myself :)

    154. Nicole on December 23rd, 2009

      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!

    155. david on December 30th, 2009

      the best ever. what a meatball sandwich these make!

    156. Tyler on January 7th, 2010

      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.

    157. George on January 17th, 2010

      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!

    158. charlotte on January 17th, 2010

      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

    159. Josh on January 25th, 2010

      after a little browsing i came across your recipe and decided i would try it. Turned out Excellent! Thanks for posting it.

    160. Carrie on January 25th, 2010

      WONDERFUL!!! They were so good, that my boyfriend made me make them twice in the last month.

    161. Michelle on January 28th, 2010

      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!

    162. Donald Dayton on January 28th, 2010

      Thanks this was one of the best recipes i tried for meatballs it turned out great and my friends like it as well

    163. Jessica on February 1st, 2010

      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.

    164. Mo on February 2nd, 2010

      I just made these…delicious!! great recipe, thank you!

    165. Henri on February 5th, 2010

      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.

    166. karen alise on February 14th, 2010

      (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 ;)

    167. Bricks on February 21st, 2010

      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 !

    168. Jody on February 28th, 2010

      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!

    169. layC on March 3rd, 2010

      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.

    170. Mary on March 3rd, 2010

      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!

    171. Nancy Kimball on March 12th, 2010

      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!

    172. Eve on March 18th, 2010

      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.

    173. t-pot on March 21st, 2010

      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.

    174. Wanda on March 26th, 2010

      Absolutely wonderful, I do allot of entertaining and these meatballs are hit with everyone. Thank you so much..

    175. BonnieD on April 10th, 2010

      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.

    176. arleen on April 28th, 2010

      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:)

    177. Gail on May 24th, 2010

      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.

    178. Sandra on May 26th, 2010

      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.!

    179. Koukla on May 28th, 2010

      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.

    180. Jeromy on June 13th, 2010

      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.

    181. Heidi on July 9th, 2010

      These are fantastic!! My toddler ate six in one shot and constantly asks for meatballs now. Making them again this weekend – can’t wait!

    182. Chrissy on July 17th, 2010

      These are so delicious!
      I like to make them with my homemade gnocchi and sauce.
      Yum!

    183. Connie on July 19th, 2010

      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!!!

    184. Bobby on July 19th, 2010

      Connie – Kraft in the can will work. Enjoy.

    185. mocha on July 27th, 2010

      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.

    186. Candace on August 9th, 2010

      If I make the meatballs bigger than suggested do i have to adjust the time and will they still come out the same way? Im going to make these tonight the way you described but I was just curious because I like giant meatballs

    187. Bobby on August 9th, 2010

      Candace – Yes, bigger meatballs will have to cook a little longer depending on the size. Otherwise it should have no other effect.

    188. Johnny Gunzz on August 11th, 2010

      I was looking for a quick meatball recipe tonight and stumbled upon this one. The meatballs turned out great! I like larger meatballs, so I used the above ingredients to make 6 meatballs. It didn’t require any additional cooking time, and they were delicious and juicy. Tasty and super easy recipe.

    189. Alice on August 24th, 2010

      Am planning to make this recipe for a crowd. How about a recipe for the sauce, as well? Thanks!

    190. Chip on August 25th, 2010

      Thanks so much! I usually cook them in a frying pan but I really like them done in the oven! Your recipe is very similar to mine.

    191. Mark on September 14th, 2010

      Great. i did spice it up a bit, made two batches. added some italian seasons. the simmer method makes for a more tender meatball but both ways worked great. ty

    192. Erica on September 16th, 2010

      hey!!! Just came to this recipe for quick delicious meatballs. I must say, it turned out GREAT! My family is enjoying them as I type this quick comment! THANKS!!!!

    193. Kate on September 18th, 2010

      I really enjoyed reading all the feedback to this recipe! It inspired me to go ahead and try it myself. I was just about to get started, when I realized I got fresh parsley instead of dried!! Hope it turns out ok…Wish me luck!

    194. logan on October 1st, 2010

      yeah man good photos but i made thses meetballs and they were epic as my girlfriend loves them alot and so did i .

    195. Darlene on October 14th, 2010

      Great recipe!. But since I’m from the south and love seasoning so much I always put extra and also add lots of green onions…the flavor is awesome!!.
      But of course I also love braised pigs feet pressure cooked about 10 minutes then dropped into my spaghetti sauce also,so delicious!.

    196. Desiree on October 22nd, 2010

      I made these tonight, but I filled mine with Mozzarella cheese. Everyone loved them. Thanks for the recipe!

    197. Alice on November 7th, 2010

      Made these fabulous, tasty meatballs, my tenants knocked on my door because of the aroma! Great hit! I made sandwiches, I feel like a celebrity!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

    198. Jessica on January 18th, 2011

      Amazing ! Mmmmm made meatball sandwhiches !!

    199. Karen on February 3rd, 2011

      These meatballs are the BEST meatballs ever…

    200. david allen on February 14th, 2011

      well i hope this recipe is worth wasting over thirty pieces of paper on my printer , too bad i couldnt have just printed out the recipe instead of a gazillian comments.

    201. Bobby on February 14th, 2011

      david- all you need to do is click “Print This Post” on the top by the recipe title and it will not print the comments. To answer your question, it is worth it! :)

    202. Megan on February 19th, 2011

      looks like everyone loves these meatballs bobby. I was wondering if you might think these might go well with a bbq sauce? We’re going to have a baby shower and I’m looking for the perfect slowcooked meatball with bbq sauce. I found a recipe for bbq sauce at epicurious and was just wondering if you think this may go well with a good bbq sauce? Heck, you should just do a bbq sauce and meatball recipe!!

    203. Bobby on February 20th, 2011

      Megan – I agree with you on the bbq sauce and meatball recipe! I think these meatballs would go fine with bbq sauce.

    204. gotstabbedbyalex123 on February 22nd, 2011

      these were great meatballs, and they also make wonderful burgers.

    205. robert j. on March 11th, 2011

      I fry mine till browned. then add them to my sauce and then put most of the rendering from the frying pan into the sauce for added flavor.

    206. YC on March 15th, 2011

      I made your meatball recipe as patties, pan-fried w/no oil in a non-stick skillet, and then simmered a bit in my homemade sauce. DELISH!!! I truly, truly loved them! And they came together really quickly for a fast mid-week meal. Thanks for the recipe!!

    207. Sonia on March 23rd, 2011

      OMG. I found this recipe and these meatballs are so so delicious! Im cooking dinner for my sons Volleyball team( Go Bengals!) and I know they will love these. I made a lot. Thanks for this recipe. I did add more garlic and 2 slices of bread soaked in the milk. I baked them on a cooking sheet that was greased with olive oil. Thank you.

    208. Keith on March 29th, 2011

      Found your recipe and it sounded really good. So, I just made a double batch and these taste fantastic. This is the recipe we well use from now on. Thanks so much for the recipe. Simple fantastic!!!!

    209. Jude on April 3rd, 2011

      Easy recipe excellent results. I cooked some of the meatballs in my marinara sauce and froze the rest of the uncooked meatballs for future use. Thank you!

    210. Chad Fisher on April 24th, 2011

      I made this last night, and it was amazing. I added some crushed red pepper, and a little more garlic and parm cheese. This one is a keeper, thanks for providing!

    211. Terra on May 2nd, 2011

      These meatballs are great, I think 1 tsp of salt would have been best. I was buying ingrediants at a bulk barn and a women recommended placing them in the oven on pieces of bread, which absorbs the greese and leaves no mess. What a great idea she had, it worked like a charm.

    212. heather on May 11th, 2011

      Great recipe…I notice when they come out there are some that have grease clumps… am I doing something wrong?

    213. Bobby on May 11th, 2011

      Heather – no, you are doing everything just fine. Those are just excess fat clumps that came off of the meat. just discard them.

    214. Roberta on May 21st, 2011

      Just wanna say YUMMMMM! Thanks for the wonderful meatball recipe!!!

    215. Craig on May 22nd, 2011

      Hi there, Just wanted to say thanks for the awesome Meatball recipe, you are right, they are simply the best. Never tasted any this good in my entire 45 years on the planet, not even in Italy! A real winner, and the compliments just keep flowing in!!!and your internet link to these creations just keeps going out! Legendary! Whats your next creation to temp us all with Bobbie?

      cheers
      craig

    216. Robyn on June 2nd, 2011

      So, I googled best easy meatball recipe and your site came up on the first page. I clicked on it and thought, hey, this looks pretty dang tasty. So, I whipped them up last night and put them on a italian bun, layered with provolone and marina sauce and OMG! They are soooooo yummy! :) Great recipe!

    217. Kim on June 19th, 2011

      This is the exact recipe my Grandmother made when we were kids…it’s good food!

    218. Lish on July 11th, 2011

      My husband loves meatballs, so I pulled up a recipe online and there your’s was…can’t wait to taste them…the smell is simply wonderful!!! Thanks for sharing…

    219. Natasha on July 21st, 2011

      This is the first time I’ve made meatballs, and with the rave reviews from my picky husband looks like I will be making this quite often from now on. The only variation to the recipe was that I added a tablespoon of tomato paste and a little caster sugar to the mixture for some extra tastiness. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    220. Geena on July 26th, 2011

      LOVE the recipe. We made it as a cooking project for my summer camp class. Our theme was Global Campers. We learned about Italy. :-) . We even made our own bread crumbs from scratch!! The kids LOVED it! Thank you!

    221. JESS on August 10th, 2011

      OMG! just cooking these now and they smell exactly like my nonna’s Cant wait to try them :) Thank you

    222. sharla on August 17th, 2011

      well read your reviews so I will give it a try!!

    223. Stacy on August 19th, 2011

      We Love your Meatballs they were delish.. My meatballs befor this were tasting just like my meat loaf so I stoped making my own and started buying the frozzen ones.. Not any more I will be making this all the time.. you are now in my recipe book.. Thanks for a good recipe!!

    224. Patti on September 18th, 2011

      Love the meatballs. I also bake them. I add a little extra basil and LOTS of garlic.

    225. Debbie on September 22nd, 2011

      I decided randomly to make my left over chop meat into meatballs but was concerned that I didn’t have enough ingredients at home to make them. I had to substitute Pecorino for the Parmesan but otherwise, had everything else…these came out AMAZING!!!! THANK YOU!

    226. maria on September 26th, 2011

      I really like the Meatball recipe. I did not add the salt,I changed the salt to Onion powder awsome recipe THANK YOU FOR SHARING MARIA

    227. Andrew on October 17th, 2011

      Everyone loved your recipe. My daughter googled for “easy meatball recipes” and came across your blog. Certainly easy and a hit at dinnertime. Time to bookmark and make them again.

    228. Barbara on October 18th, 2011

      This is the first time that I have ever made meatballs. I did it exactly like the recipe minus the pork, I used all beef. I like to use sweet pork in my spaghetti sauce along with the beef so I just left it at that. I baked them first and then buried them in my already made sauce that was nice and warm. They were actually very tasty and the perfect size. For the first recipe I tried, I think it’s going to be the last. I’m sure it was the pictures that kept me with wanting to try this recipe first. Nice job Bobby………..

    229. jorge on October 20th, 2011

      i just got done making the meatballs for this recipe, and i gotta say that it is by far one of the best meatballs i’ve had in a long time. i did change one thing and i don’t know if it made a difference but instead of the breadcrumbs that it called for, i crushed up some italian style croutons.(the croutons def have more flavor than the typical seasoned breadcrumbs.) either way i will say that i am pleased with this recipe. thanks!

    230. Skye G. on November 4th, 2011

      I just made these for dinner tonight.. I must say, WOW. They were delicious! I added chopped onions just for a kick. By far the best recipe I’ve tried.

    231. Louie Lou on November 6th, 2011

      This is the first time that I made meatballs and they were the best I ever had. I ate so much, that i felt like a truck :)
      So delicious, thanks much!! for sharing the recipe.

    232. Sofia on November 25th, 2011

      Wooooo!!! Thank you so much…. Was very easy and my meatballs r so amazing thank to your help!!!!!

    233. Heddy on November 29th, 2011

      These meatballs are so yummy! We had wine gravy left over after Thanksgiving, so I baked the meatballs and served them with the gravy, mashed potatoes and a green salad. Thank you for a great recipe!

    234. Jaymz Trygstad on December 17th, 2011

      So I just Made Meatballs using beef tenderloin, pork sausage, jalapeno bacon and smoked gouda. Next I decided that a meatball slider was the way to go. Deelish.

    235. Alan on January 11th, 2012

      Thank you for the great recipe ! I love Italian dishes. I think it’s perfect with a nice glass of my home made wine using this wine making recipes. Thank you again.

    236. Tom on January 16th, 2012

      I love this recipe, I added shallots ricotta cheese and an onion. People rave about my meatballs. Thanks for the help.

    237. mary on January 19th, 2012

      Do you reaaally need an egg?? Its the only ingredient im missing ughhh lol!!

    238. Bobby on January 19th, 2012

      mary- you could leave the egg out, it would be fine.

    239. Roberta on February 4th, 2012

      Hey thanks for sharing this recipe, i have packed my cooking books for i was going to move well now can’t find them anywhere, so got on internet, this was the first one i looked at, so going to use this one having Sunday dinner with my Bestfriend our theme of course is Italian. I just know this will be a hit and better than the recipe i was going to use, got to leave out garlic, cause she allergic to it but all in all it will be great, thanks again for sharing.

    240. sam on February 8th, 2012

      This is my first time cooking meatballs I figure I’m 25 and very into my Italian culture except I always cheat on the meatballs always store bought. So I pray this works I’m a great cook this is just something new finger crossed x wish me luck

    241. Kathy on February 12th, 2012

      Delicious! I use an ice cream scoop to shape the meatballs, keeps the hands clean! I will make this again!

    242. Rose on February 15th, 2012

      I’d like to make a big batch of these for a party. What should I do if I’m cooking in a crock pot? Brown in oven first, or put in crock pot raw? Thanks!

    243. Bobby on February 16th, 2012

      Rose- either way should work fine.

    244. Addison on February 18th, 2012

      Are these meatballs spicy?

    245. Bobby on February 18th, 2012

      Addison- not spicy at all.

    246. Kesha on February 19th, 2012

      These meatballs are delicous!!! Great flavor, not dry, just all around yummy!! This recipe is going in the permanent section of my cookbook..Thanks so much!!

    247. KAT troy, ny on March 9th, 2012

      Im a broke college student who get most of my food from a food pantry…first i love this recipe because there arent a lot of ingredients (which helps bc i regularly have little), and sencond bc is is so versitile….u can dress up and go with fresh herbs or dress down and use dried herbs….you can substitute almost anything from reading the comments..either way i followed your recipe…the only thing i changed is that instead of using beef, pork, or veal, i used ground venison that was given to me and it smells delicious…cooked them all and will freeze half so i can have a good meal midweek…thank you for the good eats. Caio!

    248. allan on April 29th, 2012

      Can you tell me if the Parm cheese is dryed or from a block of fresh cheese

    249. Bobby on April 29th, 2012

      Allen- it is the dried Parmesan cheese.

    250. sara on May 1st, 2012

      i just made these. but i used ground deer meat instead and they turned out great :D

    251. Tangie on May 9th, 2012

      I just made these. I have tried many meatball recipes, so I have no doubt that this one will be stellar…and that’s even before tasting it!

    252. amy on May 10th, 2012

      good meatballs

    253. Tina on June 27th, 2012

      Hi all,

      I’ve just made these meatballs for my husband and two kids, wow wow wow, they are truly fantastic! My husband’s words “the best he’s ever tasted”, and they were given the thumbs up from both kids age 11 and 7! We’re a British family living in Copenhagen, Denmark and I just fancied making something “new”, and came across this recipe.

      I used 2.5 fat garlic cloves, which I think was just the right amount, and ready bread crumbs as I had no Italian bread, I used freshly grated parmesan in the mix and made a lovely Italian tomato based sauce to go with it. Baked them in the oven for approx 15min then poured the sauce over it and continued baking in the oven for half an hour. Yummy yummy you have to try it! Thanks for sharing Bobby:-)

    254. Meg on July 13th, 2012

      well, i just tried this recipe and they smell great in the oven, so i know they will turn out delicious, Thanks for posting this!!!

    255. James on July 13th, 2012

      This is a great recipe. It was just missing two VITAL ingredients.

      1) 1 small chopped onion
      2) 2-3 splashes of worcestershire sauce.

      With those two additions this recipe becomes perfection!!!!!!!

    256. kayla campbell on August 2nd, 2012

      I only have a pound of beef im just wondering how i should change the amount of spice going into the meatballs. Thanks!

    257. Bobby on August 2nd, 2012

      kayla campbell- I would recommend using a little more than half of the amount of spices called for. So if the recipe calls for 2 tablespoons, I would use maybe 1 1/2 tablespoons, maybe a little less.

    258. Chelsea on August 11th, 2012

      I used 3/4 lb ground meat and 3/4 lb mixed sweet and hot sausage and followed the recipe exact. Then I baked them for 20 then simmered in sauce for 15. These meatballs were absolutely AMAZING!

    259. Barbara on September 11th, 2012

      I am Making Italian Meatball for the first time.

      I used ground turkey will let you know how it turns out.

      Getting married soon (November)just trying new recipes.

      Thanks!

    260. Destiny on September 15th, 2012

      Delicous

    261. Lynn on September 19th, 2012

      These Meatballs are AMAZING and so easy to prepare!

    262. James on September 19th, 2012

      This is a great recipe, but there are two big things missing!
      1/2-3/4 chopped medium onion (depending on taste) and a couple good dashes of worcestershire sauce are a must for a perfect meatball (you can adjust the salt to one teaspoon).
      Anyway, otherwise it’s perfect. It’s the most chopped garlic I have ever added to any meatball recipe and that really makes it great!!

    263. Jeanie on September 27th, 2012

      I have 75% Ground Beef or 93% Ground Beef. Which should I use? I am using one lb. ground beef and 1/2 lb. of ground sausage.

    264. Bobby on September 27th, 2012

      Jeanie- It is completely up to you which one you want to use. I am not sure what the results would be exactly with either the 93% or the 75%, sorry.

    265. Ronnie on October 6th, 2012

      I just made these and they are great! I added a little more parsley and oregano and dried minced onion. I also used 1/2 pound pork and 1 pound ground beef. Finally, a meatball recipe we like. Thanks

    266. Ronnie on October 6th, 2012

      Really good meatballs. I used 1/2 lb ground pork and 11/2lb ground beef.

    267. Ralphy on October 7th, 2012

      I’ve been hunting different recipes to attempt a slight change to make my meatballs even better. I do this with many of my recipes after I have “perfected” them. I thought I found it until I read your ingredients. It’s identical to almost every recipe I’ve read so far. It is also identical to mine except I omit the milk which was a tweak I made a couple years ago. I add tomato paste instead of the milk.

      I also do 1/2 cooking in oven then in the sauce to try and avoid to much grease in the sauce. Like you said, doing them in sauce def. makes them good. I also like the 50-50 mix (pork-beef)
      Oh well, have to keep hunting.

    268. Mike on October 10th, 2012

      Very tasty! What I didn’t cook up I put into the freezer raw. When I use them I prefer them baked. Do I thaw them first and if not, at what temperature and length of time do I bake them?

    269. Bobby on October 11th, 2012

      Mike – I do not think you would need to thaw them first. The temperature would be the same, but I would guess the time would be longer. I am not sure how long exactly. I would use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the meatballs.

    270. Les on October 20th, 2012

      Thank you for the recipe! I forgot the cheese, but they were still fabulous, moist and full of flavor. I used 1lb mild pork sausage and 1lb ground beef. I baked them for 15 minutes and then put half in my marinara and froze the second half, it made 18 golf ball sized ones. I served them over spaghetti this time, but I am seriously thinking about doing a meatball sub next time! The best tip I got from the comments was to use the ice cream scoop to get consistency in size. Great recipe!

    271. Pat on December 24th, 2012

      great receipe! I did sub 1/2 cup ricotta cheese for the milk and it worked greqat. I copied it last year and had to reprint due to water satains – so I took time to read the comments. Thanks foar being there ofr us. Pat

    272. TR1 on December 31st, 2012

      I love the recipe, and have shared it with fiends.

      I recently used 1 lb 85% ground beef & 1 lb ground pork, bumped the other ingredients by 1/3. Very little grease, about 2-3 TBLS total.

    273. Rachael on February 12th, 2013

      Scoured the internet for an afforadable, easy recipe for meatballs, tried this and kept adding to it…meatballs, penne, spaghetti sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni…the meatballs were the star! Love this recipe :)

    274. Sarah K. on March 15th, 2013

      I made these for the first time tonight. They are delicious! Even my picky 3 year old ate 2 of them (I made them about the size of half dollars).

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