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The Best Meatballs Ever! (Italian Polpette Recipe)– are my nonna’s famous recipe. Made with simple ingredients and stewed in a delicious tomato sauce- these are melt in your mouth tender and flavorful.
Serve with Creamy Polenta and a simple salad.
The BEST Meatballs
Why I Love this Traditional Italian Meatball Recipe…
These succulent Italian meatballs are a comforting dish that brings everyone to the table! These nutritious homemade meatballs are the perfect meal to make on a Sunday afternoon and freeze for weeks! Let your children take part in the recipe by having them roll the meatballs in their tiny hands.
This is another tried and true simple, flavorful, and mouthwatering recipe from my Nonna. I’ve sat at many kitchen tables and rolled these meatballs with her countless times. The smell of onion frying in olive oil, fresh tomatoes, basil, beef, and parsley brings me back to all those tables and conversations. You will love this recipe!
Homemade Meatball Ingredients
You only need a few pantry staples and fresh ingredients for these authentic Italian meatballs.
Meatball Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Stale bread
- Milk
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- Egg
- Parsley
- Bread crumbs
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 recipe for Sugo al Pomodoro (homemade tomato sauce)
How To Make The Best Meatballs (step-by-step photo instrcutions)
Making homemade meatballs is satisfying and rewarding. See the recipe card for the complete list of measuments and instructions.
Soak the bread in the milk in a small bowl, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the bread with the remaining ingredients and gently mix.
Creat a uniform mixture with the meat and filling ingredients.
Gently form into small balls. I like to use a spoon or fork to scoop and then roll in the meat mixture in the palm of my hand- just like nonna Laura taught me!
Make your tomato sauce and let the meatballs gently simmer in the sauce until perfectly tender.
From my cucina to your table- enjoy our traditional meatball (polpette) recipe for years to come! It will be the most popular dish from Italian cuisine in your household!
Meatball Variations
Switching up the traditional recipe with a few creative variations that still embrace the essence of rustic, high-quality Italian cuisine:
- Turkey or Chicken Meatballs- Swap the classic beef or pork with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version. Add fresh herbs like parsley and basil to boost the flavor. These are fantastic when paired with a light tomato or even a creamy pesto sauce.
- Ricotta Meatballs– Incorporate ricotta cheese into your meatball mixture. The ricotta makes the them incredibly moist and tender. Combine with Parmesan for a lovely depth of flavor and serve with a classic marinara sauce.
- Spicy Arrabbiata Meatballs– Add a kick by including chopped chili peppers or red pepper flakes into the mix. Serve them in a spicy arrabbiata sauce for those who love a bit of heat.
Tip for Soft and Tender Meatballs
Soak the bread for soft meatballs. Bread soaked in milk will puff up when cooked, creating little air pockets that soften the mixture.They are melt-in-your-mouth tender!
Storage and Freezing
Refrigerating:
Cool: Let the the dish cool to room temperature. Store: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing:
Cool: Allow the dish cool completely. Portion: Divide into meal-sized portions if desired. Package: Use freezer-safe containers or bags, removing as much air as possible. Label: Mark with the date; freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw & Reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stove.
FAQs
This recipe (and also the way my nonna made them) is with one pound of 80-85% lean ground beef. Add half-ground beef, half-ground pork, or even Italian sausage with the casing removed if you like. Try this recipe that uses Italian sausage- Italian Sausage Meatballs Recipe (In Sauce).
YES! This recipe does exactly that. It saves you time in baking them first and dirtying more pans. The raw meatballs will cook in tomato sauce and come out tender and scrumptious. The juices will flavor the tomato sauce, and the tomato sauce will flavor the meatballs. This is the traditional way we do it in Italy!
You can make a gluten-free version by adding a slice of gluten-free bread of your choice. Instead of the breadcrumbs, you can use a gluten-free variety!
Yes, you can cook the meatballs any way you like. I highly suggest cooking them in the sauce because the flavor is outstanding!
Yes, you can skip the milk. But, you still need some sort of liquid to help bind the meatballs together. Water or broth are easy substitutes.
My favorite part about all my Nonna’s recipes is the simplicity and authenticity of the fresh ingredients. It’s about highlighting the natural flavors of the food, and this recipe exemplifies just that. Read more about my nonna and her meatballs.
How to Serve Meatballs
You can toss the meatballs with spaghetti or any pasta of your choice, or you can enjoy with delcious bread!
More Italian Recipes
- Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna with Tomato Sauce
- Italian Sheet Pan Sausage, Potatoes, and Tomatoes
- Pesto Smashed Potatoes and Roasted Tomatoes (video)
- Orzo Pasta with Shrimp, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Artichokes
Best Meatball Recipe EVER (Polpette)
These nutritious homemade meatballs are the perfect meal to make on a Sunday afternoon and freeze for weeks to come! This is another tried and true simple, flavorful and mouthwatering recipe from my Nonna.
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
Polpette (meatballs)
- 1 pound of 80-85% lean ground beef
- 2 slices of stale bread
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, finely grated
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
- Optional: 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Breadcrumbs (for rolling the meatballs by hand)
- Extra parmigiano for serving
Sugo (sauce)
- 1 large can (28 oz) good quality crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 an onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 5 fresh basil leaves, whole
Instructions
Make Sugo:
- Pour extra-virgin olive oil into a large frying pan and brown the onion (about 7 minutes on medium heat). Add canned tomatoes and simmer, 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat and cover with lid.
Make Polpette:
- Place bread and milk in a large mixing bowl, and let sit for 2 min, until soft.
- Add egg to bread and milk mixture and mix to combine
- Add ground meat, parsley, parmigiano, salt, and pepper (and garlic if using). Mix WELL with your hands.
- Take a spoonful of the meatball mixture and gently roll it between your hands to form 1 1/2-inch meatball. Use breadcrumbs to prevent sticking. Set prepared meatballs on a cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
- Plunge your meatballs into the pot with the tomato sauce. Turn on the heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes or until meatballs is fully cooked in the center. Once finished cooking, add the basil and cover with a lid. Turn off the heat.
Cook your favorite pasta or gnocchi, as directed by the package, to serve with meatballs. You can also eat without the pasta and serve it on yummy bread. Try with Easy Polenta Recipe. Generously top with parmigiano and serve hot!
Notes
Make Meatballs Ahead of Time
I always make a double batch of the meatballs and freeze them for a busy weeknight.
To freeze meatballs: Place them on a baking sheet in one layer so they aren’t touching, and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe container with a tight lid. Freeze for up to 2 months. Add frozen meatballs to the broth when ready to use and simmer until warm. You can also add them to homemade tomato sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Savory
- Cuisine: Italian
Sauce and meatball is a favorite ! I make it once a week ! Elena is my favorite cooking instagrammer to follow
So sweet! Thank you, Donna!
Love this sauce and meatballs. Never will buy jarred sauce again . Elena’s recipes are my favorites as they are easy and come out great . My favorite cooking instagrammer to follow . My family thanks you !
Hi Donna! This makes my heart happy. I love to bring delicious recipes to you and your family. Enjoy.
Made the meatballs for dinner tonight! They were delicious. I used half ground pork and half ground beef. They were so tender and flavourful. Thank you, Elena.
Happy you loved them! They are a treasured family recipe.
So simple to make and delicious!! Perfect meal for our Christmas dinner!
Thrilled this recipe made your Christmas table spread! Enjoy time and time again!
I must of messed up somewhere. I did use a little less cheese then directed in the meatballs, but mine came out super mushy. I ended up with a meat sauce instead of meatballs. While delicious, I really wanted meatballs.
I’ve never heard of that happening. It’s worth trying the recipe again with the right measurements. These meatballs are sensational. Enjoy!
Switching out the 2 slices of stale bread to gluten free bread crumbs – does 1/2 a cup sound about right? Thanks
Hi Janine– yes that works great. Enjoy!
I have made these with regular bread crumbs and they are absolutely the best. I tried again today to make them gluten free (I am not actually gluten free but family is; today I was out of regular so tried the gf breadcrumbs again). I did half cup gf breadcrumbs with half cup milk. They just fell apart in the sauce. I think with gf the best way to make these is baked in the oven. They just dissolve when cooked in the sauce.
My God this was incredible. Best thing I’ve ever made, hands down. Thank you.
So happy you loved it! It is a well-loved recipe in our home.
This recipe is so easy and yet tastes better than any restaurant! My family was so happy and so was mama! Thank you for these recipes! They are all amazing!
So happy the family loved it! I hope to fill your tummies with many more delicious meals.
These look so good! Can’t wait to try them. What type of bread do you use? Love all your recipes!
You can really use any bread you have on hand! Enjoy!
These freeze great and are a family staple!
We make these meatballs on repeat! They’re so easy and delicious. And, they’re great as leftovers.
They are great as leftovers and freeze so well. Aren’t they fun to make as well? Happy you love them.