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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
all your recipes are so helpful.
I can cook, but always happy to expand my knowledge and I love your Italian vibe all over, the respect for ingredient’s natural flavors. The way you tell the story of your recipes and how you take me to your family for that moment
ty for all of them , I am sharing them once more with my almost adult children
So happy this humble recipe reached the Netherlands! A little taste of my home to yours!
I made a double batch of these for my daughter & her family while she was away & I babysitting. I left them in the fridge for them. A couple days later she raved about them! Said everybody loved them & asked if I had tweaked my usual recipe somehow. These were easy, tender & delicious, as was the sauce. I’ll definitely make them again.
That is so nice of you to do that and I am sure she appreciated it so much! I am happy everyone loved the recipe!
the BEST meatballs I’ve ever had!! So easy to make, too!!
YAY! Nonna’s recipes are tried and true ❤️
Love these! Quick and easy recipe.
So happy you do! many more where that came from! Enjoy.
These were incredible! I’ve been on a kick of trying different meatball recipes and there were by far the best and probably the easiest of the ones I’ve made. My whole family said it was the best meatballs they’ve had!
Awww, thanks! There is nothing like a tried and true Nonna recipe!
These are the most amazing meatballs. Easy, delicious and are little balls of heaven in a bite. I have even made these with turkey and they are just incredible. Made these in a mini version to add to my chicken soup. OMG! I come from a family of wonderful Italian cooks so I am a hard sell. These are top notch! Thanks for sharing, Elena.
Yes! So happy you loved them!
What’s a good substitute to use if I don’t have any stale bread? I only have sandwich bread (but it’s not stale).
You can still use that!
I made them before I saw your reply – I used 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs instead and they were so good! I’ll have to try bread next time.
That is a great option as well! Happy you loved them!
I just lightly toast my bread to dry it out slightly.
Made this recipe and it was a game changer using the bread and milk mixture over breadcrumbs. Thank you!
Yay! So happy you loved it!