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.
Servings: 4 -6
Ingredients
Polpette (meatballs)
- 1 pound 80-85% lean ground beef
- 2 slices stale bread
- ½ cup milk
- ½ 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 good quality crushed tomatoes 28 oz
- ½ 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 634mg | Potassium: 1018mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 913IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 305mg | Iron: 6mg
