Authentic Italian Beef Meatballs Recipe (2024)

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If you love juicy, soft meatballs, don't miss this Authentic Italian Beef Meatballs Recipe! Learn how to make Italian meatballs the old-school way by frying them first. I'm also sharing how to bake meatballs or cook them raw in sauce.

Finally! By popular demand, here's my recipe for Italian meatballs.

They're similar to the way Mom made meatballs when I was a kid, using soaked bread instead of dry bread crumbs. And they feature those dark brown, crusty edges only achieved by frying on the stove.

Most importantly, they're juicy, soft and SO delicious.

Buckle up, friends. These are the best Italian beef meatballs.

Finish cooking them in tomato sauce (start with marinara that will become a meat sauce) and serve with pasta or zucchini noodles!

Set aside almost three hours to make these happen with the sauce. Most of that time is hands off. You won't regret it!

Recipe ingredients

85% Lean, Organic, Grass-Fed Ground Beef: Here's the deal, folks. If you use super-lean beef, your meatballs won't be as flavorful. You need some fat, and 85% lean is perfect.

And, if you've never tried organic, grass-fed ground beef, you don't know what you've been missing.

It's a game-changer. A flavor powerhouse.

The taste and texture of these Italian beef meatballs will have you swooning. You won't even need to mix in ground pork or veal.

I buy organic, grass-fed ground beef at Costco, but you can find it in many grocery stores.

White Bread: After much testing, I prefer using bread instead of bread crumbs in my meatballs. When dampened with water and squished into a "panade," the bread makes meatballs moist and tender instead of dry and dense.

And white bread, (called "American bread" in my family), provides a soft, spongy texture that works better than Italian bread in this recipe. I buy Sara Lee Artesano Bread and keep it in my freezer just for making meatballs.

I take my polpette (meatballs) very seriously!

Cheese: A generous amount of freshly grated Romano cheese brings big flavor to these Italian beef meatballs. Use regular or Pecorino Romano. Parmesan could be used instead, but the meatballs won't have as much zing.

Eggs: We're using two eggs per pound of meat. That's four eggs total for this recipe. It sounds like a lot, but the eggs are what binds the meatballs so they don't fall apart.

Garlic: I recommend pressing the garlic instead of chopping it, to achieve a smoother meatball without cracks. If you don't have a garlic press (affiliate link), chop the garlic very finely.

Oil for Frying -Canola oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil and will be better for frying the meatballs. If you use olive oil, it will brown quickly, and you'd have to replace it after frying the first batch of meatballs.

Tomato Sauce - You'll need three quarts of sauce to finish cooking the meatballs. You can make three batches of my Homemade Marinara Sauce, using two (28-ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes and one (28-ounce) can of whole, peeled tomatoes. This combination will produce a meat sauce that's not too thick, nor too runny.

The meatballs will flavor the sauce as it simmers, so allow at least two hours for that magic to happen. Make this on a day when you have time. That's why it's called Sunday sauce!

And yes, we ate pasta and Italian meatballs in sauce every Sunday of my life (with leftovers on Monday) until I left home. Then, Mom made it for nearly every Sunday dinner when we visited.

How spoiled we were!

Nowadays, we don't have time every Sunday, but I make these Italian beef meatballs and sauce every two or three weeks. They're such a treat!

How to make meatballs

See the recipe card at the end of this post for full instructions, but here is an overview.

Remove the crusts from the bread slices and cut the bread into small cubes. Pour the water over the bread evenly and let it sit.
Add the eggs, parsley, garlic, cheese and seasonings to a large mixing bowl. Make a panade by squeezing the soaked bread together into a paste. Add it to the bowl, then add the ground beef.
Gently mix the ingredients with your hands. Shape the mixture into meatballs about 2.5 inches wide. Don't pack them tightly, or they'll be tough.

Fry the meatballs

Heat the oil in a large skillet until rippling. Add about half the meatballs, making sure they don't touch each other. (Don't crowd the pan like I did; it's better to fry the meatballs in two batches so they brown properly.)
When a dark crust has formed on the bottom (it could take seven minutes), turn the meatballs to cook the next side for about three minutes. Continue browning all sides.
When the meatballs are dark brown on all sides, place them on a paper-towel-lined pan to drain the grease.
Place the meatballs in a large pot of simmering sauce to finish cooking. Cook for at least two hours, to allow the meat to impart flavor to the sauce. The meatballs also will become soft and juicy.

Recipe tips

It's a good idea to wear disposable gloves when mixing the meatballs, to keep your hands clean.
When frying the meatballs, don't try to move them if they're stuck to the pan, or they'll break. Let them cook until they develop a dark, thick crust on the bottom. When you nudge them and they move easily, you know it's safe to turn them.
If you notice the oil is splashing while frying, you can wear oven mitts to protect yourself. It helps to use a splash screen (affiliate link), if you have one.

How to bake meatballs

If you'd rather not make fried, old-fashioned Italian meatballs, you can bake them instead. Bake them at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes on a greased, foil-lined pan.

How to cook raw meatballs in sauce

If you want to skip frying or baking the meatballs, you can place raw meatballs into a pot of tomato sauce and let them simmer over low heat.

Do not taste the sauce until you've let the meatballs cook for at least 30 minutes and have checked inside one to see if it's no longer pink. (You don't want to consume raw meat.)

You can either remove the meatballs at that point, or let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for another 90 minutes to impart more flavor to the meat sauce.

How to serve Italian beef meatballs

Did you know meatballs are served after the pasta in Italy? Spaghetti and meatballs are more of an American thing.

But, I'll tell you our favorite way to serve these authentic Italian meatballs in my house. I make our favorite rigatoni (affiliate link) and top it with the meat sauce.

I place a bowl of meatballs at the table, and let each person decide whether to eat one or two with the pasta or wait until afterward. I always add one meatball to my bowl of rigatoni, with a generous helping of sauce and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

And, I almost forgot to mention, I always sneak one meatball right after frying it. To die for!

Of course, you can make meatball subs or sandwiches. Try using crusty Homemade Italian Bread! You can even make a meatball pizza using this Homemade Pizza Dough with Beer.

Frequently asked questions

Can you freeze the meatballs?

You can definitely freeze meatballs, either raw or cooked. If freezing them after they're cooked, let them cool off first.

Flash freeze the raw or cooked meatballs on a sheet pan for at least an hour. Then transfer them to a freezer bag and store in the freezer. Use raw meatballs within 1-2 months for best quality.

How do you thaw frozen meatballs?

To thaw frozen raw meatballs, place them in the refrigerator overnight. Then you can cook them as directed in this recipe.

To thaw frozen, cooked meatballs, you can either place them in the refrigerator overnight or reheat them right out of the freezer. You can stir them into simmering tomato sauce until heated through, or defrost them in the microwave.

More recipes like this

Italian Meat Sauce with Country Ribs
Instant Pot Braciole (Or Stovetop)
Fresh Tomato Sauce
Authentic Italian Lasagna with Ricotta
Italian Stuffed Peppers
Italian Meatloaf with Chicken or Turkey

Enjoy!

Authentic Italian Beef Meatballs Recipe (6)

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Authentic Italian Beef Meatballs Recipe

Learn how to make juicy, soft Italian meatballs the old-school way! Note, you will need to cook the meatballs in three quarts of tomato sauce. You can make three batches of my Homemade Marinara Sauce.

4.66 from 23 votes

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Course: dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 (makes 16 meatballs)

Calories: 194kcal

Author: Mamma C

Ingredients

▢ 2 cups diced white bread (crusts removed) (from about 4 slices)
▢ ½ cup water
▢ 4 eggs (I use extra large.)
▢ 1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
▢ 4 garlic cloves
▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
▢ 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
▢ 1 ½ teaspoons salt
▢ 2 pounds 85% lean ground beef (Preferably grass-fed & organic)

For Frying the Meatballs

▢ ¼ cup canola oil (plus extra if needed to fry the second batch)

Tomato Sauce to Cook the Meatballs

▢ 3 quarts Homemade Marinara Sauce (Make three batches of my marinara sauce recipe. For the tomatoes, use a total of 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes and 1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes.)

Instructions

Make the Meatball Mixture

Remove the crusts from four slices of white bread. Cut the bread into little cubes until you have two cups of diced bread. Place them into a small mixing bowl. Pour the water evenly over the cubed bread and let it sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Rinse the parsley, pat it dry and cut up the leaves with scissors or chop them. Add the parsley to the bowl. Press the garlic or peel and chop it finely. Add the garlic to the bowl.
Add the Romano, salt and pepper to the bowl.
You may wish to wear disposable gloves for the next steps, to keep your hands clean. Squeeze the soaked bread cubes together and pull apart any hard chunks. Use your hands to mash the bread into a mushy paste (called a "panade"). Add this to the bowl.
Add the ground beef and mix all the ingredients gently with your hands, until evenly combined. Don't overwork the mixture, or the meatballs might be tough.
Shape the mixture into meatballs about 2.5 inches wide, rolling them gently in your hands. You should end up with 16 or 17 meatballs. Wash your hands well after handling raw meat (or dispose of the gloves you wore).

Make the Tomato Sauce

You can start making tomato sauce at this point. Make three batches of my Homemade Marinara Sauce recipe in a 6-quart pot or larger. (Triple the marinara sauce recipe that is linked in the ingredients list. For the tomatoes, use a total of two (28-ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes and 1 (28-ounce) can of whole, peeled tomatoes. Use a potato masher to smash the whole, peeled tomatoes in the pot). Keep the sauce simmering on the stove over low heat.

To Fry the Meatballs

Place the oil in a 12-inch (or larger) skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is rippling hot, add about half of the meatballs to the pan, making sure they are not touching. Don't overcrowd the pan, or the meatballs won't brown properly. Let the first side cook for 5-7 minutes, or until a dark crust forms on the bottom. Do not move the meatballs during this time, or they could break. When you nudge them and they move easily, you know it's safe to turn them. If you have a splatter screen that fits on top of your pan, use it to protect yourself from any splashing oil. You also could wear oven mitts.
Turn the meatballs slightly to brown another side, allowing them to cook for three minutes. Turn again to cook another side/edge for two minutes. Continue browning the entire surface of the meatballs. They should look very dark (see photos in the article.) Remove each browned meatball to a large platter or pan lined with paper towels to absorb the grease.
Before you fry the rest of the meatballs, check to see if the oil is too low or has become too brown. If the oil is too low, you can add extra. If the oil has become too brown, you can wipe it out with paper towels (off the heat, being careful not to burn yourself). Then add fresh oil. Fry the remaining meatballs and drain them on paper towels. (If you wish, you can eat any of the fried meatballs if they're cooked enough on the inside.)

To Bake Instead of Fry

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the meatballs on a foil-lined baking sheet greased with cooking spray. Bake the meatballs for 30 minutes.

Finish Cooking the Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

After frying or baking the meatballs, carefully place them into the simmering pot of tomato sauce. Place a wooden spoon on top of the edges of the pot and place the lid on top, keeping it propped open.
Simmer the meatballs in the sauce for at least two hours, gently stirring occasionally so the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Cooking the meatballs for this amount of time allows them to impart flavor to the sauce. The meatballs also will become tender and juicy. If you remove the meatballs too soon, the sauce will not have as much meat flavor, and the meatballs won't be as tender.
Serve the meatballs with the sauce and pasta, if desired. Store leftover meatballs in the refrigerator for up to four days. You also can freeze the meatballs (see notes.)

Video

Notes

Nutrition info does not include sauce.

Organic, grass-fed, 85% lean ground beef provides the best flavor for meatballs! It makes a huge difference. If you can't find organic, at least get the grass-fed beef.

Oil for Frying -Canola oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil and will be better for frying the meatballs. If you use olive oil, it will turn brown quickly, and you will have to replace it after frying the first batch.

To Cook Raw Meatballs in Sauce

If you want to skip frying or baking the meatballs, you can place raw meatballs into a pot of tomato sauce and let them simmer over low heat. Do not taste the sauce until you've let the meatballs cook for at least 30 minutes and have checked inside one to see if it's no longer pink. (You don't want to consume raw meat.)

You can either remove the meatballs at that point, or let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for another 90 minutes to impart more flavor to the meat sauce.

You can use less olive oil in your sauce when cooking raw meatballs in it, because fat from the meat will seep into the sauce. I use this method for my Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs in Sauce.

Freezing Instructions

You can freeze meatballs, either raw or cooked. If freezing them after they're cooked, let them cool off first.

First, flash freeze the raw or cooked meatballs on a sheet pan for at least an hour. Then transfer them to a freezer bag and store in the freezer. Use raw meatballs within 1-2 months for best quality.

Thawing Instructions

To thaw frozen raw meatballs, place them in the refrigerator overnight. Then you can cook them as directed in this recipe.

Nutrition

Tried this Recipe? Mention @cookingwithmammac or tag #CookingWithMammaC!

(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C, with lots of input from my Mom, who is from Naples!)

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