Meatballs are a go to recipe for me because they are versatile, simple and crowd pleasing. They’re perfect for appetizers, subs or on top of spaghetti! Make them larger for a dinner entree or roll them smaller for an appetizer.
These meatballs are made with ground beef, ground pork, and mild Italian sausage for the perfect blend of flavors. They are always tender and full of flavor – NEVER DRY!
Also, we have a slight variation of the recipe below that our friend Judy Powers gave to us several weeks ago. The second version includes cream cheese. We know, we know, that is not traditional, but do not let that stop you from making them. We have made this variation several times now, and they were a huge hit.
We hope you and yours enjoy as much as we do!
Ingredients:
First, you will want to tear up hearty slices of bread. Best to use 2 – 3 day old bread for best results. Place in a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs. (If you have more bread crumbs than you need, you can store in the freezer for 2 – 3 months for future use.)
Soak your bread crumbs while you chop the remainder of the ingredients. Place bread crumbs in a bowl and add 1/2 cup of whole milk. If necessary, add more milk one tablespoon at a time.
Dice onion, garlic and chop fresh herbs. I like to soften the onions and garlic in a drizzle of olive oil for a few minutes before adding to the meatball mixture. (Start with the onions, and in the last minute add the garlic.)
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, pork, sausage, onions, garlic, eggs, basil, parsely, oregano, shredded parmesan, and salt & pepper to taste.
It is important to combine gently with your fingertips and be careful not to overmix. Overmixing will cause meatballs to be dense. The goal is to mix just until combined to create soft pillowy tender meatballs.
Once combined, gently roll into the size that you would like. Try to make them evenly sized, so they cook at the same time.
Cooking Your Meatballs:
Now it is decision time. You can either cook your meatballs directly in your tomato sauce of choice, fry them or bake them. (Try our marinara sauce here – ADD LINK)
I typically choose to just brown the outside by lightly frying in a pan. Depending on the size of your pan, add a few tablespoons to 1/4 cup of olive oil and sear each side until browned about 4 minutes per side, then continue to cook in marinara sauce until center of meatballs reach 165 degrees.
Note: I like to fry a very small meatball to taste test to ensure I have added enough salt. This is not a must, but just something I like to do.
If you choose to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place meatballs on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and turn meatballs using a thin metal spatula. Bake for another 8-10 minutes until center of meatballs reach 165 degrees.
Serve:
Serve with your favorite marinara, spaghetti and garlic toast, as a sub or as an appetizer on their own. Don’t forget your favorite wine!
Tips:
- Serve with our Marinara Sauce – Our Southern Charmed Life
- You can make these ahead. Meatballs are great reheated in sauce in a pan on top of the stove.
- Meatballs freeze well. I like to store them in a single layer in a freezer gallon size ziploc bag. Be sure to let all the air out prior to sealing and freezing.
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Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 85% lean
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 pound ground mild Italian sausage
- 2 cups bread crumbs (4 - 5 slices hearty white bread preferable 2 - 3 days old)
- 1/2 to 2/3 cups whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup yellow onion diced
- 3 - 4 garlic cloves depending on your taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped
- 1 cup freshly shredded parmesan
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Note: Use a large enough pot to hold the marinara sauce and the meatballs if that is how you will be serving. We're browning the meatballs first and finishing cooking in the sauce for extra flavor.
- Tear day old hearty bread into pieces and place in the food processor. Pulse until you have fine crumbs.
- Soften onions by sautéing in a little olive oil for 4-5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute while stirring.
- Gently combine all meat, breadcrumbs, cheese, eggs, onions, garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, salt & pepper to taste in a large bowl. Be careful to not overwork the meat, we want tender meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a large frying or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Brown meatballs on each side, approximately 4 minutes each side. Do not overcrowd the pan. You will need to brown in multiple batches. Meatballs will not be cooked through.
- Remove meatballs and continue to cook either in your sauce of sauce or in the oven until meatball center reaches 165 degrees.
Notes
Meatball Variation: Follow the above instructions with two exceptions: Cut parmesan cheese amount down to 1/4 cup and add 1 block (8 oz.) softened cream cheese. (Rule of thumb here is to add 1/2 block of cream cheese for each pound of meat.) Replace fresh breadcrumbs with dry Italian seasoned crumbs. Add 1 cup breadcrumbs with 1/3 cup whole milk.
