Best Meatballs Authentic Italian Meatball Recipes

ITALIAN-AMERICAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Grate the bread or pulse into crumbs in a food processor. In a small bowl toss the bread crumbs with milk to re-hydrate.
• In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, pork, veal, beef, Parmesan, parsley, salt, onion, garlic, and egg and mix until combined. Season the meat mixture with pepper.
• Using your hands, gently form the meat mixture into 18 slightly larger than golf ball-sized balls. (Packing the meat mixture too tightly together will result in tough meatballs). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
• Heat half the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Drain the oil and wipe out the skillet, return to the heat, and repeat with the remaining oil and meatballs.
• Drain and wipe out the skillet again. Return all the meatballs to the skillet and pour in the marinara sauce. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, swirling the pan occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through about 15 minutes. The cheese in the meatballs will start to melt when the meatballs are ready. Serve immediately with the Quick Marinara Sauce and spaghetti or on sandwiches. If serving with spaghetti, toss with 1/3 of the sauce.These meatballs can be stored, covered in the refrigerator for 3 days, or frozen for up to 6 weeks.
• Copyright (c) 2004 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.
• Serving suggestions: 1 pound cooked spaghetti or linguini.
• Quick Marinara Sauce
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 medium onion, diced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 (28-ounce) cans whole, peeled, tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, the herb sprigs and basil and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 15 minutes or until thickened
• Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the salt and season with pepper, to taste. Serve or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Copyright (c) 2004 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.

CHEF JOHN'S ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
• Soak bread crumbs in milk in a small bowl for 20 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onions in hot oil until translucent, about 20 minutes.
• Mix beef and pork together in a large bowl. Stir onions, bread crumb mixture, eggs, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian herb seasoning, and Parmesan cheese into meat mixture with a rubber spatula until combined. Cover and refrigerate for about one hour.
• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Using wet hands, form meat mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Arrange onto prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

AUTHENTIC NORTHERN ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place the chicken stock, onion, garlic and parsley in a blender of food processor and puree.
• In a large bowl, combine the pureed stock mix, meat, bread crumbs, eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, red pepper flakes and salt. Combine with both hands until mixture is uniform. Do not over mix.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put a little olive oil on your hands and form mixture into balls about the size of golf balls. If you prefer bigger or smaller, it will only affect the browning time.
• Place 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil a baking sheet. Add the meatballs to the pan (working in batches if necessary). Place the meatballs in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
• While the meatballs are browning, heat the marinara sauce in a stockpot over medium heat. Transfer the baked meatballs to the marinara sauce. Stir gently. Simmer for 5 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
• Serve with a little extra Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled on top. Serve alone over spaghetti.
• FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: No matter what method of packing you decide to use, it is important once they have completely cooled, to place the meatballs on a baking sheet and freeze them before packing. You want the meatballs to be independent from one another for ease when you want to use them. If you have a vacuum sealer at home, please proceed packing the meatballs according to the manufacturers directions. If not, place the meatballs in airtight containers or freezer bags. You can pack the meatballs with the marinara sauce after you've frozen them, or you can pack the marinara separate from the meatballs.
• SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Please see photo gallery for all the different ways I have served these meatballs.

GREAT-GRANDMA'S ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Cool slightly., In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, seasonings and onion mixture. Add turkey and beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls., Place meatballs on a rack coated with cooking spray in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake until lightly browned and cooked through, 18-22 minutes. If desired, serve with pasta and pasta sauce.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• With clean hands, mix all ingredients except for milk and salt in very large bowl. Mixture will feel somewhat dry.
• Start adding milk approximately one cup at a time until the mixture feels more moist and pliable.
• Sprinkle the top of the mixture finely with the season salt and work that in as well.
• (The size of the meatball is up to you- I like them on the bigger side so I roll them bigger than a golfball but smaller than a tennnis ball. I also prefer baking them in the oven over frying them. They seem to brown more evenly and they hold their shape better.).
• Line them in a 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray (12 per pan) and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 20-30 min.'s or until browned.
• Transfer them carefully into your pot of simmering tomato sauce and simmer them only for about an hour. If you cook them too long in the sauce, they will lose their flavor.
• This is a good amount for a large crowd. You can freeze half if needed.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN MEATBALL SANDWICHES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix the ground beef, bread, onions, parsley, eggs, cheese, and garlic.
• Add salt and pepper to taste; If the mixture is dry, add ½ cup of cold water and mix well. Form into about 12 meatballs.
• Place the meatballs in a sauté pan with the olive oil and fry over medium to high heat until brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.

MEATBALLS AUTHENTIC ITALIAN MEATBALL

Steps:

• (Add 1/4 cup of red wine to the mixture 3-4 days ahead of the cooking time if you want.).
• The first step is to gently mix all the ingredients, except olive oil, together in a large bowl. Now coat your palms with a thin layer of oil. Divide the mixture into about 16 portions, or lesser, if you desire bigger meatballs.
• Take a single portion of the mixture and lightly roll it between your palms to form a ball. Repeat this with all the portions of the meat mixture.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat, in a pot. Once the oil is slightly heated, gently slide in 3 to 4 meatballs at a time. Once they have browned well on one side, carefully turn them over. They are ready once they are brown all over. Take them out and repeat this process with the next batch.
• You may use them instantly, or refrigerate them for later use.