Delicious and tender, juicy Italian-American style meatballs is what you need for your family dinner or party. You can’t go wrong with this 30-minute recipe!
PREP TIME: 15 mins
COOK TIME: 15 mins
TOTAL TIME: 30 mins
SERVINGS: 16 meatballs, approximately
CALORIES: 183 kcal
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup (54g) torn bread crumbs* made from 1-2 slices of white bread (crust removed).
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup (50 g) grated pecorino Romano cheese
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped or grated
1 tablespoon (15g) of kosher salt, or 1 1/2 teaspoons of table salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Ground beef chuck weighing 1 lb (450 g).
1 lb (450g) ground pork, veal
Optional 1/4 cup grated onions
1/3 cup (30g) chopped basil
Olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place the breadcrumbs into a bowl. Pour the milk over. Allow them to sit for five minutes. Mix together the egg yolks and cheese with the garlic salt and pepper in a bowl. Mash the mixture until it forms a coarse paste.
Mix the beef, pork, and onion in a large bowl. Use a fork to mix. Add the bread mixture, and parsley. Use your hands, a large wooden spoon, or a large fork to combine everything. A standing mixer can be used to mix the ingredients on low speed until they are well blended. Mix the meatball mixture and let it cool in the refrigerator for 2 days before shaping or cooking.
Make the meatballs by using a 1/4 cup measuring cup or cookie scoop. Then, roll the mixture into small balls. You don’t need to make them perfect. Clumpy meatballs retain the sauce better and have more character.
Cooking on the stovetop
Place enough oil in a large skillet to coat its bottom. Once the pan is hot enough, add the meatballs to the pan. If they don’t sizzle immediately after they hit the pan, it is too hot.
Brown the meatballs all sides. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook the meatballs for about 15 minutes. Continue frying the meatballs in the same manner, adding oil to the pan and a new layer.
Finish cooking in tomato sauce
After browning the meatballs in a skillet, transfer them to a saucepan of marinara sauce. Cook for 10-12 minutes.
Bake the meatballs
Preheat the oven to 425°F
Place the meatballs on a parchment-coated baking sheet with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Then, flip the meatballs with a spatula. Bake for another 10-12 minutes, or until the meatballs are nicely browned.
Warm meatballs can be served with marinara sauce, or any other prepared tomato sauce.
