Name: Chef John's Italian Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 135 min
Ingredients: 0.33333334326744 cup plain bread crumbs; 0.5 cup milk; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 1 pound ground beef; 1 pound ground pork; 2 eggs; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 0.25 bunch fresh parsley, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, crushed; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning; 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Chef John's Italian Meatballs

4.8

(2,278)

1,734 Reviews

311 Photos

This Italian meatball recipe is very easy to make, and since we skip the messy step of pan-frying the meatballs, it becomes downright simple. Here I use a standard half-beef/half-pork mixture. Once the meatballs are baked, add them to your favorite prepared tomato sauce and simmer for 1 to 2 hours.

By Chef John

Updated on October 28, 2022

311

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

35 mins

Additional Time:

1 hrs 20 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 15 mins

Servings:

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

⅓ cup plain bread crumbs
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Soak bread crumbs in milk in a small bowl for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking and stirring until onion is very tender, about 15 minutes more.
Gently stir beef and pork together in a large bowl. Add onions, bread crumb mixture, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, Italian herb seasoning, and red pepper flakes; mix together using a rubber spatula until combined. Cover and refrigerate for about one hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Form mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Happyschmoopies

Cook's Notes:

Some recipes use equal portions of beef, veal, and pork, which is also nice, yet more expensive. These days you can find all sorts of lean-to-fat ratios for ground beef. Most stores sell 90% lean, 10% fat, but I prefer the 80% lean, 20% fat ratio for this recipe.

You can substitute water or beef broth for the milk if preferred.

Serve with homemade tomato sauce and polenta.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

390	Calories
31g	Fat
5g	Carbs
21g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 390
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 31g	40%
Saturated Fat 12g	58%
Cholesterol 91mg	30%
Sodium 617mg	27%
Total Carbohydrate 5g	2%
Dietary Fiber 1g	2%
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 4mg	18%
Calcium 62mg	5%
Iron 2mg	11%
Potassium 349mg	7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.