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Home Beef Recipes

Italian Meatballs

By:Nagi
Published:19 Sep '18Updated:22 Jun '21
907 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

The one thing that sets this meatball recipe apart from others? Soak sandwich bread with grated onion. The bread puffs up when cooked, making these meatballs extra soft and juicy. Plus it adds extra savoury flavour without the need to fry onion separately.

Overhead photo of Italian Meatballs with Spaghetti, read to be served

Italian Meatball recipe!

I don’t want to blow my own horn, but I’m determined to do everything I can to make you want to try these meatballs and if that means a mini brag sheet, then so be it. So here we go:

“Your meatball recipe is the same as my Italian Nonna! Love the idea of soaking the bread in onion juice rather than milk….. Will make them like this from now on (won’t tell Nonna!)” – Dan, 20 July, 2018

“This recipe is better than my Italian family’s .….. This is going to be my current family pass down to future generations.” – Rosemary, 19 March, 2018

“… we had a meatball cook off at work… and guess who won!!!! Thank you Nagi!!!!” – Angie, 18 August 2017

* And her head swells….. though also, she is actually just really happy to think about all the meatballs being made and enjoyed by people in the far corners of this big wide world*

Close up of Italian Meatballs simmering in marinara sauce

Just two little things that make all the difference

1. Soaked bread = soft meatalls. Bread soaked in some form of liquid puffs up when cooked, creating little air pockets that makes meatballs extra soft. It works far better than ordinary breadcrumbs which actually has the tendency to make meatballs tough little balls (panko breadcrumbs is ok though), and the Italians have been doing this for years.

Italians use milk for soaking. I use grated onion – see next point.

2. Soak bread in grated onion = better flavour. Grating the onions serves a few purposes.

  • Flavour – 80% of my recipes start with “sauté onion until golden”. And there’s a reason for that. Onion is a flavour base that can’t be beaten, and I want it in my meatballs;

  • Soaking – it’s the juicy grated onion that is used to soak the bread, rather than milk or water which is what other recipes use. This way the liquid balance is not thrown out of balance.

  • No need to cook onion separately – If you use raw diced onion in the meatballs, you run the risk of having raw onions in them – unless you cook them for longer in which case you risk overcooking the meatballs!

  • No need to finely chop onion – because unless they are very finely diced, there is a tendency for the onion to affect how well the meatball holds together. Make your life easier – grate the onion! (Wear goggles if it makes your eyes water…)

Meat mixture for Italian Meatballs

This is how I roll meatballs

I have often wished for someone to invent a compact meatball rolling device. I have visions of a bike pump type contraption where you feed the meat into one end and perfectly formed meatballs pop out the other.

If you’re thinking what I think you are – get your mind out of the gutter and just imagine how convenient that would be!!! 😂

But until such time, this is the most efficient way I’ve been able to come up with for rolling meatballs.

How to make Italian Meatballs

Tip: Baking option for meatball recipes

Any of my Meatball recipes can be baked. It’s healthier and they stay nice and round, though they are not quite as juicy as pan frying (sear = trapped juices).

To bake meatballs, preferably use a rack placed on a tray  – helps keep the base more round – then just spray both the rack and the meatballs generously with oil and bake at 200C/400F for 20 minutes.

Overhead photo of Italian Meatballs in a rustic black bowl garnished with parmesan, ready to be eaten

You won’t find Spaghetti and Meatballs in Italy …

Yes, really! In Italy, meatballs are called Polpette. Though the ingredients are typically the same as what I am using (except for my grated onion technique) along with a similar tomato sauce, they are larger (about the size of golf balls) and they are served with bread rather than pasta.

So Spaghetti and Meatballs is not authentic Italian, but that’s ok. Just as there’s no such thing as Beef and Broccoli in China, and no Chicken Tikka Masala in India, we love it anyway and we will always love it.❤️  – Nagi x

MORE CLASSICS WE’LL LOVE FOREVER

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Italian Meatball
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Overhead photo of Italian Meatballs in a rustic black bowl garnished with parmesan, ready to be eaten

Italian Meatballs (Extra Soft and Juicy!)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 40 mins
Meatballs, Pasta
Italian
4.94 from 230 votes
Servings4 - 5
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. These are my idea of "perfect" meatballs. I make them extra soft and juicy by using bread instead of breadcrumbs, and the grated onion is my secret tip for adding extra flavour into this. Plus, no need to sauté diced onion before mixing it in! Served with a rich tomato sauce made extra tasty by cooking it in the same pan that the meatballs are browned in.

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 lightly packed cup of diced white sandwich bread , crusts removed (Note 1 for SUB)
  • 1 small onion (brown, white or yellow)
  • 14 oz / 400 g ground beef (mince)
  • 3 oz / 100g ground pork (mince), or sub with more beef (Note 2)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley , finely chopped (Note 3)
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (or parmesan), freshly grated
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Cooking Meatballs & Sauce

  • 2.5 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 3/4 cup onion , finely chopped (white, brown or yellow)
  • 24 oz / 700 g tomato passata (Tomato Puree in US/CAN - Note 4)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes (chili flakes)
  • 3 tsp dried Italian herb mix (parsley, basil, thyme, oregano)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Black pepper

To Serve

  • Pasta of choice
  • Parmesan
  • Parsley , finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

  • Grate the onion using a standard box grater in a large bowl until you have about 1/2 cup of grated onion and juices. 
  • Add bread, mix to combine so the onion juice soaks the bread and disintegrates. Set aside while you prep the other ingredients (5 min or so).
  • Add all the remaining Meatball ingredients. Use hands to mix well.
  • Measure out a heaped tablespoon and roll lightly to form a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture. (Note 5)
  • Heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a large non stick fry pan over medium high heat. Add the meatballs and brown all over - about 3 - 4 minutes. 
  • When they are browned but NOT cooked through, carefully transfer them onto a plate.

Cooking & Sauce:

  • Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil into the fry pan. 
  • Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. Add the remaining Sauce ingredients. Bring to a simmer, then turn down to medium low so it bubbles gently rather than splattering everywhere.
  • Carefully transfer the meatballs and any juices that have pooled on the plate into the Sauce.
  • Cook the meatballs for 8 - 10 minutes, turning and stirring occasionally. Adjust Sauce salt and pepper to taste.
  • While the meatballs are cooking, cook your pasta of choice.
  • Serve the meatballs on pasta, garnished with extra parmesan and parsley if using.

Recipe Notes:

1. Bread - Plain white sandwich bread is best for this, but you can substitute with other breads. Tear or chop into small pieces, do not include the crust. Slightly stale bread is fine.
Substitute with 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs. Meatballs won't be quite as soft, but still very tender!
2. Meat - Pork is slightly fattier than beef so it helps make these extra juicy and gives it a slightly richer flavour. Feel free to just use 1 lb / 500 g beef mince which is what I do on ordinary nights, or use other ground/mince meat of choice. 
3. Herbs - You can substitute with 1 1/2 tbsp dried parsley, or a mix of equal amounts of dried oregano, thyme, basil and parsley. You could also use an Italian herb mix if you wanted to.
4. Tomato passata is just pureed, strained tomatoes, sometimes labelled Tomato Puree in the US and Canada (here's a photo of Mutti Tomato Passata sold at Walmart, high quality Italian brand). Readily available in Australian supermarkets nowadays, alongside pasta sauces. If you can't find it, puree canned tomatoes or use crushed canned tomatoes. 
5. How I roll meatballs - see video/photos in post.
6. Baking Option: Place a rack on a tray. Spray rack well with oil, place meatballs on rack, spray with oil. Bake at 200C/400F for 20 minutes until nicely browned, then simmer in the sauce for a few minutes to bring the flavours together.
7. Nutrition per serving assuming 5 servings, meatballs only.
Nutrition Facts
Italian Meatballs (Extra Soft and Juicy!)
Amount Per Serving (307 g)
Calories 442 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 125mg42%
Sodium 1552mg67%
Potassium 1127mg32%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 1000IU20%
Vitamin C 27.6mg33%
Calcium 214mg21%
Iron 6.3mg35%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Originally published August 2015. Updated with new photos, video and commentary in August 2018. No change to recipe - I wouldn't dare!

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 307gCalories: 442cal (22%)Carbohydrates: 26g (9%)Protein: 34g (68%)Fat: 22g (34%)Saturated Fat: 7g (44%)Cholesterol: 125mg (42%)Sodium: 1552mg (67%)Potassium: 1127mg (32%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 11g (12%)Vitamin A: 1000IU (20%)Vitamin C: 27.6mg (33%)Calcium: 214mg (21%)Iron: 6.3mg (35%)
Keywords: Italian Meatballs
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

This Italian Meatball recipe was originally published August 2015. Long overdue for a video and new photos – no change to recipe, I wouldn’t dare!

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Overhead photo of Italian Meatballs in a rustic black bowl garnished with parmesan, ready to be eaten
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907 Comments

  1. Tessa says

    October 15, 2021 at 10:16 pm

    Hi – can these be cooked in a slow cooker? If so, for how long?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 16, 2021 at 8:05 am

      I haven’t tested meatballs in the slow cooker – they wouldn’t get any nice colour without browning them first though. N x

      Reply
      • Tessa says

        October 16, 2021 at 8:54 am

        Browned them first then slow cooked for 5 hours they were absolutely delicious!!

        Reply
        • Nagi says

          October 16, 2021 at 9:30 am

          Excellent! N x

          Reply
  2. Laura says

    October 4, 2021 at 9:33 am

    I don’t know what I did wrong but my meatballs fell apart. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Yulia says

      October 14, 2021 at 7:59 pm

      I pressed the meatballs quiet firmly when I made them, then gently turned them during cooking. Meatballs generally need to be handled gently.

      Reply
  3. Bob says

    October 2, 2021 at 12:16 am

    I made these last night they were GREAT I followed the recipe as written. I just wanted the Meatballs for a Meatball Parm. sub. sandwich
    Thank you for the delicious recipes Tomorrow I’m making Shrimp / Prawn Pasta with Lemon I’ll let you know how it comes out.
    Take care and be safe.

    Reply
  4. James Chaffey says

    September 28, 2021 at 7:22 pm

    Hi Nagi,
    I have just made your recipe and, although it tasted delicious, it didn’t look the best due to the fact that the balls broke up. I didn’t use my non-stick pans because they weren’t big enough and I am wondering if this was the problem, or, perhaps, another egg, finer mince? Open to suggestions.
    Also, although I thought I had prepared, I obviously hadn’t done this enough as I got into a bind with everything happening at once.
    Keep up the good work,
    Jim

    Reply
  5. Esther says

    September 25, 2021 at 3:57 am

    5 stars
    Just tried this and it’s amazing 🙂 Thank you so much for this recipe!

    Reply
  6. Hugh Cohen says

    September 23, 2021 at 9:43 am

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi san,
    I made these meatballs last night using only pork mince. i added a bit of left over cream into the sauce and a small amount of white wine. The meatballs were delicious thank you! The parmesan in the meatball mix gives them a wonderful aroma.

    Reply
  7. Jade says

    September 22, 2021 at 2:52 pm

    Delicious!
    Only used beef, I think they will be even better following the recipe exactly. Looking forward to trying properly soon!

    Reply
  8. Lulu says

    September 20, 2021 at 6:47 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing, I used pasta sauce instead of pesto and it still tastes great!
    Question:
    Can u freeze the meatballs- if so, for how long?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 21, 2021 at 11:48 am

      Sure can Lulu, up to 3 months is fine. N x

      Reply
    • Mona says

      October 3, 2021 at 8:28 am

      The recipe calls for passata not pesto, they are very different. You did the right thing by using pasta sauce, using pesto would have been an expensive mistake.

      Reply
  9. Martha says

    September 19, 2021 at 10:32 pm

    Your introduction to recipe was funny and made me want to make them. I will let you know how they turn out. Tank you

    Reply
  10. Craig Smith says

    September 19, 2021 at 7:32 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing. Really tasty. Never cooked meatballs before, but will be on the menu again. I put some finely finely chopped bacon in the balls. Can’t seem to follow a recipe to the letter, but it worked. Grated onion is awesome BTW. Thanks.

    Reply
  11. Janet Pipal says

    September 15, 2021 at 1:40 am

    How large is the cookie scoop you use? Have watched video several times, can’t quite tell the size. Looks like either medium or large (e.g., in the 3-scoop sets sold on Amazon). Please advise — and then, can’t wait to make these meatballs!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 15, 2021 at 11:03 am

      Hi Janet, this would be the medium size 🙂 N x

      Reply
  12. Kathleen Wood says

    September 10, 2021 at 2:22 pm

    Roughly how many meatballs does this make please.

    Reply
  13. Spencer says

    September 9, 2021 at 5:30 pm

    You say you use onions instead of water or milk to soak the bread, but then your recipe has “1/2 cup water”?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 10, 2021 at 5:40 pm

      Hi Spencer, the water is an ingredient in the sauce not the meatballs here 🙂 N x

      Reply
  14. Amelia says

    September 8, 2021 at 6:02 pm

    This recipe was terrible. Do not soak your breadcrumbs in raw, grated onion and it’s juices 🙅🏻‍♀️. I normally use milk and that’s what I should have stuck to instead of trying this horribly bastardised version. Tasted terrible, and half an hour still have the flavour of onion in my mouth.

    Reply
    • Sadie says

      September 29, 2021 at 12:20 am

      How rude, there is no need to use such vitriol because you don’t like onion. I hope you are having a better day today

      Reply
    • Mona says

      October 3, 2021 at 8:36 am

      Yes, I agree with Sadie, you are being quite rude. You didn’t like soaking the bread in a flavor you obviously don’t like? What did you expect soaking bread in raw onion of you don’t care for onion flavor? “Oh this recipe has onions and I don’t like onions, it’s a bad recipe.” This is a polite website, but you know what you can do with yourself, with or without the onions involved.

      Reply
  15. Jade Curtis says

    September 2, 2021 at 10:31 am

    Hi Nagi, I absolutely love your recipes and use them for 90% of my cooking. I have recently found out that my beautiful Mum has breast cancer and I would like to do some big cook ups every couple of weeks so she doesn’t have to worry about cooking whilst having treatment. Is this dish freezable? And what other dishes can you recommend for rhe freezer?
    Kind Regards
    Jade

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 2, 2021 at 11:50 am

      Hi Jade, I’m so sorry to hear of your Mum, but what a lovely gesture from you. This is freezable, I usually do things like curries, soups, enchiladas, cannelloni, lasagne, pasta bakes – all freezable. ❤️ N x

      Reply
  16. Jasmine says

    September 1, 2021 at 6:32 pm

    Loved this! I’ve never made meatballs before but absolutely will make again..
    Nagi, you are my go to whenever I’m looking to try out something!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 2, 2021 at 12:04 pm

      Wahoo, that’s awesome Jasmine!! N x

      Reply
  17. Kate says

    August 29, 2021 at 7:00 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight. It was a hit!! Great flavour in the meatballs. Sauce was a bit acidic but all fixed with a bit of sugar (as per Nagi’s advice in previous recipes). Will make again for sure.

    Reply
  18. Barbara Pollack says

    August 27, 2021 at 2:01 am

    I want to make this with 3 lbs of Chuck. How does that effect the amounts of everything else. I want to do this 3 times separately.

    Reply
    • Barbara Pollack says

      August 27, 2021 at 2:02 am

      I don’t want to make this 3 times

      Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 27, 2021 at 9:52 am

      Hi Barbara, click the number of servings and scale up – all the ingredients will adjust for you as if you’re using 3lbs. N x

      Reply
  19. John Barber says

    August 23, 2021 at 5:42 pm

    5 stars
    Don’t use Instagram but wanted to say this dish is WOW. Loved everything about it especially the zing from the chilli flakes. This will be in my Must Cook Again List. Love your website, keep up the good work.
    ps Accompanied this with your “Better than Dominos” Garlic bread -Fantastic!

    Reply
  20. Norma says

    August 19, 2021 at 5:26 am

    What size scoop do you use for your meatballs? They look the perfect size!

    Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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