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Is there anything more comforting than a hearty bowl of spaghetti and meatballs? Definitely a childhood favorite of mine, but it hardly makes its way to my kitchen table, unfortunately. So when it does, I have to make sure I do it right! A beautiful blend of beef, pork, herbs, and cheese, these Italian meatballs are juicy, savory, and perfect paired with your favorite pasta.

As simple as this meal is on the surface, trust me, it is very easy to turn these little golf ball sized bites into tough, dry ACTUAL golf balls. Luckily, the keys to making a succulent, delicious, and tender meatball are all right here. Turn pasta night into a sure-win for dinner.

Meatball Mixture

The key to a perfect meatball it two-fold! The first key is the mixture, and the second is the cooking technique. So let’s start with the mix! My first tip is to ensure moisture. Many people put stale bread or breadcrumbs into their meatballs as a binder to hold it together. Totally cool! But make sure your moisten that bread up before you do anything!

In a large mixing bowl, add 1 cup of breadcrumbs (I use Italian for the extra flavor, but plain work as well), and 1/2 cup of whole milk. Let this mixture sit a few minutes! You want the milk to be absorbed by the bread before proceeding to make sure there is no dry bread in site. To this, I add 1 cup of grated/shredded parmesan and 1/2 cup of finely chopped parsley. I like to add as this stage and mix to ensure the flavors are evenly distributed, rather than clumped up throughout the meat at the end.

Now onto the meat! In my opinion, it is always best to go with a meat blend, because some meats are more tender than others, and some are more firm and stable, less likely to fall apart. I love a blend of chuck, pork, and veal, but I can’t always find veal at my normal grocery store. So for this easy version I add 1 lb of ground chuck and 1 lb of ground pork to this recipe. (You can also use italian sausage in place of the pork for some additional added flavor!).

Add in 2 eggs, 1 tbsp dried italian seasoning, 1/2 tbsp onion powder, and 1 tsp garlic powder, plus salt and pepper to taste. Pro tip- heat up a large stock pot with a drizzle of your favorite oil and pinch off a small piece of the mix to cook. This way you can sample your seasoning levels before making the whole dish. Form the meat into golf ball sized balls and place them on a sheet tray. It should yield 20-25 meatballs depending on your size.

Cooking Italian Meatballs

Now that your meat mixture is formed, it is time to cook. In a large stock pot over medium high heat, drizzled with oil, add in a few meatballs at a time. Work in batches to be sure not to crowd the pan, otherwise they will steam instead of brown. Brown on each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown almost all over. Note that at this point they will not be fully cooked! Remove the meatballs from the pot, set aside, and brown the next batch.

Once you have browned all of the meatballs, dice 1/2 of a small white onion and add it to the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes until translucent and add in 1 minced clove of garlic and immediately deglaze the pan with 1/3 cup of red wine. Be sure to bring the wine to a boil, and scrape the bottom bits of the pan. Pour in 6 cups of your favorite red tomato sauce and bring it to a simmer.

Now, nestle your meatballs into the sauce and cover, simmering on low for 20-30 minutes or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of at least 160°. Allowing the meatballs to finish cooking in the sauce, rather than baking them or pan searing until cooked, will ensure they remain moist and juicy inside! Serve the meatballs as is, or serve over your favorite pasta, garnishing with chopped parsley and parmesan cheese. Pasta night will now be perfection with these perfect Italian Meatballs!

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