Large Italian Meatballs
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Ground beef and pork meld with soaked bread, sautéed onion and garlic tossed with fresh herbs and Parmigiano. Baked gently then simmered in tomato sauce. Whipped ricotta topping adds contrast. Chilling firms meatballs so they don’t fall apart in the pan. Flavor develops slowly; textures play off one another. Oven temp and internal heat matter here, aiming for juicy but cooked through. Parsley or basil toss for freshness. Variations with veal instead of pork, or adding fennel pollen for anise undertones work well. A sink test on bread keeps moisture in balance; don’t overmix or meat toughens. Baking before sauce keeps shape and crust forms. Real Italian soul, not rushed, but forgiving.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
70 min
Servings:
3 servings
#Italian-American
#meatballs
#comfort food
#marinara
#ricotta
Bread soaking. Crucial. Soaks milk, gives moisture lock-in, no dry crumb disaster. Onion and garlic saute thin but tender, mellow sweetness replaces raw bite. I always tweak salt here; too early or too late changes texture and flavor punch. Eggs bind with cheese and herbs, dry crumbs for a balanced chew. Mixing hands tell story—too much means tough; too little, crumbly mess waiting to happen. Meatballs stacked like balls in my youth. Rest in fridge stiffens shape, patience pays. Oven temp is gentle but firming; I trust sight and touch more than clock. Marinara makes a bath, a slow bubble to finish, tender and tangy. Ricotta whipped cold cuts through richness and anchors freshness. No rushing. Just watching, smelling, feeling. The kitchen fills with warmth and promise.
Ingredients
- 3 slices rustic country bread, crust removed, cubed
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 lb ground beef and pork blend (or swap ground veal for pork)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or good quality jarred)
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- Extra parsley or basil for garnish
About the ingredients
Rustic bread—day old or slightly dry works best; fresh bread packs in weird fluff, ruins texture. Whole milk is not negotiable; fat carries flavor, tenderness. Olive oil medium heat is key for onions, garlic, or you risk burning, bitter tones. Parmigiano gives salt and savor, don’t shortcut with pregrated—grate fresh for that sharp edge. Dry crumbs are control moisture, don’t skip or too wet. Parsley and basil fresh, bright, chopped just coarse enough so they don’t disappear in bite. Ground meat should be mix for fat balance; pure beef tends dry fast, pork lifts richness. Swapping veal for pork softens flavor, try with fennel pollen if you dare. Ricotta should be whole milk, skim or part skim tends watery, whips fail to fluff. Marinara can be jarred—good quality is fine but homemade tang prevails here. Salt wisely; start with little and adjust after mixing meat, it’s a fine balance. Don’t be tempted to overwork; mix by hand folding, no electric mixers.
Method
- Cube bread, soak in milk about 10 minutes until soft. Then squeeze out excess milk well but keep the soaked bread; need moisture, not soggy mush.
- Heat olive oil in skillet over medium. Toss onions and garlic in gently. Stir salt and pepper in, cook until onions turn translucent and smell sweet, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat immediately to avoid bitterness. Let cool slightly.
- In large bowl, whisk eggs lightly with Parmigiano, dry crumbs, parsley, basil. Add bread and cooled onion mixture. It thickens to a sticky paste.
- Add ground meat mixture, break it apart as you add so no clumps. Use your hands, fold gently but completely. Overworking toughens protein. Form large ball. Divide into three equal portions.
- Shape each portion into a big meatball by rolling between hands, press gently to compact. Should be firm but springy. If too wet, dust lightly with crumbs but avoid drying.
- Place meatballs on plate, cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate minimum 1 hour, can do overnight. Rest lets flavors meld, meat firms, prevents crumbling during cooking.
- Oven to 350F. Remove meatballs, toss gently if surface cracked. Arrange in cast iron or ovenproof dish, 2 inches apart so heat circulates. Bake about 30 minutes. Look for browned edges; meat starts firming up but not dry.
- After bake, skim excess fat/oil with spoon. Spoon marinara sauce over meatballs liberally. Return to oven simmering gently with sauce for another 30 minutes or until internal temp hits 140F. Sauce thickens slightly on edges, aroma is rich tomato-herb.
- Pull from oven, let rest 10 minutes uncovered. Resting lets juices redistribute, meatballs hold shape when cut.
- While meat rests, whip ricotta in bowl or stand mixer on low with whisk attachment until it’s fluffy and smooth, air incorporated. Gives creaminess and light texture contrast.
- Serve meatballs topped with big dollops of chilled whipped ricotta. Sprinkle fresh parsley or basil on top for snap and color. Great as main with crusty bread or spooned over pasta.
- Pro tip: If meatballs fall apart, likely bread not squeezed enough or meat too wet. If sauce too thin, simmer longer uncovered before returning meatballs in. Work quickly once eggs added to avoid tough texture.
- Try swapping pork for ground veal to lighten flavor. Sometimes I add a pinch of fennel pollen or red pepper flakes for a subtle heat and aroma kick.
Cooking tips
Milk soaking holds moisture but squeezing bread is art; not too watery, no excess draining or you lose richness. Garlic and onions become sweet, not brown; watch closely, stir often. When mixing binder, whisk eggs gently; too vigorous swells proteins leading to rubbery, not tender. Add meat slowly, folding to preserve air and volume. Form meatballs with gentle pressing; tough too often means overhandling. Resting overnight chills fat and proteins, creates a more cohesive ball; skip and risk crumble. Oven baking dries surface slightly and firms up internal proteins; 350F steady heat lets crust form without drying interior. Watch edges brown uniformly. Adding sauce mid-cook finishes via steam and simmer; internal temp key here, use thermometer, 140F is safe, retain moisture. Rest after cooking mandatory for juicy cut. Ricotta whipped cold whips air, smooths fat particles—don’t overwhip or breaks down. Serve immediately with whipped ricotta topping to cool down warm meat, contrast temperature and texture. Excess oil from pan spoons off keeps dish from greasy puddles. If sauce is too thin, simmer without meatballs after final step. Timing is flexible; rely on senses—smell, touch, sight are your best guides in this process.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Bread soak not just soak but squeeze. Too wet and meat slips apart, too dry loses tenderness. I learned to press shield keeps juiciness but no mush. Rustic day-old bread best; fresh bread ruins firm bite. Milk must be whole, fat keeps fat beneath surface. It’s texture control, no compromise.
- 💡 Onion and garlic heat timing critical. Medium oil temp only; high burns quick bitter. Stir often, watch edges turn translucent with aroma shift from sharp to sweet. Remove heat fast or risk lingering burnt flavor. Let cool before mixing or cooks eggs too fast; texture wrecked, rubbery.
- 💡 Egg whisking is dance. Light whisk not heavy beating; swollen proteins toughen inside. Combining Parmigiano and herbs with eggs forms binder. Add dry crumbs after little at a time—too wet and balls collapse, too dry crumb overload kills moisture balance.
- 💡 Folding in meat slow, careful. Hands work best; no electric mixers. Break clumps with fingertips, fold gently to trap air. Overmix crushes meat fiber, tough chew ahead. Form large balls then divide to avoid dense crunch. Some crust after bake seals interior juices.
- 💡 Rest in fridge mandatory. Minimum an hour but overnight better. Chilling firms up exterior fat, proteins settle tension inside. Skipping rest often leads to crumble mess when cooking later. Cold balls handle bake heat without falling apart or shrinking too much.
- 💡 Oven set steady 350F. Arrange meatballs spaced apart so air circulates heat evenly. Watch for browned edges not dark spots. Bake 30 min then skim fat off pan to avoid greasy sauce. Sauce finish cooks gently, steams meatballs internally, locks flavor without drying.
- 💡 Whipping ricotta needs cold temperature, low speed. Air folds in slow to keep fluff, don’t whip hard or it breaks down into grainy. Texture contrast critical here; cold ricotta temp drops the warm meatball bite, makes dish multidimensional in mouthfeel.
- 💡 If meatballs collapse during cooking check bread moisture level first. Too much milk soaked drains away binding power. Also avoid overmixing protein strands or add a bit more dry crumbs next time. Sauce thinning fixes by simmering uncovered longer before adding balls back in.
- 💡 Swap pork for veal to lighten flavor profile. Veal softer texture, less fat but needs careful handling not to dry. Adding fennel pollen gives subtle anise note but keep it light or it overpowers. Red pepper flakes scattered if wanted some heat, spice balance key here.
Common questions
Why do meatballs fall apart?
Usually bread soaked wrong or overmix meat. Bread soaked not squeezed enough so water seeps out in cooking. Overworking meat crushes protein, ruins binding. Can fix by adding breadcrumbs or chilling longer before cooking.
Can I use different meat?
Sure, swap pork for ground veal gives lighter flavor, less fat. Beef and veal mix different moisture level; veal dries faster so watch bake time. Turkey less fat but needs more binder. Season differently if needed.
How to fix thin sauce?
Simmer without meatballs uncovered. Sauce thickens slow. Watch so it doesn’t burn bottom. Add tomato paste for quick thickening if time short. Saucing after bake helps keep control of final consistency.
Can I store leftovers?
Refrigerate in airtight container 3-4 days. Reheat gently, microwave or oven with lid to keep moisture. Freeze cooked meatballs in sauce separate or combined. Thaw fully in fridge before reheating slow to avoid drying out.
