My Favorite Homemade Meatballs Recipe
About this Recipe
By: Rachel
I often reach for this homemade meatballs recipe. It yields an easy, delicious dinner that generally makes everyone happy. Whether baked into a bubbly casserole with plenty of cheese, spooned generously onto a mountain of spaghetti, or even served atop some lightly-dressed arugula, you can’t go wrong with these easy, homemade meatballs.
Homemade Meatballs vs. Meatloaf: The Winner Is Clear
I love homemade meatballs, but I turn my nose up at meatloaf every time. This results in my mother rolling her eyes at me. “They’re the same thing,” she insists. And I tell her—as I often do during our weekly Sunday crossword sessions—that she is just plain WRONG.
Even if the ingredients are exactly the same, the technique is not, and that makes all the difference. This homemade meatballs recipe yields a beautiful, golden-brown crust on the outside, constrasting with a creamier, luscious center—kind of like arancini. Meatloaf, by contrast, lacks the textural contrast, resulting in a somewhat mushy, unpleasant mouthfeel.
Speaking of arancini, these baked meatballs would be absolutely delicious with a cube of mozzarella inserted into the center—but I digress.
Maximizing Flavor In Your Homemade Meatballs
In addition to the lovely textural crust on the outside, these homemade meatballs are full of flavor. Soaking bread in milk is not just an economical way to stretch the meat. It helps develop a creamy texture, and a juiciness to the final product. (This is also how I prepare the stuffing for my Stuffed Vegetables). The addition of Italian parsley and freshly-grated lemon zest really wake up the flavor, making these easy homemade meatballs something extra-special.
What I Serve When I Make This Homemade Meatballs Recipe
Serving meatballs with tomato sauce is a classic choice. I usually reach for this easy red sauce. If I have veggies to use up in the refrigerator, I use this recipe—adding welcome layers of flavor to the sauce.
Most often, I serve these baked meatballs with pasta. Sometimes I bake them into a casserole, spooning lots of red sauce over the meatballs and covering them in a generous blanket of mozzarella. If I want a lighter meal, I will spoon the meatballs and a little red sauce over a bed of lightly-dressed arugula with lemon and olive oil. This really brings out the lemon zest in the meatballs (my secret ingredient!)
Either way, I follow Olivia’s advice below and open a bottle of Italian red wine. Give these homemade meatballs a try, and you will soon see why these are my Favorite Homemade Meatballs. This meal is simple, delicious comfort food at its finest.
Beverage Pairing
By: Olivia
With really classic meatballs like these, you cannot go wrong with some classic Italian red wines. Grab a Montepulciano, Barbera, Nero d’Avola, or Primitivo (also known as Zinfandel). These medium-bodied wines will complement the meatballs and red sauce very well! You can also use this meal to explore Sangiovese. You’ll find that grape in more than just Chianti, so consider grabbing Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, or Montefalco Rosso to play with the pairing a bit more.
Favorite Homemade Meatballs
Equipment
- Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
- Measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale
- Stand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- 2 cups (90g) Italian bread cubed
- 1 cup (235mL) whole milk
- 2 pounds (900g) ground beef
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup (90g) finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese plus more for serving
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup (10g) finely-chopped Italian parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 recipe Versatile, Everyday Red Sauce, Red Sauce with Hidden Vegetables (Italian sausage omitted), or prepared marinara sauce
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
- In a large bowl, pour the milk over the bread, and set aside for 10 minutes to soak.Mix the ground beef, eggs, garlic powder, cheese, parsley, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and soaked bread together. You can use your hands, or mix on low speed in a stand mixer just until combined (do not overmix).
Step 2
- You can cook the meatballs by browning them on the stovetop in olive oil, or broiling them in the oven. I opt for the latter, to avoid messy stovetop splatter.If you plan to broil, heat your oven to broil (high) now, and set your oven rack to about 5 inches (12cm) below the heating element.
Step 3
- Form the meat into medium-sized meatballs (1 ½ ounces or 50g each). I like to cover a sheet pan with heavy-duty foil, and place the meat on a broiler pan above the foil so that the grease will drain off.
Step 4
- Broil for 5-7 minutes or until well-browned, then turn and broil for 5-7 minutes on the opposite side.
Step 5
- Add the meatballs to the red sauce and simmer for 20-30 minutes. You can serve the meatballs on their own, over dressed arugula, or with pasta. Serve topped with freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and fresh basil or parsley.
