This Authentic Italian Meatball Recipe Rules Them All!

When you are looking for an authentic Italian meatball recipe you must learn the secret to this soft, moist and flavorful version that your family will love.

For many years I have tried to make meatballs that I would say are the best. However, even if they were good because they were freshly made and just pulled from the sauce, when you reheated them they turn into rubbery hockey pucks.

The trick I learned many years later is to use a panade. It isn’t really a trick, but it is a technique that has worked for me for many years and is a requirement for making meatballs. The panade is a mixture of bread and cream that soaks until the bread has absorbed all the dairy and falls apart into a bit of a paste.

The panade maintains the moisture level of the meatballs (or a meatloaf or hamburger) and makes for a delicious experience both fresh from the sauce pan, or reheated days later. 

Pasta Maker	Gnocchi Board	Pasta Board	Ravioli Maker
Ravioli Press/Stamper	Ricer	Bialetti Pasta Pot	Bamboo Cutting Board Set of 3
Silpat Baking Mat	Santoku Knife	Measuring Cups and Spoons	Stainless Mixing Bowls
Dutch Oven	Mesh Strainers	Stainless Colander	Stainless Steel Fry Pan

Meatball Ingredients And Recommendations

• The Meat – Over the years I have tried making meatballs with different types of meat. Ground beef works best, but I have tried the pre-mixed beef, veal and pork combinations, and tried making my own mixtures. My favorite continues to be traditional ground beef, but the others can be delicious as well. Give them a try.
• The Panade – As mentioned above, the panade is a mixture of cream and bread that sits until the bread begins to break apart. There are variations you can try, like using whole milk instead of cream, as I did for this recipe. You can also try bread crumbs instead of a slice of white bread. These variations all seem to work if you ensure the bread is broken down before adding it to the ground beef.
• The Aromatics – Again, flexibility is the key here. I like onions, garlic, oregano and basil, but feel free to try different aromatics. Try some fresh herbs, or shallots. Skip the oregano and lean more on the basil. Once you make a traditional version, you can experiment and see which aromatics you love the most.

Frequently Asked Questions About Making Meatballs

• Do You Need To Fry The Meatballs? – I have made them both ways: frying the meatballs before adding them to the sauce or adding them raw. Since you are cooking the meatballs for three hours, they will end up well cooked, but I like the fried meatballs a little bit more.
• Can You Use Bread In The Panade? – As mentioned before, you can use a slice of white bread, or bread crumbs. As long as it breaks down in the milk, then there shouldn’t be an issue. I would avoid any bread that isn’t white or Italian. Seeded or sweet bread should be avoided as it might overwhelm the other flavors.
• What Is The Secret Ingredient In Italian Meatballs? – The Panade is the secret ingredient to making great Italian meatballs.

• How To Make Proper Italian Meatballs? – For me, once you half-cook the meatballs in a frying pan, adding them to a tomato sauce and cooking them for three hours on a low braise is the best way to cook them.
• What Is The Difference Between Italian Meatballs And Regular Meatballs? – To me, the difference is the red sauce that they cook in. Comparing Italian meatballs to those that are served with brown sauce (or gravy) like at IKEA comes down to the sauce they are cooked or served with. Others might disagree.
• What Are Meatballs Made Of In Italy? – This recipe is how meatballs are made in Italy, generally. There are variations based on the seasonings and the meat mixture, but my experience in Rome is that meatballs aren’t served with pasta, but as their own course, and in a red sauce.

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Authentic Italian Meatball Recipe

• Difficulty: Easy
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 180 mins
• Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 Lbs. (1 Kg) Ground Beef
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1/2C (120 ml) Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
• 1C (240 ml) Bread Crumbs
• 1C (240 ml) Whole Milk
• 1 Tb. (15 gm) Dried Oregano
• 1 Tb. (15 gm) Dried Basil
• 4 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper To Taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Make the panade by adding the bread crumbs to a bowl, add enough whole milk to cover them, then set aside to soak.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and eggs and mix well.
3. In a frying pan, sauté the onions, herbs and garlic in some olive oil and cook until the onions are translucent. Once cooked, put into a small bowl and allow to cool in the freezer.
4. Once the aromatics have cooled, combine them with the meat, eggs, panade, salt, pepper and cheese and mix well.
5. If the mixture seems too wet and won’t hold together, add more breadcrumbs to stiffen up the mixture. Add ¼ cup at a time until you are happy with the consistency.
6. Form the mixture into meatballs that are larger than golf balls, but smaller than baseballs.
7. In batches, add the meatballs to an oiled, non-stick frying pan and cook until brown on the outside, but they can still be raw on the inside.
8. When all the meatballs are cooked, add to a pot of your favorite tomato sauce and cook for at least 3 hours on a low simmer. Check on the pot to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.
9. After 3 hours, remove them from the sauce and let them cool off a little bit.

Serving Suggestions

I prefer to serve the meatballs straight from the sauce they were cooking in. Add 3 or 4 meatballs to your serving dish, add a little more sauce and top with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. A slice of crusty Italian bread would be a welcomed addition.

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