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.
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*
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…)
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.
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.
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
Italian Meatball
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Italian Meatballs (Extra Soft and Juicy!)
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:
Nutrition Information:
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!
I get a round: 8 more meatball recipes
LIFE OF DOZER
Bush walk. In hunt of something stinky to roll in – always.
Hi Nagi, these look amazing!! I’ve tried lots of your other recipes and they never fail to please so I know these will be good!
One question – do you think it would be ok to substitute the beef and pork for lamb or some other meat?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Tom! Yup for sure, just be prepared for the difference in the meat flavour 🙂 But the base recipes will work with any meat – N xx
Oh so special! The meatballs are heaven! I call them meat pillows, YUM!
Thank you Nagi!!
I LOVE THAT NAME!!!
Heyy. When you soaking the bread, don’t you need some sort of liquid since it’s just 2 dry ingredients? Excited to try this recipe!
The onion juice soaks the bread!!
Hi Nagi
Just wondering if these can be made ahead of time and put in the fridge raw to be cooked on the day?
Thanks!
Oh Nagi! Just wanted to say thank you for your AMAZING recipes! 🤤 Last week I made the classic meatballs, creamy sun dried tomato penne and the loaded beef burgers! My boyfriend LOVED all of them, took the leftovers to work the next day and said he needed MORE! Haha. This week it’s the honey mustard chicken, beef burritos and panko parmesan fish 😊 Having recently moved out of my parents house, I can now say I’ve finally found my feet with cooking and I love it! Thank you for making it so easy. My boyfriend and I always have full, content bellies now! ☺️ xxx
WOAH! I love your enthusiasm! ❤️ Thank you for trying my recipes, I’m so pleased you and your boyfriend enjoyed them! N xx
Great recipe Nagi. I am Italian and the other good trick to keep meatballs moist is to add milk to the bread and onion mixture. This makes a panade, and will always result in moist meatballs.
I love hearing from Italians! Always get semi nervous too 😉 I found that adding milk in addition to the grated onion juice made it too wet, but I’ve got a tip to use it if needed to soak the bread through. 🙂 N xx PS THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION RE: “Panade”!! I never knew it had a name!
Hey Nagi, how’s things on your side of the country? I’m a bit west of you, in Albany, Western Australia. OK, a lot west!! Anyway, just made these meatballs and I have to tell ya, they are fantastic!! It’s been many years since I’ve even attempted to make meatballs, simply because, for the amount of work involved, they were always so-so at best. I do think I’ll be making meatballs quite a bit more often! THANKS!!
Now, I’m looking forward in making one of your mom’s recipes, Yakatori.
THANKS again!
Hi John! It’s faster to fly to Fiji and New Zealand than to PERTH!!!! So pleased you enjoyed these John and yes, I know what you mean about rolling meatballs being a pain. 🙂 My tip is to use an ice cream scooper with a lever, scoop up about half filled, then plonk them on a plate or something, keep going until you’ve scooped up all of it and THEN roll them. I find this is the most efficient way to roll meatballs – you’ll see me doing it this way in recipe videos that I’ve made for most of my other meatball recipes. Until they create a meatball maker!!! Enjoy the yakitori, that is a firm family favourite, we often have family yakitori BBQ lunches!
Made these meatballs for the second time tonight and again they were a hit. One family member said he could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The other said “why can’t you make dinner this good all the time?” And I will now, adding a few extra hidden veges to the sauce I think
Oi! Cheeky to say such thing!!! 😉 Great idea to add hidden veg into the sauce – or in the meatballs themselves. Grated carrot or zucchini is great, and in the sauce sometimes I had baby spinach!
I love this recipe! The meatballs are soooo juicy! I was just wondering, if I wanted to freeze some meatballs ahead of time, how long would it last in the freezer?
So glad you enjoyed this Syahirah! These will last 2 – 3 months in the freezer 🙂 N xx
Hi Nagi, just curious as to why the onion measurements differ between this recipe & the oven baked Italian meatballs? As delicious as they were I found them very “oniony”, was it meant to be 1/2 cup or 1/2 an onion?
Jo
Hi Jo! I used a fairly small onion so it was about 1/2 cup, I should have written 1/2 cup for both 🙂 With the baked meatballs, I say 1/2 onion because then the other 1/2 is used for the sauce. I’m sorry you found this oniony, I can honestly say no one has ever said that!! 🙂 N xx
I measured the onion after I grated them which resulted in using 2 medium sized ones, was this the mistake I made??
Nope, that’s absolutely right. Hmm. Do you find you are sensitive to onion flavour?? What type of onion did you use?
Not really, quite like onion flavour, used a brown onion.
Hi made meatballs last night my husband loved them first time they haven’t turned out like rocks
Also loved your fish with the cream sauce
Everything I have cooked form you have been easy and work as promised
Thank you Paula
That’s fantastic to hear Paula! Thanks for letting me know!! ?
oh my.. I’ve never made meatballs before and but I wanted to surprise my husband and son with something special tonight and this recipe was an absolute winner! We all had seconds (even my very picky two year old son)!!
Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
Great to hear Laura! Thank you for coming back to let me know! N xx
do you grate the onion on small or large holes-seems like large holes would be correct-thanks
Hi Dan! Yup, the large holes 🙂
Hi Nagi, great post. I had been wanting to make my meatballs softer on the inside so I will definitely try the soft bread trick! Thanks for sharing.
Hope you do Sam! It’s pretty amazing what a difference it makes 🙂
Hi Nagi,
First time on your website. Fantastic! Although I have not tried any recipes yet, I am going to do the meatball one today. however, I do have a question: instead of browning them, can I boil them and then cook them further into the sauce?
Thanks and keep em coming!
Hi Michi! I really urge you to brown them because it gives them more flavour! Is there a reason you prefer to boil?? 🙂 N x
I have been looking for a juicy meatball recipe for years, and tonight I discovered your website and this recipe. It is absolutely amazing, exactly what I have been looking for, not dry, they were tender and full of flavour. You won’t believe it, I’m one of the cauliflower pizza types (although I haven’t tried cauliflower pizza just yet). I eat the LCHF (low carb high fat) way. So I had to adjust the recipe as I can’t have bread, but I just added a bit of almond flour and psyllium husk powder, and it worked perfectly. I also cant have pasta, but these meatballs are so good you don’t need anything but the meatballs and sauce. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Fantastic to hear Carolyn! I’m so thrilled that you enjoyed this, thank you for letting me know! N xx PS I think I could do low carb if I did high fat too! I did try a cauliflower cheese sticks recipes by a friend of mine which was delish but it had a serious amount of CHEESE in it!!
This is so so great and so easy, quick to made, as alway from your recipe, it come out perfectly.
Last week. I have made this meatball a day ahead ready to cook for one meal, then Butter chicken marinate 24hr for the second day, which these sensational meal for 2 super quick dinner on the table by 6pm. even I finished got home 5.15pm.
Thank Nagi, YOU ARE MY LIFE SAVER.
Ai
Oh WOW Ai Tang! I’m so honoured that you’re using so many of recipes and really happy that you like them. Thank you for your lovely message! N xx
Hi Nagi, I have made your Mexican chicken and rice, chickpea and potatoe curry, butter chicken and now meatballs all in the past three weeks. I’ve become a Nagi recipe addict!! Your recipes have all turned out perfectly. So excited to keep trying more of them. I’ve never commented on an online recipe before… but I just had to tell you that I’m a big fan!!
OMG wow oh WOW!!! Thank you so much for trying my recipes and taking the time to come back and let me know you enjoyed them! N xx
Hi Nagi, I will cook this dish tomorrow night, I m sure my kids will have a good meal because I have cook your Swedish Meatballs twice, they ask for more. But tomorrow I want to cook pasta for my family, I have tried so many other recipe they never like them, so then I use the jars one, which every my younster ate them I felt like to yell out ahahah… it the bloody jar food. Now I found you, which is my more happier life now, no take away, no jar food. HOME MADE MEAT BALL for the younsters from you.
so sorry made you read so much. I was wondering can the meat ball made ahead or frzee them, I work 4 days a week, my kids sleep 8.30. So I can cook once I get home at 5.30. Please let me know . THANK YOU
Hi Ai Tang! Thanks for your lovely message, sorry for the late reply, I’m currently travelling! YES these can be made ahead and frozen, best to freeze raw if you can but they can be frozen after cooking too. To freeze cooked, I would cook the recipe as is, then remove the meatballs from the sauce and put in a separate container to the sauce. Then defrost meatballs and heat sauce with meatballs, then serve!
Hi Nagi,
Your recipe is the best. It turns out to be amazing! My sons and my husband really love it and me two of course. The only thing is to grate the onion is quite difficult. It took me and my son over half an hour to do it.
I would suggest to just use blender to have the onion smoothy. I haven’t tried it yet. Hope it will work. What do you think?
Hi Duanyi! I’m so glad everyone loves this!! Do you have a box grater? Just a standard cheese grater like the one I use in this Swedish Meatballs recipe: https://salesdock.info/swedish-meatballs/%3C/a%3E Using a grater like that it honestly only takes a minute or two at the most! I think a blender will make it too watery, sorry to say. 🙂