(Ok everyone, here’s the recipe you’ve been asking me for!) Friends and family always ask me for my meatball recipe, so I guess they are delicious! These meatballs are tender, juicy, and made with simple ingredients. Meatballs are made for sharing and this is a dish worth re-sharing over and over again.
Here are a couple of quick notes about making these meatballs:
- When choosing ground beef, don’t get lean ground beef but get about 85% lean to 15% fat ratio (as labeled on the package). I tend to use turkey more often than beef.
- When choosing tomato paste, I always go for the brands sold in tubes. I find that the flavor seems richer. Plus you don’t have to open a whole can since you only need a couple of tablespoons.
- These meatballs freeze well, so you can double the batch and have extra for a quick meal.
Try adding these meatballs to my Sunday Sauce. Cooking meatballs in sauce enhances the flavor and makes them even more juicy and tender. Check out my Sunday Sauce Simmering on a Stormy Saturday recipe.
These meatballs freeze well, so you can double the batch and have extra for a quick meal.
My favorite way to serve meatballs is over pasta (Gluten-Free version). Served over zoodles is a healthy lower carb option and also delicious. I mix a small amount of regular spaghetti with zoodles and it’s a winning combination.
The biggest request in my house has to be parmigiana style on a fresh sub/hero roll. And, let’s face it, meatballs are pretty darn good all by themselves as an appetizer (or snack). Yum.
I hope you enjoy these as much as my friends, family and I do.
*Images are copyright of TheFrayedKnot.com and can only be used with permission.
Italian Meatballs
This recipe makes the perfect meatballs. They freeze well and are perfect in Sunday Sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Turkey or Chicken or Beef
- 2 Eggs
- 3 Garlic cloves pressed or 1 tbsp of minced
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs For Gluten-Free version use Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 2 tbsp Dry Herbs of Choice (such as basil, oregano, herbs de provence)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375ºF.
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Combine all the ingredients in large mixing bowl. Mix everything very well.
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Using an ice cream scooper, start to form the meatballs. Adjust the size of your balls as needed. Place each scoop on a parchment lined baking sheet.
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After you are finished scooping all the meat, grease your hands with some cooking spray and roll the scoops in your hands to smooth them out. You will need to adjust cooking time if making bigger or smaller meatballs.
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Bake meatballs for about 20-25 minutes. Let sit 15 minutes. (If you are making these for Sunday Sauce, follow the Sunday Sauce cooking instructions for the meatballs.)
Recipe Notes
For Gluten-Free Meatballs, use your favorite Gluten-Free Seasoned Breadcrumbs. If you are making these meatballs for Sunday Sauce, following the Sunday Sauce cooking instructions for the meatballs.
