Italian Meatballs (Extra Soft and Juicy!)

Name: Italian Meatballs (Extra Soft and Juicy!)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 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; 2.5 tbsp olive oil; 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; Pasta of choice; Parmesan; Parsley (, finely chopped (optional))

Instructions

Prep:20minCook:20min

Recipe video above. These are my idea of "perfect" meatballs. I make them extra soft and juicy by using bread instead of breadcrumbs, and the grated onion is my secret tip for adding extra flavour into this. Plus, no need to sauté diced onion before mixing it in! Served with a rich tomato sauce made extra tasty by cooking it in the same pan that the meatballs are browned in.

Updated at: Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:14:01 GMT