Italian Meatballs
A proper beef built around ground veal, breadcrumbs and grated parmesan cheese β roughly 60 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- In a large bowl, soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for a few minutes until softened to keep the meatballs tender.
- Add the ground veal, parmesan, egg, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix gently with your hands just until combined, avoiding overworking the meat.
- Wet your hands and roll the mixture into evenly sized balls about 4 cm across, which should make roughly 16 to 20 meatballs.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, turning carefully, for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Lower the heat, cover, and continue cooking, or finish them in your favorite tomato sauce, until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 71 C (160 F).
- Let the meatballs rest for a few minutes, then serve over pasta or in a sauce of your choice.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet
Ingredient substitutions
- Parmesan
- pecorino Β· grana padano Β· aged asiago
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk Β· Β½ cup evaporated milk + Β½ cup water
Tips & common questions
How long does Italian Meatballs take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 6 steps and 11 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of parmesan?
Try pecorino. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Italian Meatballs is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Spaghetti and meatballs 1.jpg by jeffreyw, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.