These authentic Italian meatballs are the juiciest and most flavorful you’ll ever taste, all smothered in a rich, homemade pasta sauce. This recipe comes straight from my Sicilian grandmother, who taught me everything I know about cooking. I’ve made a few tweaks to add a personal touch, but trust me - this is the only recipe you’ll ever need for the ultimate Italian meatballs and sauce!
There is TRULY nothing better than juicy, fork-tender, flavorful meatballs smothered in a delicious sauce with your favorite macaroni on a Sunday evening! Or any night of the week, really, but I typically make this recipe on Sundays for my family for a special treat! This will be your new favorite Sunday dinner recipe.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Italian Meatball Ingredients
- Jessica's Recipe Tips
- How to make the best authentic Italian meatballs
- Homemade Pasta Sauce Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- Bake or fry meatballs?
- What to do with leftover meatballs
- Storage & Freezing Instructions
- What can I add to my pasta sauce to make it heartier and more flavorful?
- Recipe FAQs
- More recipes you'll love
- 📋 Recipe
- ⭐ Reviews
Why you'll love this recipe
- The meatballs come out SO soft and SO tender. There's nothing worse than fighting to cut through a meatball with your fork. You want them to be soft so that your fork just pushes right through!
- My homemade authentic Italian meatballs have a combination of beef, pork and veal to ENSURE optimal tenderness! You can buy a 1 lb of all three or you can cheat (like I do pretty much every time) and buy 3 lb of meatball mix from your local grocery store. I sometimes do this!
- Both the meatballs and sauce are anything but bland! I have been perfecting these recipes for so long that I KNOW you are going to love it as-is. With all recipes though, play around with the amount of seasoning to suit your personal taste and use my seasoning choices as a guide to make YOUR perfect recipe.
- In my sauce, I always like to add a mixture of hot and sweet sausage for even more flavor! This is optional, but really adds another layer of flavor that we love and are delicious to eat alongside the meatballs. I also sometimes use different variations of beef like short rib and/or pork.
Do you call it gravy or sauce? I honestly call it both depending on the situation or who I'm talking to. It's pretty much engraved in my brain to be called gravy. Gravy or sauce, who cares. It's a DELICIOUS gravy-sauce recipe. Hehe.
Italian Meatball Ingredients
- Ground beef: Don't go any higher than 80-85% lean. You want some extra fat to keep the meatballs juicy and tender. You can make your meatballs with all beef too!
- Ground pork: Provides the fattiness needed for the most tender and juicy meatballs.
- Ground veal: Adds delicious flavor and an almost creamy texture to the meatballs. *Sometimes ground veal is hard to find so you can also use a mixture of just beef and pork with great results. I recommend just buying meatloaf/meatball mix from the store, though, if you can't find ground veal! Honestly the same delicious results.*
- Egg yolks: I only use egg yolks in my recipe to produce ultimate richness and taste. Using whole eggs can make the meatballs rubbery and the whites really have no benefit to the meatballs so I just like to save them for another recipe, if possible.
- Salt and pepper: I make sure my meatballs are seasoned very well. You can tweak these measurements to your liking.
- Garlic Powder: Using garlic powder over minced fresh garlic is just a personal preference of mine. You can absolutely substitute fresh garlic if you'd like. I just don't like the pieces of garlic in my meatballs but maybe you will!
- Basil & Parsley: Lotssssa flavor.
- Whole milk: I recommend using whole milk for richness but you can also use 2%.
- Italian seasoned breadcrumbs: Give the meatballs extra flavor and soaking them in milk first creates a paste that adds moisture to the meat mixture. This technique also helps bind the ingredients together while maintaining a soft texture, resulting in juicier, more flavorful amazing meatballs!
- You can use a slice or two of good white bread in place of the breadcrumbs for this recipe. My grandmother sometimes does this! Simply remove the crusts and tear the bread into small pieces. Stir them into the milk and add to meat mixture.
Jessica's Recipe Tips
- Cook them until ALMOST cooked through. You want them to still be a little pink in the center when done because they will finish cooking in the sauce and be ultra tender!
- If for some reason you cannot find one of the ground meats, most grocery stores have something called meatloaf/meatball mix that you can buy which is a mixture of the three. I sometimes do this and they come out just as juicy and delicious. Sometimes ground veal is hard to find so you may even just use a mixture of just beef and pork with great results! This recipe is extremely versatile regarding what meats you use. I will say that the added veal does add some extra flavor and moisture though.
- Be sure not to over-work/over-mix the meatball mixture! This can make the meatballs tough.
- To ensure tender and SOFT meatballs, you want your meatball mixture to have almost a wet texture. If the mixture feels too dry, add a tablespoon more of milk at a time to make sure it is wet enough.
- I like to use a cookie scoop, to portion out my meatballs. I'll typically use 1 ½ scoops from my cookie scoop. You can also use an ice cream scoop, to make large meatballs. Make them whatever size you want! Just be sure they are all close to equal in size so they cook evenly.
- Be sure to flip the meatballs as soon as you see the bottoms browning so they don't burn. If they do brown more than desired, no biggie! They will be fine and will soften up a whole lot while simmering in the sauce after.
- Lightly grease your hands while forming meatballs to make it easier.
How to make the best authentic Italian meatballs
Homemade Pasta Sauce Ingredients
- Olive oil: Use extra virgin olive oil for browning the meats and onions for the best tasting results.
- Onion: For flavor.
- Garlic: Minced fresh garlic is best. You can never have enough garlic!
- Basil, parsley, oregano: Spices that give this sauce so much flavor.. Play around with the measurements, if you'd like.
- Salt & pepper: For flavor. Use your personal taste to gauge how much you want to use. I think the measurements I have provided are just the right amount.
- Sugar: I use a small amount of granulated sugar in my sauce recipe to counteract the acidity from the tomatoes. It makes such a huge difference, don't skip it!
- Crushed tomatoes: I think the texture and flavor of crushed tomatoes gives the best of both worlds. It's chunky and smooth at the same time! Brand also matters here! Tuttorosso is my absolute favorite and the only brand I will buy!
- Additional meats to add into sauce:
Substitutions & Variations
- Make meatball subs: These meatballs make the absolute best meatball subs!
- Sausage: Hot or sweet sausage are both great options. I always use a mixture of both. I never, ever skip the sausage! It lends SO much flavor to the sauce that otherwise wouldn't be there without it. If you think your sauce recipe is missing that "something", I bet it's this.
- Pork: Bone-in pork chops are my favorite to use. Discard bones before serving. You can also use country-style short ribs.
- Beef short ribs: Another DELICIOUS option. Be sure to discard bones before serving.
Bake or fry meatballs?
You can prepare them either way! I actually prefer to fry my meatballs (mostly because I love eating the browned meatballs plain while I cook! Ha!) but most of the time I'm pressed for time and preparing a lot of meatballs at once so I like to oven-bake mine and they come out just as tender and delicious with WAY less effort by popping them on a rimmed baking sheet and baking them. So, that is what I do 99% of the time. Plus, this recipe makes a ton of authentic Italian meatballs so you'd be frying them forever!
- If you want to fry, just fill a heavy skillet with a small layer of olive oil and fry each side until golden brown. Pop them into the simmering sauce to cook all the way through for 45 mins-2 hours.
What to do with leftover meatballs
- Just reheat in the microwave or on the stove and heat the meal up again.
- Make meatball subs: These meatballs make the absolute best meatball subs!
- To prepare: Line your sub roll with meatballs and top with a good amount of sauce and mozzarella and/or provolone cheese. The trick is to make sure the cheese is surrounding the meatballs, not just sprinkled on top. Broil them in the oven for a few minutes and serve immediately.
- Meatball parm: Grease a casserole dish and fill it up with leftover meatballs. Top with lots of sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake @ 375 for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melty and bubbly. Serve over pasta or however you'd like.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
- Leftovers: Store cooked meatballs in sauce for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Re-heat on the stove or in the microwave until heated through and enjoy.
- To freeze raw: Roll into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Put the pan in the freezer to flash freeze. Once frozen, remove from baking sheet and put meatballs in a large resealable freezer bag. They will keep for up to 3 months. To thaw: Remove from freezer and place the meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet in the refrigerator over night. Bake or fry as directed in the recipe instructions the next day.
- To freeze cooked: Prep and cook meatballs. Store in a resealable bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the sauce with the meatballs in it! Dump the meatballs and sauce in a large resealable bag and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw: Thaw in refrigerator over night and dump mixture into a large pot to heat up next day.
What can I add to my pasta sauce to make it heartier and more flavorful?
- Sausage: you can use hot or sweet sausage or a mixture of both. Cut them up and brown them in the beginning of the sauce recipe with the onion and garlic. They will cook through completely in the sauce.
- Pork: You can really use any kind of pork you want. Sometimes I have pork chops I have to use up and I'll throw them in my sauce Sear them at the same step mentioned above and cook until fall-apart tender in the sauce. Just be sure to remove bones before serving!
- Beef short ribs: Sear them, same as above, and cook through in the sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Is it better to fry or bake meatballs?
Frying the meatballs will result in meatballs with a slightly crunchy and caramelized exterior. Baking meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make larger batches at once.
Can I cook these meatballs in an air fryer?
Absolutely! Place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for about 10-12 minutes at 400ºF or until they reach an internal temperature of 160˚F.
As mentioned in the recipe instructions, if you are making sauce, you'll want to cook the meatballs in the air fryer (just like the oven and stove-top instructions) to an internal temperature of about 150ºF and finish them off in the sauce to a final internal temperature of 160˚F to ensure they are fully cooked. This will give them the softest, most tender texture.
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📋 Recipe
The BEST Authentic Italian Meatballs (with sauce recipe!)
These authentic Italian meatballs are the juiciest and most flavorful you'll ever taste, covered in a rich homemade pasta sauce.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef*, 80-85% lean
- 1 lb ground pork*
- 1 lb ground veal*
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- 3 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon basil
- 3 teaspoon parsley
- 1 cup pecorino romano cheese, finely grated
- 1 cup italian seasoned breadcrumbs*
- 1 cup whole milk, divided
Sauce
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoon basil
- 2 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, or to taste
- (4) 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 lb hot and/or sweet sausage, optional
- 2-4 pieces boneless pork*, optional
Instructions
For the sauce
- In a very large pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until translucent. If you are using sausage and/or pork in your sauce, you will also brown these at this point with the onion. Stir in minced garlic, cooking just until fragrant.
- Turn heat down to medium-low and add all 4 cans of crushed tomatoes, stirring well. Stir in all spices. Allow mixture to become very hot, but not boiling.
- Turn heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes-2 hours. The longer you simmer the better the flavor, but you need at least a minimum or 45 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently to ensure the bottom of the sauce will not stick and burn.
For baking meatballs
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease well with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add ground meats, egg yolks, grated cheese and all spices.
- In a separate bowl, stir breadcrumbs and ½ cup milk. Add to meat mixture along with the second ½ cup of milk and mix until evenly distributed and fully incorporated. Add more milk as needed to create a wet and soft texture. You do not want the mixture to be sopping wet, but wet enough to create soft and tender meatballs.
- Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, portion out 1-2 tbs of meat and roll into balls. Place on prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through to brown both sides. Turn oven to broil and broil for 3-5 minutes, if desired. Cook them to about 150°F. If you are finishing them off in the sauce, you typically just want to sear the outside. They do not need to be fully cooked in the center. If you are serving them without sauce, cook them a little longer so they are cooked all the way through! Before serving, be sure the meatballs have cooked to an internal temperature 160°F.
For frying meatballs:
- Portion out meatballs as directed above and fry in a thin layer of olive oil on both sides until browned evenly. Again, you don't want to fully cook them in the center if you are finishing them off in the sauce. If you are serving them without sauce, be sure to cook them all the way through!
- Add meatballs to simmering sauce and simmer for 45 minutes - 2 hours, until soft, fork-tender, and cooked through. Internal temperature of meatballs should read 160˚F. Be sure to stir frequently, scraping the bottom of the pot, so the bottom of the sauce does not burn.
Air Fryer Meatballs:
- Place meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for about 10-12 minutes at 400ºF or until they reach an internal temperature of 160˚F.As mentioned in the recipe instructions, if you are making sauce, you'll want to cook the meatballs in the air fryer (just like the oven and stove-top instructions) to an internal temperature of about 150ºF and finish them off in the sauce to a final internal temperature of 160˚F to ensure they are fully cooked. This will give them the softest, most tender texture.
Notes
*Meat for meatballs: You can use 3 lb of meatball/meatloaf mix from the grocery store, if needed.
*Pork cuts: I like to either use boneless pork chops or country style pork ribs in my sauce.
*Breadcrumbs substitute: You can use a slice or two of good white bread in place of the breadcrumbs for this recipe. Simply remove the crusts and tear the bread into small pieces. Stir them into the milk and add to meat mixture.
Storage Instructions: Store cooked meatballs in sauce for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Re-heat on the stove or in the microwave until heated through and enjoy.
To freeze raw: Roll into balls and place on a baking sheet. Put the pan in the freezer to flash freeze. Once frozen, remove from baking sheet and put meatballs in a large resealable freezer bag. They will keep for up to 3 months. To thaw: Remove from freezer and place the meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet in the refrigerator over night. Bake as directed in the recipe instructions next day.
To freeze cooked: Prep and cook meatballs. Store in a resealable bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the sauce with the meatballs! Dump the meatballs and sauce in a large resealable bag and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw: Thaw in refrigerator over night and dump mixture into a large pot to heat up next day.
Nutrition
Calories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 10gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 500mgPotassium: 225mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 98IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1mg
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tried this recipe?I'd love to hear about it! Leave a comment below & tag @sprinkle_some_sugar on instagram!
Royce Fowler says
very good recipe
Lynette Dagley says
Jessica, when we tripled the recipe, not only did the 4 - 28 oz crushed tomatoes cans become 12, but the 28 oz cans became 84 oz cans. So the cans got 3 times bigger as well as the qty!
We used a convection oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes which worked well and we did not have to turn them. We lined the cookie sheets with parchment paper.
The flavors were excellent and we loved your intense labor in making an instructive understanding of the recipe. My husband and I teamed up for an Italian family Christmas gathering of about 50 people.
Patriot says
I try different recipes and only keep the best of the best. I kept this one. The meatballs are soft and tender and hold together well. Sauce is to die for. I will use no other recipe for meatballs from now on.
Susie Bonfiglio says
Thank you and your grandma for this recipe!
It was the best I have ever made
Big hit with my family
Sue says
Followed the exact recipe and the meatballs and sauce turned out very good! Will certainly make this again.
Tracy says
These meatballs were so very good! I already had a very good recipe , but these are even better! They are very flavorfull, and the perfect texter. not to soft , and not to dense. I didn't use the veel because it was to expensive. They we're still so yummy😊
Jessica says
Thanks so much, Tracy! I love how versatile this recipe is and that they still came out amazing leaving out the veal!
Mayzee says
I googled "Authentic Italian Meatballs". This sounds so Tasty.
Regarding the Meats for the "Sauce". How much "Sausage" should I
use? Do I cut the "Links" in pieces? Re the "Pork Chops" ... how much?
Re the "Ribs" ... how many?
Thanx-o-x, in advance.
Katherine A Dietz says
Can i use water instead of milk and how long should I soak the bread crumbs for?
Or could I make the panade out of italian bread and break it into pieces then soak?
Thanks
Katherine
Katherine A Dietz says
Can I make the panade out of water instead of milk?
Thanks
Katherine
Katherine A Dietz says
I don't care for Romano cheese can I use grated Parmesan instead?
Thanks
Katherine