Best Classic Italian Meatballs Recipe (2024)

The perfect meatball is a work of art. It must be tender, packed with flavor, nicely round, and hold together while cooking. Lucky for you, our classic Italian meatball recipe passes all of these tests with flying colors. Searing meatballs on the stovetop and simmering in a homemade (or store-bought!) marinara results in extra-flavorful, tender meatballs that won’t fall apart. Read on for our top tips (and best-kept secret) on perfecting our best-ever classic meatballs:

The secret to perfect, tender meatballs:
—Go beyond just beef. Don't get us wrong, there's nothing wrong with all beef, but using a trio of ground beef, ground pork, and Italian sausage gives them a much more complex flavor.
—The secret to keeping your meatballs together? Make a panade. A panade, a binder made by soaking bread crumbs in milk until it becomes a paste, is the secret to moist, tender meatballs. Top tip: This recipe works best with fresh bread crumbs. You can make your own by pulsing white or sourdough bread (without the crust) in a food processor.
—Mix gently. Overmixing ground meat can make meatballs too compact and tough. Working with your hands lets you incorporate everything more quickly and gently. We also recommend beating the eggs before adding them so that it combines more easily with the other ingredients.

How to make classic meatballs:
—Use a cookie scoop. If you want them all to cook in the same amount of time (and look the same), use a cookie scoop. Just scoop, level, and roll. It’s faster, easier, and you’ll grab the same amount of meat each time for uniformity.
—Roll with damp hands. To keep the meat from sticking to your hands while you roll, keep a little bowl of cold water next to you as you work.
—Sear the meatballs first. The browned outsides of meatballs contribute a ton of flavor. Plus, it helps the meatballs to stay together. You need to work in batches, though, since you'll have no chance at a good sear if the meatballs are crowding the pan.
—Simmer in the sauce. After searing, simmer the meatballs in the marinara sauce to guarantee that they’re cooked through and that the sauce clings to the meatball’s nooks and crannies.

Alternate cooking methods:
For these classic meatballs, we prefer (and highly recommend) searing on the stovetop, but you can absolutely make baked meatballs if you prefer. Can't get enough of the air fryer? Make our air fryer meatballs instead!

What to serve with meatballs:
Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic pairing, but Italian meatballs are more versatile than that. Serve over polenta or mashed potatoes, top with cheese and broil until bubbling and golden, sandwich between a hoagie roll with more cheese for the perfect meatball sub, or just put a fork right into the skillet!

Storage.
If you have any leftover meatballs, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Have you made this recipe? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.