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Do you have any recipes that are always a huge hit?
You know the kind. The family consistently requests these favorites for special occasions. Friends are excited all day when they're on the menu. And at the dinner table, all you hear is mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm...
I've got a few of these winners, and this recipe for Italian Meat Balls with Marinara is right near the top of the list. I've been making this Italian classic for over 25 years, (see the recipe for tricks I've learned after many repeat performances) and it never fails to bring rave reviews and requests for second (or third!) helpings.
A while back, our daughter, Cait, shared a post on The Café, featuring this Best Ever Marinara Sauce that I always use with these meatballs . Simmered for hours, it's thick, rich red and loaded with amazing flavor. It's fabulous on it's own, and can be used for just about any Italian dish that calls for a red sauce. It's perfect for manicotti, lasagna, eggplant Parmigiana and more, but our favorite way to serve it is combined with these wonderful Italian meatballs.
Cait uses this sauce to make a fabulous Chicken Caprese, with boneless chicken breasts. She just buries them in a pan of this flavorful marinara and adds a topping of fresh mozzarella. After a short stint in the oven, (perfectly cooking the chicken and melting the cheese) she adds a scatter of fresh basil. It's an easy and delicious dinner.
The cast of characters is what makes these meatballs so delicious; lean ground beef, Italian sausage, fresh bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, garlic, basil and oregano.
After mixing and shaping into balls, (I use plastic gloves*** to mix the ingredients and an ice cream scoop to scoop up the meat mixture), the meatballs are baked until golden, then finished with a brief simmer in the flavorful marinara.
This is not a 30-minute meal recipe, but it's great for a stay-at-home day. While you're busy with other tasks, the amazing sauce will simmer away, filling your home with the aroma of a delicious, authentic Italian Ristorante.
Often, I double the meatball recipe and, after adding them to the marinara, freeze meal-size portions. On busy days or when I'm expecting guests, I'll pull a container or two out of the freezer early in the day. We have a fabulous dinner that evening, with minimal effort for me.
In addition to serving over pasta, these tasty meatballs make the best sandwiches, piled into crisp baguettes and topped with melted fresh mozzarella. I've also served them in pocket pitas and as a fun topping for pizzas.
This is a keeper-recipe, for sure. Try it, I have a feeling it will become one of your favorites that's requested again and again!
- 1½ pounds ground beef lean
- ½ lb. Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs* see note below
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ large onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons dry basil
- 1- 1 ½ teaspoons salt** see note below
- ½ teaspoon pepper fresh ground
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Best Ever Marinara Sauce
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Combine all ingredients except oil in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined**.
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Form mixture into 1 ½ inch meatballs. (An ice cream scooper works great to scoop up the meat.)
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Preheat oven to 400˚F. Place meatballs on a sheet pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil to save on clean up. Drizzle oil over meatballs and turn to coat. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until lightly browned (parmesan cheese will be oozing a bit. Remove and let drain on paper towels.
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Add to Best Ever Marinara Sauce and simmer for 20 minutes.
*I like to use a good quality baguette for this (The bread doesn't have to be super fresh, a bit stale is fine). I just break it in pieces and use some long pulses in food processor till the crumbs are fairly small. About ¼ of an average size baguette will yield 1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs. You can also use (the same quantity of) dried bread crumbs but the meatballs will be a bit more dense.
** It can be difficult to get the right amount of saltiness in meatballs. Everyone's taste is different and each brand of Italian sausage is different in salt content. I like to start with a smaller amount. of salt After I have all the ingredients mixed together, I form a small ball (about ½ inch in diameter). I fold a paper towel in quarters and wrap the little meatball inside. A 20-30 second stint in the microwave is all it takes to cook the meatball. I let it cool a bit then taste it to see if it more salt is needed.
*** It's difficult to mix up meatballs unless you use your hands. I always hated the mess and my hands got so cold. I decided to try using dishwashing gloves and keep a pair just for making meatballs (I mark them with a laundry marker just to make sure they're not used for anything else. When I'm done, I wash my hands (with the gloves on) with lots of soap and rub till they're squeaky clean. I dry my (gloved) hands well with a paper towel and store the gloves in a zippered plastic bag till my next meatball adventure.
Carol says
Thank you for this top-notch recipe! The meatballs are just outstanding. The flavor is perfect and so is the texture. I’ve made these a few times now in different applications: Meatball Pizza, Spaghetti Casserole, and Meatball Sandwiches, as well as your recipe. Excellent every time! Thanks again!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
So happy to hear that, Carol! Thank you for letting us know.
Harriet says
I have been making my grandmother's meatball recipe which is fairly similar to yours for over 50 years ! But I must say, these were much more flavorful. Also love the marinara sauce. Thank you for another wonderful recipe. Chris.
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you, Harriet! I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe.
majelline says
Good Morning I may of missed it but how many meatballs does this recipe make?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Majelline, that will depend on the size of your meatballs. I get 25-30 1½-inch meatballs.
janet says
Will Panko work in this recipe?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Janet, although I love panko for other meatballs I wouldn't use them in this recipe. The fresh bread crumbs produce a light meatball which is very unique and delicious.
Michael Cefalu says
Hello hello from Greenfield Wi. Hey keto pals, replace the breade crumbs with rice Chex crumbs. Food for thought. Zero carbs in Rice Chex.
Diane says
I plan to make this Sunday for my family. My grandson is allergic to all things dairy. Do you think I should make any flavour adjustments if I leave out the Parmesan? Or would it be better to just make a couple of meatballs for him and then add the Parmesan for the rest of us? Thank you Chris.
Chris Scheuer says
The parmesan does add great flavor and a nice moist texture. If you could make a few for him without the cheese, that would be your best bet. Enjoy!
Deidra says
This recipe is the absolute best! I came across it a few years ago. I always refer back when I make meatballs bi monthly! So good that I put these meatballs on submarine rolls, on top of spaghetti, and sometimes right by themselves with garlic cheese bread.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for letting us know, Deidra!
Gina says
I have made these once before and they were amazing! Do you think it would be ok to make the meatballs and then freeze them BEFORE baking to make at a later date?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Gina, I think that would definitely work! I would freeze them on a sheet pan for about an hour until they're fairly well frozen, then store in a ziplock bag or airtight storage container. That way, they won't stick together.
Eileen says
Meatballs and spaghetti are one of my husbands favorite meals. I don't use sausage. Can you suggest any other substitute. Can I combine turkey or chicken with the meat, If so , what would be the amount needed?
Than-you
Chris Scheuer says
You could either just skip the sausage or use turkey or chicken sausage. Yes, you can definitely combine ground turkey and/or chicken with the ground beef or just use all of the ground chicken/turkey. If you use the ground turkey/chicken though I would add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the mix to keep the meatballs moist. ENJOY!
Lanell Garcia says
Instead of making the meatballs, I made Italian sausage and then simmered the sauce with it. My family loved it.
Chris Scheuer says
YUM! Thanks, for taking the time to leave a comment, Lanell.
Mary says
I don’t see the marinara recipe. Can you please send? Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Mary, I think the link disappeared when I changed my recipe plugin. I added it now and here it is as well: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/best-ever-marinara-sauce/
Gaby says
Can I replace the red meat with ground chicken?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Gaby,
You could use ground chicken or turkey, although the meatballs will be wetter and you may need to add more bread crumbs to get the right consistency.
Jackie says
Hi Chris
How many meatballs and how much marinara sauce do I use with a pound of spaghetti.
Mi says
I made those tonight. My husband just told me these are "the best meatballs" I have ever made. (I have made a lot of meatballs in our 16 year marriage.) All the others got a "It's all right". I did change my meat up. Ground turkey ground turkey sausage. Almond flour (because of my high blood sugar) and an extra egg because almond flour absorbs more moisture than regular bread crumbs. Be said these were so "light and flavorful" These is high praise from a picky eater who groans when I say I'm trying something new.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Mi! They're a favorite in our house too.
Shelly says
These meatballs look amazing! Pinning!
Amy says
I am dying to try this recipe for my son coming home from college soon! Do you add the sausage to the Marinara sauce if you are serving with the Italian meatballs? In the picture, it is hard to tell. Beautiful website! You must be passionate about good food.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Amy,
The sausage adds wonderful flavor to the sauce, especially as it browns and creates a bit of a “frond” on the bottom of the pan which is absorbed when you make the sauce. You can either use the sausage with the meatballs, which is what I do or you can leave them whole and use them for Italian sausage sandwiches. Both are wonderful. I went back and tried to clarify this in the recipe. Thanks for asking!
Sandy Miller says
I think the meatball recipe sounds fabulous, but because of an allergy I can't use cheese in the recipe. Do you suggest increasing the bread crumbs to make up the difference? Thank you. I want to make this for my grandkids!
Chris Scheuer says
Sandy, there's a lot of good flavor in these meatballs and the marinara, so I think if you had to, you could skip the cheese. Adding more bread crumbs might make them more dry.
Kim Hawkins says
yummmm. Your website is wonderful! All your dishes look amazing and your writing is delightful. too!
I'm so happy I found you and cannot wait to cook some of these recipes.
Cindy says
I am making this as I type. We are in the last hour of cooking. My three children are dying for dinner to get here because the house smells so good. My daughter used the term 'heavenly' (she's 12). The hack with the dish gloves has really changed my life--thanks for that!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for the kind words Cindy!
Marion says
I made these tonight! Great recipe, thank you so much!!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Marion! So glad you enjoyed it!
bellini says
It is definitely one of my favourites as well Chris. I think spaghetti and meatballs was one of the first dishes that ever came out of my own kitchen back in the day. Thanks for sharing your recipe.