A family favorite for years, this might actually be the BEST meatball recipe! I use special (but simple) techniques for unbelievably flavorful, tender, and juicy results. Recipe includes instructions for baking or pan-searing. Don’t miss the how-to video!
The Actual BEST Meatball Recipe (with Homemade Marinara Sauce!)
If you’ve tried my meatloaf recipe or BBQ chicken meatballs, you already know that I don’t take shortcuts when it comes to moisture and flavor. I’ve applied these same techniques in today’s meatball recipe… from a proper panade to careful handling and balanced seasoning, these meatballs are tender, juicy, and deeply savory (the reviews back me up on that!). While I originally only shared a method for searing, I’ve since tested a baking option that works wonderfully. Slightly easier, but still delicious, so you can choose what works best in your kitchen.
Why This Recipe WORKS
- Juicy and moist thanks to a trusted Italian-American technique: making a panade. A panade is simply starch and liquid mixed together (here: torn bread or panko and whole milk), and it adds moisture to the meat. It’s super easy to do and has a BIG impact on the final result!
- Super tender texture because we are take precautions to avoid over-mixing, which can use dense, rubbery meatballs. We do this by tempering the meat mixture. Once again, this is a quick and easy (takes less than 30 seconds!) but super impactful trick.
- Two meats are better than one! We’ll use a combination of beef and pork for the better flavor and texture.
- Customizable ease. Feeling a bit low energy or short on time? You have several options here to make things easier: bake the meatballs instead of searing, use your favorite store-bought sauce instead of making your own marinara sauce, use panko for the panade instead of tearing up bread, etc. You’ll have incredible meatballs either way!
Ingredients
Nothing fancy or complicated here–just humble pantry staples that come together to make the best meatball recipe you’ll ever try!
- Meat. While I’ve made these before with just beef (and even sometimes using ground chicken), a blend of beef and pork strikes just the right balance for flavor and texture. Pork is slightly fattier and more forgiving when it comes to cooking, and this helps keep the meatballs softer and more tender, it also adds a subtle slightly sweet flavor that deepens the flavor. You can alternatively use Italian sausage instead of plain pork.
- Panko breadcrumbs. I previously recommended using torn white bread only; however, I now prefer to use panko breadcrumbs. I find panko is easier to use and actually prefer the texture with it, but you can use whatever is easiest/most accessible for you! Do not use regular (non-panko) breadcrumbs–I find these make the meatballs a bit more dry than I care for.
- Milk. I use and recommend whole milk, but I suspect pretty much any kind will work.
- Spices. Including parsley, oregano, onion powder, and black pepper. You can add crushed red pepper and nutmeg too if you like, but those aren’t totally necessary! Note: if you are making the sauce I’ve included today (and I recommend you do!), you will also need dried basil.
- Cheese. Some grated parmesan adds a lovely depth to the meatballs without making them taste cheesy. I prefer to grate my own cheese here (just like when making baked mac and cheese!), but you could get away with pre-grated here too.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
SAM’S TIP: You want your ingredients, especially your meat, to be as cold as possible (if the meat gets too warm the fat will melt and you’ll lose precious flavor). Keep the meat in the fridge until the last-second, and consider using a chilled metal bowl when mixing things together!
How to Make the BEST Meatball Recipe
Make the Panade
This panade is what gives my meatball recipe such an incredible flavor and moist, juicy texture. Well, mostly–another key factor is the mixing technique (which we’ll talk about next!).
- Step 1: Make the panade. Combine the panko or torn bread pieces with the milk. Let this sit until the milk is fully absorbed, then mash everything together with a fork until you have a paste.
Temper & Roll
While we need to work the panade and the remaining ingredients together, we need to be careful to not over-work the meat, or we will lose that moist, soft texture we are aiming for.
After lots of experimenting and research, I ended up borrowing a tempering technique from Daniel Gritzer of Serious Eats. Rather than trying to mix together our panade and our meat all at once (high over-mixing risk!) we first stir together the panade and all of the remaining ingredients except for the meat, then add only a few tablespoons of the meat to start with. I’ll show you how it works!
- Step 2: Temper the meat mixture. Add all ingredients except for the meat to the panade. Mix well until everything is combined, then add 2 tablespoons of each meat and mix VERY well again until everything is thoroughly combined. Finally, add the remaining meat and gently work everything together until the mixture is uniform.
- Step 3: Roll into balls. Scoop 2-tablespoon portions and gently roll between your palms (lightly grease them with oil to avoid sticking!) until round. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake or Sear
- Bake. Transfer your baking sheet to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. The meatballs will not be fully cooked through at this point; we will finish cooking them in the sauce.
- OR for more intense flavor, sear! Generously coat the bottom of a large pot with a layer of olive oil and heat until the oil is shimmering. Sear the meatballs in batches of 3-4 at a time (more or less depending on how large your pot is!). You only need to sear on two sides; they won’t be cooked through and you should still see quite a bit of pink. Once browned on both sides, transfer the meatballs to a separate plate and remove all 2 tablespoons of the grease in the pan.
Make the Sauce & Serve
- Step 5: Make the sauce. Cook the onion in olive oil (or leftover grease from the meatballs, if you seared them!) until softened, then add the garlic and cook til fragrant. Stir in the remaining ingredients, then add the meatballs. Cover and let everything simmer until the meatballs reach 165F when checked with a thermometer. Serve and enjoy!
SAM’S TIP: If you’re searing the meatballs, there will be plenty of browned bits remaining in the pot after searing; these are full of flavor and should be worked into the sauce (NEVER remove them!).
Frequently Asked Questions
There’s not a single secret to making really great meatballs, it’s all about choosing the right ingredients, maximizing them for tenderness and flavor, and handling everything properly. Use a blend of pork and beef that’s a higher percentage of fat. Make a panade (non-negotiable) to trap moisture and keep the meatballs from being too dense. Mix gently, and let the meatballs simmer in the sauce after they’re cooked or browned. Summarized, the secret is moisture control, selecting the proper fat, and handling gently.
A classic serving suggestion would be to serve these meatballs over pasta with a side salad with Italian dressing and my homemade garlic knots on the side.
However, they are especially fantastic as sliders on my garlic bread dinner rolls, with a crusty side of artisan bread or my sourdough bread recipe or on sub rolls as meatball subs 🤤
There are three big mistakes I see people make when preparing their meatballs. The first is choosing a beef that’s too lean; you want a beef with a higher percentage of fat. The fat melts while cooking, keeping the meatballs nice and juicy. Second, is skipping the panade. Mixing the bread and milk traps moisture and makes the meatballs soft and tender rather than dense and dry. Finally, over-mixing (or rolling the meatballs too tightly) is the easiest way to go wrong. You want to just gently combine the ingredients, otherwise the meatballs could be rubbery.
Serve Your Meatballs With
Looking for an equally tasty, but lower effort meal? Try my meat sauce recipe!
Enjoy!
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The BEST Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
For Meatballs
- 1 cup (90 g) panko (or 3 slices white bread, torn into 1" pieces)
- ½ cup (118 ml) whole milk cold
- ½ cup (40 g) grated parmesan
- 1 large egg lightly beaten (cold is fine)
- 3 large cloves garlic pressed (or minced if you do not have a garlic press)
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 lb (455 g) ground beef I used 90% lean
- 1 lb (455 g) ground pork
- Olive oil
For Sauce (Or you may substitute 3-4 cups of your favorite, quality marinara sauce)
- 1 cup (145 g) finely chopped yellow onion
- 1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic about 3-4 cloves
- 28 oz (793 g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
For Meatballs
- If you are baking the meatballs, preheat your oven to 425F (220C), otherwise skip this step.
- Make the panade: Pour panko (or bread pieces) into a large mixing bowl and pour the milk evenly overtop. Stir until bread/panko is saturated and allow to sit for 10 minutes until milk is fully absorbed, then use a fork to mash into a paste.1 cup (90 g) panko, ½ cup (118 ml) whole milk
- Add everything else but the meat: Add grated parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, parsley, onion powder, oregano, crushed red pepper (if using), nutmeg, salt, and ground pepper to the panade and stir until well-combined.½ cup (40 g) grated parmesan, 1 large egg, 3 large cloves garlic, 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- Temper the meat: Add about 2 Tablespoons each of the ground beef and ground pork to the panade mixture and stir very well until, until thoroughly combined before adding the remaining meat.1 lb (455 g) ground beef, 1 lb (455 g) ground pork
- Add remaining meat and mix: Add the remaining meat to the panade and use your hands to gently work ingredients together until completely combined. Do your best to make the mixture uniform, but don't over-work or your meatballs will be tough.
- Form the meatballs: Scoop dough into 2-Tablespoon sized balls and lightly grease your hands with olive oil. Roll gently into a round ball (don't roll too tightly) and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet (spacing meatballs at least 1" apart if baking) until you have formed all of your meatballs.
- If baking the meatballs: Transfer baking sheet to center rack of 425F (220C) oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. While the meatballs are baking, begin preparing the sauce. If pan-searing the meatballs: Heat a large stockpot or enameled Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add enough oil that the bottom of the pan is covered, about ⅛-¼” deep. Working in batches, sear the meatballs until browned on one side, carefully flip, and brown on the other side, then transfer to a plate (they will still be pink inside, this is fine). Repeat until all meatballs have been cooked. If you have more than about 2 Tbsp of grease left in the pot, drain excess grease (I use a ladle to remove). If you don’t have any grease left, add a splash more olive oil and allow it to heat and prepare your sauce. Do not remove caramelized/brown bits at the bottom of the pot!
For the Sauce
- If you pan-seared your meatballs drain off anything more than about 2 Tablespoons of grease (don't remove any browned bits!) from the pot and continue to work in the same pot. Proceed with the recipe as written.If you baked your meatballs, add 2 Tablespoons of oil to a large stockpot or enameled dutch oven. Heat over medium heat. Proceed with the recipe as written.1 cup (145 g) finely chopped yellow onion
- Cook the onion: Add onion to the pot and cook until softened/translucent (about 5-7 minutes). If you cooked your meatballs in the pot and there are any browned bits, scrape these up as you cook.
- Cook the garlic: Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic
- Add crushed tomatoes, basil, sugar, oregano, salt, and pepper and stir well.28 oz (793 g) crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoons dried oregano, ½ teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Simmer and add meatballs: Bring sauce to a simmer and then gently place meatballs into the sauce, submerging in the sauce as much as possible.
- Cook through: Cover pot with a lid and simmer over low heat until meatballs are cooked through (usually about 15 minutes, internal temperature should reach at least 165F/75C).
- Serve: Gently stir sauce and serve alone, with a side salad, on subs, or over pasta.
Notes
Storing
Allow meatballs and sauce to cool then store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavor improves as the meatballs sit! To freeze, store cold meatballs and sauce in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy duty freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat on the stovetop over low heat (add a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much). You can also store cooked meatballs without the sauce for up to 3 months, reheat in a simmering sauce until warmed through.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Millie
My husband and I made this tonight…..but I didn’t really watch his measuring of ingredients. They meatballs didn’t have much taste to them. It did smell fantastic while cooking, though . Also, the sauce was a little watery. Any tips? I will definitely try this one again on my own.
Sam Merritt
Hi Millie! I’m disappointed to hear this happened! I wonder if one of the spices was mismeasured or maybe it just needed a touch more salt added. You can simmer the sauce longer to thicken it up. 🙂
Nikki
I had to apologize to my boyfriend for not making him this meatball recipe first. These actually are the BEST meatballs!
Sam Merritt
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Nikki! 🙂
Cat
Hey Sam! I hate to make you do math, but if I wanted to halve this recipe (but still use the same amount of sauce) and only use ground beef, could I just halve all the meatball ingredients with the exception of the egg and use a single pound of beef? Thanks in advance! I’ve tried this recipe already as written and it’s awesome! My parents just don’t eat pork.
Sam Merritt
Hi Cat! You could halve the recipe by halving all of the ingredients. I would still use the egg. I would scramble it and just eyeball it, using about half of the egg. You could also use 2 pounds of ground beef instead of using pork. It will change the flavor a bit. 🙂
Terri
The best meatballs ever, and I’ve made and eaten hundreds. I didn’t have white bread except for Italian rolls, which I’m saving for meatball sandwiches, so i used plain panko and milk. 10 stars!
Casey @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Terri! We’re so glad you love them so much! Thank you for the review. ☺️