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grandma's italian meatballs

(12 ratings)
1lovetocook1x avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Cassie *
@1lovetocook1x
Somewhere, PA

My grandma gave me this Italian meatball recipe years ago. I keep them stocked up in the freezer and when I need them there they are. Delicious! I make the balls bigger if I'm using them for meatballs subs. I slice them in half, flat side down on a hoagie roll, add sauce, and cheese, and broil for about 10 minutes. I also smash them up and add them to my sauce for lasagna.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Grandma's Italian meatballs are very versatile. They can be used in sauce and served over pasta, made into a meatball sub, or sliced and added to homemade pizza. It's a basic meatball recipe made with a combination of ground beef and sausage seasoned with garlic, onions, and parsley. Bread crumbs soaked in milk and Parmesan cheese help to bind the meatballs. They can be pan-fried or baked. We opted to bake them in the oven and serve with spaghetti and sauce.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(12 ratings)
yield 8 serving(s)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 25 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For grandma's italian meatballs

  • 2/3 c
    Italian bread crumbs
  • milk, enough to moisten bread crumbs
  • 1 lb
    pork sausage
  • 1 lb
    ground beef
  • 1/2 c
    grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1/3 c
    finely minced onions
  • 2 lg
    eggs
  • 3 clove
    garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp
    garlic powder
  • 1/3 c
    fresh parsley
  • 1/2 tsp
    salt
  • 1/4 tsp
    pepper
  • 1 tsp
    Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp
    Worcestershire sauce

How To Make grandma's italian meatballs

  • Combine the meats, cheese, soaked bread crumbs, onion, eggs, garlic, garlic powder, parsley, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce.
    1
    Soak the bread crumbs in enough milk to moisten them. The trick to moist meatballs is softening bread crumbs in the milk. In a large bowl, combine the meats, cheese, soaked bread crumbs, onion, eggs, garlic, garlic powder, parsley, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Mix thoroughly.
    2
    Mix thoroughly. Make sure not to over-mix or that will make the meatballs tough.
  • Form into 2-inch balls.
    3
    Form into 2-inch balls.
  • Brown or bake the meatballs until cooked.
    4
    Brown the meatballs in a skillet with a small amount of oil on medium heat. Or, bake meatballs in the oven for 20 min at 375 degrees F. I do the oven method. Grandma always browned hers in olive oil and a little vegetable oil.
  • Serve with your favorite spaghetti sauce.
    5
    Serve with your favorite spaghetti sauce.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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