Is 93 Percent Lean Beef Better With Pork Sausage for Meatballs
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05/28/2008
They ARE the best meatballs, even though I use all beef most of the time. I don't fry, b/c I am too impatient, and the meatballs break up more that way. I scoop them out with a spoon, roll them in my hands, and bake on a cake rack in the oven over a foil-lined cookie sheet. This way, they brown nicely, excess fat is drained off, and they can go right into sauce, or, in our family, meatball hoagies, along with sauteed onions and peppers. They also freeze very well when baked this way. When I take these to parties, I always get requests for the recipe.
10/12/2009
There is nothing I hate more than to get a mediocre or worse review from people who do not follow the recipe as written, and then judge YOU on it. I followed this to a "T" even though my experience as a chef was telling me not to. Too much cheese. Not enough garlic. And "salt and pepper to taste" is a personal pet peeve. If you are going to post a recipe, include all the measurements, or be prepared to take your lumps. This recipe is good enough to avoid disaster, but DO NOT FRY. They stick to the pan and melt away when you add them to the gravy(tomato sauce). Instead, bake them for about 35 minutes at 350. Then, put them in the gravy for the last hour or two. Replace half the cheese with more breadcrumbs. Less mess, healthier and easier.
01/05/2003
Honestly, I was skeptical using water in a meatball recipe, but it was really great! I scaled to 4 servings, used only beef, 85%, 1/2 cup italian style breadcrumbs and Kraft parmesan cheese, as my young children do not yet appreciate the stronger flavor of "real" cheese, and they both said they were the best meatballs ever. Also, I did not fry them, to cut down on fat and clean-up, and they kept their shape just fine. I just put them in the gravy and cooked them on simmer for 30 minutes. The sauce was a simple marinara, just sautee 2 cloves of garlic, add 3 cans of crushed tomatoes, 1 can paste, 3/4 c. water and simmer. Add 1T oregano, 1t. basil, 1t. onion powder, salt and pepper and voila! Geanine and I teamed up to make an awesome dinner! Thanks Geanine!
02/17/2003
This IS the best Italian Meatball recipe ever. My ex-mother-in-law gave me this recipe more than 25 years ago. We use italian style breadcrumbs and much less liquid (about 1/4 cup milk). What makes it so good is the ratio of meats. You can adjust the flavorings to suit your family's taste. Once browned, the meatballs can finish cooking in the frypan or by baking, or even add them to the sauce. I would recommend this basic recipe to anyone. Excellent addition to Allrecipes.com.
04/01/2003
Thank you Geanine! My husband told me that these were absolutely the best meatballs he had ever tried! I didn't pan fry them in olive oil - I simply dropped them into a crockpot full of homemade spaghetti sauce and let them cook with the sauce all afternoon. Also, I used italian style bread crumbs instead of making my own - just used a third cup less. My husband absconded with the leftovers to take to work this morning, and three people from his office called me today to get the recipe! Will ALWAYS use this recipe for spaghetti and meatballs!
03/05/2003
Wow, This is the way that I make my meatballs (recipe from my Mom, not some cookbook), but instead of using water, we use milk, and soak the bread in it, and also skip the olive oil browning, as the meat produces enough fat for the browning proceedure. Thanks Geanine!
05/28/2008
Exactly the way I make them, except I don't use quite as much water and I don't fry them. I drop them in the sauce to cook. Makes the sauce taste awesome.
05/09/2008
Good, standard recipe. For a variation, try using ground italian sausage in place of the pork, along with some minced onion. I also add anise seed to both the meatballs and my sauce. The anise seed really makes it.
04/05/2011
These definitely are some of "The Best Meatballs"! Using three types of meat really makes a difference and a good rule of thumb to ensure moistness is one egg for every one pound of meat. These were delicious - so good you almost could eat them by themselves, but even better when accompanied by an equally good spaghetti sauce. I used a compination of Parmesan and Romano cheeses. I put the Italian bread into my mini food processor and gave it a whirl to produce bread crumbs. Instead of water I used milk and only enough for the meatballs to hold their shape. You don't want these to be mushy or falling apart. I didn't use the olive oil to fry them in a pan but instead I put these into a baking dish and baked at 350 for 20-25 minutes. These were very moist and full of flavor -excellent recipe!
09/26/2011
I have my own "best meatballs" but every now and then I like to try something different. What I particularly liked about this recipe was the combination of three meats, the addition of Romano cheese (Parmesan would work equally as well), and the fact that it's not loaded up with commercial "Italian Seasoning." But I did back off on the cheese to 1/2 cup and added twice as much garlic - I think the amount of cheese called for is far too much. I also used milk rather than water, just enough for the bread to absorb, then squeezed it dry. I didn't want the mess of frying, so I took the easy way out and baked them on a large cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. At that point I tossed them in the Crock-pot with some of my homemade tomato sauce and let it all marry for several hours. This made a LOT of meatballs for Hubs and me, and was just what I had in mind for easy meals for the next couple of nights while we take care of last minute packing and preparations for our return to Italy! There was even enough to give a good amount to Mom! While I'll always be partial to "my own" way of making meatballs (actually Grandma's and Mom's meatballs I grew up on), this was a pretty darned good meatball (backing off on the cheese), with just a few simple ingredients.
10/31/2010
I don't rate the recipes from this site. I make them, like them or don't like them, and move on. This will be my first review. Here it goes: I've been through lots and lots of meatball recipes. This is THEE BEST one. EVER. Hands down. Lock up shop!
12/28/2011
I first reviewed this in Dec. of 2011. I don't mind people posting recipes that belong to someone else but come on, give them credit. I'm sure Rao's Restaurant in Harlem could care less, but I've read every post since then and you never did give the proper credit. In my book, that kind of makes you a thief!! Live with it.
02/28/2008
For the last 25 yrs I have used my Italian mother-in-law's meatball recipe (and they are good) but these are great!! I told her about them and will bring some over Sunday for her to try. A little tip; I fry a tiny meatball to taste for seasoning before I cook the whole batch. Then you can add more cheese, salt, garlic, etc. Great recipe!!
03/15/2009
Like others, I baked my meatballs. I made mine a little smaller than a tennis ball. I baked them on a cookie rake with a foil-lined cookie sheet underneath for 25 minutes at 375 degrees. Instead of the called for water, I used 1/2 c. water, and 1/2 cup milk and substituted 1 c italian bread crumbs. My family LOVED these!!
04/27/2012
I only gave this four stars because I feel the olive oil and the water are so unnecessary. If you are using ground pork in your meatballs, trust me, there will be plenty of grease to keep them moist and delicious. No need whatsoever to add additional oils. And the water? That I truly don't understand at all. I make these without either the oil or water and they are super moist and extremely delicious!! Without those two unnecessary ingredients, and the addition of basil this easily goes to five stars and above!! Oh, I also do not fry my meatballs. I use a cookie scoop to make them a uniform size and drop them onto a cookie sheet lined with no stick foil (for super easy cleanup and easy removal from thee pan). I bake them for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F. Then I add some to my sauce and freeze the rest for another day, another meal. These are GREAT for meatball sandwiches!!
12/20/2011
This meatball recipe is great! I just made them this evening for dinner and they came out great...I changed a couple of things, but it still came out great! I used ground beef only. I substituted italian style breadcrumbs for the bread as Michelle suggested in her review, and I added some italian seasoning as well as parsley and basil to the meat mixture, I found no need for the water and the oil, so I omitted the water and the oil. I find that baking meatballs is so much better and healthier than frying, and they seem to keep their shape better also. The trick to this is, not to over bake them because they can dry out quickly if you don't keep an eye on them so I just use my timer on the oven and it works great, but don't cook them for more than 30 mins in the over. I put a very light coat of oil on a glass pan, you can also use cooking spray as well. I cooked the meatballs on 350 for 20 minutes while I was preparing the sauce and then added a few extra minutes to complete the sauce. As soon as, I got the sauce started I put the meatballs in right away and simmered them with the sauce for about an hour, every thing came out great! Maybe it depends on the size of the meatballs also, but I made mine the size of golf balls, if they cook for only 30 mins they're more than likely not going to be cooked all the way through, but they will finish cooking with the sauce simmering for about an hour, plus some of the fat from the meat will give the sauce lots of flavor!
10/25/2011
This recipe is from Rao's Restaurant in Harlem NY. Only difference is less water and more garlic; Google it for yourself. How can you take credit for someone else's recipe?
03/30/2008
I tried this recipe the first time 3 weeks ago when I had compny over and I loved it. So did everybody else, so much so I was asked to bring them to a dinner party. Again they were a hit. I use Merlot in place of water, takes it to a different level, enjoy!
08/14/2011
OMG!!! These are the BEST meatballs I have ever had! And we make meatballs on a regular basis since my family is from Europe! But these are better than ever! I used Parmesan cheese instead (I had that in the freeze) since I have kids, and followed the recipe to the dot!!!! Hubby and kids just devour them too quickly! I made 2 batches, and froze 1 batch! Oh and I baked them in the oven instead of frying them: 45 min. on 450 F. Heavenly! THANK YOU for the recipe!!! It's a keeper!!! ;)
01/14/2011
I used beef and pork. Delicious. Thanks
02/15/2011
I cut this recipe by half. I totally agree with the recipe submitter. Using fresh bread crumbs and fresh cheese is totally key. I did add about a teaspoon of homemade italian seasoning and now that I think about it, I totally spaced the egg but you know, I didn't even notice it was gone. I did not fry mine, I used a cookie scoop to make even balls and lined them up in my biggest baking dish and baked them at 350* for 30 minutes. The outcome was wonderful, I could just pour off the grease and add to my marinara. One of the tenderest, flavorful meatballs I've ever had made even better when paired with a homemade marinara. Thanks for a wonderful recipe, Geanine!
07/18/2012
Frying is time consuming, but it's great to know I could also bake them at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes if I find myself without the time to fry, roll, fry, roll, fry, roll, drain... The cheese and seasoned bread crumbs taste great. I couldn't find ground veal or pork at my supermarket, so I used a pound of Italian sausage in its place... tasted great!
01/31/2013
Have been preparing meatballs this way for years, only exception is, I add basil, oregano, 1 egg per pound of meat and milk for the liquid. I use to fry, but have changed over to baking them first before adding to my sauce.......they also freeze well after baking for use at a later time without losing their flavor......ME
08/01/2011
I followed this recipe to a T and it came out perfect. It tastes exactly like my mothers recipe. My husband goes nuts for this. Definitely a keeper.
03/23/2013
This was my first attempt at meatballs and they came out great! I only had about 1 1/2 lb of 80/20 ground beef, so I tweaked the recipe accordingly. I still used 2 cloves of garlic, 2 eggs, regular dried parsley, and equal parts salt and pepper. I kind of tossed in around 1/2-3/4 cup grated cheese, around 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs, and about 1/2 cup olive oil. I didn't add any water to the mix since it was perfect as is and I fried the meatballs in olive oil until browned. I then added them to my sauce and let them simmer for about an hour. They were some of the best meatballs I've ever had! This is definitely a great base meatball recipe!
06/05/2011
I made some minor changes but this recipe is a great start! I used ground turkey and italian sausage in place of beef, pork and veal. I used skim milk in place of the water and probably only used about 1/2 cup. I grilled the meatballs on foil pans, about 8-10 minutes before turning. Yummy!
04/23/2012
To reduce the fat significantly, I bake the meatballs at 400F until a meat thermometer comes out to 145-150F (about 30 minutes, depending on your oven). This makes less mess, less fat, and they taste yummy. I then put the cooked meatballs into the marinara sauce and simmer in a slow cooker. Also, instead of water in the meatballs, try milk instead. Last, I always use ground beef, no pork nor veal. They still come out delicious and have a bit less fat.
01/08/2012
I love these meatballs - they are so tasty. I use all three meats, and asiago cheese instead of Romano (what I had in the house). I also microplane an onion and add it to the mix, cutting back the water by about a 1/2 cut (since the microplaned onion is pretty watery. Adds a nice flavor. I also use dried parsley flakes as I hate buying a huge bunch for 1 1/2 tablespoons. I use a large cookie scoop to make my meatballs a nice even size. Like others, I bake my meatballs in the oven on cookie sheets at 375 for about 25 mins and at 350 for another 15 minutes. I freeze half of the meatballs and keep the other half available in the frig. Try 'em, you'll like 'em!
04/24/2012
This is the typical Italian meatball recipe - best to use Italian bread crumbs (I freeze left-over bread and take out as much as I need). I soak it in water - milk is also OK - squeeze the liquid out and add the crumbs to the meat with the other ingredients - frying was what was always used, but most of us want to eat more healthfully and bake them. I add them to tomato sauce and let it simmer for a long time - 1-2 hours usually - the meatballs really get the flavor of the sauce. Dropping raw meatballs in sauce does not appeal to me (my preference) - I feel the fat in the meatballs adds up in the sauce - frying or baking does release some of the fat. My opinion only. But am happy to see that so many people are going back to so many original recipes.
07/16/2004
This recipe is very similar to mine. You don't need to add water. Just soak your bread in milk for about 10 minutes, then squeeze the bread and add to your meat mixture. Also one cup of olive oil is way too much!
01/11/2013
Being Italian I have spent a good part of 53 years trying different recipes.....this is now my Meatball recipe. You have to have the fresh Romano and I used Panko breadcrumbs, a little less water and put them right in the sauce. So so good. I always put onions, peppers and garlic in the good processor so you cant even see them in the sauce but you get the wonderful flavor. Add some thin boned porkchops like my nana taught me and you are feasting. Thank you.
04/28/2011
I'd give it 10 *s if I could. ***You can sneak (add) pureed veggies with mixture for kids, they'll never know!*** just reduce the water. I will say that I didn't do the veal, however, I just upped the pork & ground beef ratio, it was enough flavor. Def. agree w/ Fresh Romano & parsley, there's the secret! BAKE THEM! On the cookie rack on the baking pan, don't fry! Lay on paper towels to draw fat. They turned out incredible, we served them with my fresh marinara, side w/ penne in pesto. Of course, there's more than enough, so I froze the next dozen and we had some again sliced on homemade pizza, then again later, with more marinara on sub rolls topped with shredded Italian cheeses. I'll make them again for sure!!
09/08/2008
The last time I made meatballs, they were too dry. Not this time! These were moist and delicious. The beef/pork/veal is a great combination. I used 93% lean beef, but after I bought it, I was afraid I should have gone with a higher fat content to prevent drying out. But no, they were perfect. I cooked them in a slow cooker for 10 hours in the sauce. Great with spaghetti and made yummy subs the next day!
01/31/2013
This is how Ive always made my meatballs except Ive never used water and I dont pan fry them I brown them in the oven then add them to my sauce. This is the only way to make meatballs!
08/05/2010
Not "the best" but good. I can't figure out why anyone would fry meatballs? I form them into balls and freeze them on a cookie sheet, transfer to freezer bags and cook a few in sauce as needed. So I used none of the olive oil. I used basil instead of parsley as I find parsley bland. I added the water slowly, and didn't use the full 1.5 cups. Chop the garlic very fine so it gets evenly distributed in the mixture as well.
04/24/2012
Similar to why my Italian grandmother and mother make. I use Italian Bread Crumbs and instead of water, I use milk. It binds better. I do not fry my meatballs but I do bake them "semi done" in the oven on a rack for 17-19 minutes, depending on how big they are. I use some immediately and freeze the rest. Always have meatballs ready this way.
04/23/2012
this exact recipie has been past down in my Italian family for generations!!! The only difference is that instead of adding water to the mixture, we soak the stale bread in milk before adding it to the mixture. These are sooo good!
10/12/2010
This is how I've been making my meatballs for years..the only thing I do differently is cut back some on the water& add 1/4 cup of homemade gravy/sauce before rolling. So Good!
04/23/2012
OMG - soooo delicious!!! I followed the recipe exactly, except I used italian bread crumbs (vs. the homemade kind)...and I baked the meatballs for 40-45 mins on 350. This was probably the best meal I've ever made! I saved the remaining 1/2 pound of veal and pork for another meal (wrapped it in plastic wrap and placed it in the freezer). I am not a very confident cook, but these were quick, easy, and very do-able for anyone who wants to make a delicious meal. I made a homemade tomato sauce to go with it and added some linguini. YUMMMMM!!!
04/24/2012
Now THAT'S A REAL ITALIAN MEATBALL RECIPE!! VERY similar to my family's recipe!
01/25/2013
Sorry to do this but I did change the recipe a bit. I used 1# of gr. beef and 1/2# of mild Italian sausage. Used an Italian herb mix, parsley, garlic and dried red onion. To that I added 1/2 c. bread crumbs (made from several-day old sturdy white bread) which I mixed with 1/4 c. of milk. Let the bread crumb/milk mixture sit long enough to let the crumbs absorb the milk before adding to the meat mixture. Added 1/2 c. grated parmesan and 2 eggs, a teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Mixed everything up well and used my cookie scoop to make perfect size meatballs. Baked in the oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes. This made 23 meatballs (a little smaller than golf ball size). Perfect! Thank you, Geanine, for submitting this recipe, without it I wouldn't have had good meatballs.
06/30/2012
i used beef broth instead of water. I also baked them at 400 for 30 minutes.
03/16/2003
I used 1/2 beef, 1/2 pork. Also used store-bought bread crumbs and much less liquid. Very good recipe! Excellent flavors, nice texture.
07/24/2011
I used half beef and half pork, no veal. But I followed the rest of the recipe exactly and my family loved them! They are very tender and tasty.
11/18/2014
THIS is coming from an Italian who has made her meatballs like this recipe for years just like my mom made. Only difference is I soak my Italian bread in water and squeeze out the liquid and crumble it into the meat and use milk instead of water for more moisture. So glad the video emphasized using FRESH ITALIAN PARSLEY and not the curly stuff. Also the fresh garlic and the good grated cheese are what makes these over the top. PLEASE, PLEASE NEVER COOK THE MEATBALLS IN THE SAUCE. You won't get that crispy outside, just boiled meat. Some people roll their meatballs in bread crumb before frying. You could put them in the oven, but I like frying best.
01/12/2014
I spent 17 summers in Italy and have had amazing meatballs and never could find a recipe that I loved until now! I use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs & bake the meatballs first. I have tried it with the 3 meat combinations and I've also done it with just beef. The 3 meat combo is the best, but don't hesitate to try this with just beef if that's all you have. I do bake mine for 17 minutes at 400 degrees on a cookie sheet. I used to bake at 350, but the inside juice will all come out of the meatball. you want to cook at higher temp so it tramps in the ingredients/flavor! As far as the amount of water, I use the amount directed. You know it's the right consistency if, after the ingredients are all fully mixed, it doesn't stick to the bowl....the full meat mixture adheres together, if meat sticks to your fingers in clumps, it's too moist. (I did use too much water once and the meatballs fell apart). A mistake I can see many making is not using enough sea salt. You need a considerable amount. I just used 6 lbs of ground meat and used a handful of salt. If you follow the recipe given you would probably need 2 heaping tablespoons of sea salt. You cannot just sprinke some salt and think that's enough. you need a decent amount. Finally, what really will give your meatballs 5 stars is the sauce you put them in!
07/13/2010
I followed another review's suggestion and baked for 30 minutes at 350 instead of frying. they came out PERFECT. Made for 24 golf ball sized meatballs. 12 for now and froze 12 uncooked for later use. I made a few adjustments. I used 1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning in place of the fresh parsley. I also used only 2/3 cup of bread and moistened with milk instead of water. Authentic italian meatballs that will now be in my family for years to come!
05/28/2008
This recipe is a good Italian recipe but try using milk instead of the water. Plain unflavored breadcrumbs in a can work just as well and you can moisten them ahead of time with the milk to make it easier to mix in. 1 cup of olive oil for frying is a bit much. Save yourself all the grease and line a cookie sheet with foil and place the meatballs close together and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or till done. They come great!
02/07/2007
Really fantastic! This recipe is very similar to my Italian neighbor who owned an Italian restaurant. They are delicious and I always use tri-color meat~~~beef/pork/veal. It makes a much tastier and tender meatball than just beef alone.
02/15/2013
Great recipe! I would recommend that you DON'T fry or bake the meatballs before putting them in the sauce. I've been making meatballs for 50 years and have realized that just putting them in the sauce for 20 minutes (no more than 20 minutes) allows for the tenderist, moistest, most delicious meatballs ever.
12/30/2009
Great meatball recipe! Just like grandma used to make!
01/14/2009
Have made these time and time again as stated and altering slightly with what I have on hand. I prefer using the day old bread but have used italian breadcrumbs(2 cups not needed-more like 1 1/2 cups) and have even used both stale bread and italian breadcrumbs. All good variations. I add water until I get the softness I like. Usually 1 cup-if you dont like soft balls you can tell when mixing wether they will be softer or harder. I do broil mine 5-8 minutes then flip and broil for another 5 minutes and toss in my sauce. Whatever is left I freeze. Simply wonderful. Meatballs are suppose to be simple and delicious-with just a few seasonings to make them grand- please dont let the person who rated them as BLAND..stop you from trying these(maybe they should try meatloaf-hehe) These are the bomb.
01/19/2012
ok I am italian and really took offense to this recipe- until, based on all the positive reviews, i tried it!!! It is AWESOME- the meatballs come out everytime and EVERYONE loves them!!! Thanks Geanine- I don't know if you are italian or not but I am prepared to make you an honorary member of the clan!
11/04/2006
These were delicious. I was cooking for my husband and myself, so I cut the recipe in half. Also, I only had ground turkey on hand, and used that instead of the trio of meats. I added 1 teaspoon of italian seasoning, and I mixed in some parmesan cheese with the romano. I didn't have any fresh parsley on hand, so I used 1 teaspoon of dried parsley. Also, instead of adding all water to the mixture, I used 1/4 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of water. Magnificent. This recipe is a keeper.
04/23/2012
good recipe, but if your cooking spaghetti and meatballs cook the meatballs in the sauce. Cookingthe meatballs before hand in a pan or the oven robs them of the rich flavor that can only be had by slow cooking them in your sauce.
04/23/2012
This is a tasty meatball. I, too, used milk instead of water. I have made a very similar recipe and used beef and pork because ground veal is hard to find. My mother either baked the meatballs first, OR she carefully dropped the raw meatball one at a time in the gentle boiling sauce, and did not stir until the meatball was set (about 30 minutes) The outside of the meatball is just as tender as the inside. Either way, this is a saver.
04/24/2012
I made this with 1lb extra lean ground turkey breast and 1lb 93% ground beef, used about 3/4 c dry red wine instead of water. Baked 10-15 min at 350 F. I added no salt because of salt in Romano cheese. They turned out awesome! I also made Best Marinara Sauce Yet, served with whole wheat spaghetti and these meatballs, plus leftover szchuan green beans from takeout Chinese! I froze remaining sauce and meatballs for great lunchbox meals. I will definitely make this again.
01/21/2012
I made these meatballs for a family dinner. Since it's my first time making any type of meatballs, I followed the recipe exactly. They really were terrific, moist and flavorful. I did get a lot of comments on the size, so I probably over did it there. It would be good for the recipe to state the approx. size to make them. Mine were about tennis ball size...I think too big, but made great conversation!
07/02/2003
I am not a great fan of meatballs in spaghetti but my husband is. He thought they were absolutely wonderful and I actually enjoyed them too. Very simple to make. No need to use oil in the pan when you brown the meatballs. I will definitely make these again.
04/27/2011
AWESOME!! Everyone in my family loved these, even the 11 yr old who doesn't like meatballs. I only used ground beef & ground turkey. They still turned out amazing. I will be making them again & again. BTW: they freeze beautifully, so make a double or triple batch & be ready for a quick dinner another night!
12/13/2011
great recipe -- I don't use veal b/c its not available. 50/50 pork & beef works great. I made huge batch and frozen them. I did make them kinda small so I an use they for quick meat ball sub dinner. :)
09/30/2003
I'd have to say these meatballs were delicious! I didn't add the veal though...it was a little expensive. So, I added a little more pork and beef and it worked out just great. I also added chopped onion for a little extra flavor and then added them to a baked mostaccioli....Mmmmm, Mmmmm...Good!
01/31/2013
I made these this past weekend. The mixture is the same as my Italian Nana's. It only needs 1/2 cup of water, and you need to let the mixture rest for about 30 min. before you make the balls. Heat olive oil to med. high, gently roll them,under cook, and drain, before you add then to your "gravy" sauce. I usually build my sauce in the same pot as I saute the meatballs in so I can take up all the tasty little bits.
01/31/2011
FANTASTIC!!! I (and family) loved this recipe...only change was that i did not have dry stale bread to crumble so I used 2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs. I also used a couple more cloves of garlic since we like garlic.. I fried in only a couple teaspoons of olive oil, that's all you really need, a cup seems much. Olive oil is actually good for you so I did not mind. I also added a couple tablespoons of worcheshire to half the mix to see if they would taste different...it added a tiny bit more flavor, but w/o is just as good. I also baked at 350 for 20 more minutes just to make sure they cooked all the way. This is my new meatball recipe for life! p.s. MAKE SURE TO USE ROMANO CHEESE like recipe calls for AND NOT PARMESAN, tastes better.
06/16/2011
WOW thank you... This IS the best Italian Meatball... I made some changes according to reviews... used milk instead of water, didnt fry them dropped them in sauce to cook and chopped up a bunch of spinach instead of parsley... husband almost licked the plate... :-)
02/21/2012
I love these meatballs. I used 1 1/4 c of Italian bread crumbs instead of Italian bread. I used fresh grated parmesan cheese. I also baked instead of frying them. Put em on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Yum!
04/29/2010
These meatballs are so light and tasty! I used just pork and beef, but followed the recipe other than that. I fried them until they were crisp but they weren't cooked through, then froze them on a cookie sheet and popped them all in a freezer bag. I grab as many as I need whenever I want and put them right into my sauce to thaw and cook through. Yum!
04/23/2008
This is certainly the best meatball I have made as far as consistency goes. The flavor could be amped up a bit...but it's great just as it is with a nice sauce. I did not fry them either. I placed in fridge to firm up a bit and then baked for 20 mins before placing in crock pot of sauce. Very good.
03/08/2008
I had horrible luck with these meatballs. I think they would have been okay if I hadn't added the water, but they just fell apart on me... I think I'll stick with my regular recipe from now on... :/
07/07/2009
This was absolutely amazing! I changed a few ingredients but this is the recipe I will use from now on. First, I substituted milk for the water, then I used progresso bread crumbs instead, and I used sweet italian sausage instead of the pork and veal. You HAVE to try it this way, it's delicious.
04/24/2012
I added milk instead of the water and cut liquid in half. yummy recipie
10/01/2011
I honestly couldn't taste the difference using 3 types of ground meat. Its a great recipe but I'm not sure if the 3 different meats are worth your spent money. I'm giving this 5 stars because they tasted excellent. If you use the 3 different ground meats... just know it was expensive.
07/27/2011
I just made the best meatballs ever! (shhhhh...Just don't tell the fam it's not my recipe)
05/28/2008
Its a great recipe, to make it better, I suggest milk instead of water, use bread cubes instead of crumbs,and broil meatballs, turning to brown evenly, then cook in sause. Now you've got meatballs!
03/30/2011
These were VERY GOOD! In fact, the best homemade meatballs I've had. I added a touch of oregano. Used 1lb pork, 1lb beef. Based on reviews I used 3/4 c milk instead of 1 1/2 c water and baked for 40 mins at 350 rather than fry. Perfect!
10/08/2011
I just found this recipe on here and compared it to my own that I have used for many years. I NEVER add water to my recipe. The eggs in the mix keep the meatballs moist! Also I use seasoned breadcrumbs & add more italian seasoning to the mix as well as onion powder. BAKE in oven @ 425 for 10 minutes then lower temp to 325 and cook for 10 more minutes and transfer them to your sauce to finish cooking. It gives the sauce the most wonderful flavor! Add pepperoni & braised brasciole for a real italian sauce.
02/18/2015
Love these. I bake for 30 mins at 350 instead of frying. Place a cooling rack in a cookie sheet (bake meatballs on rack)so grease drips off. I also use milk instead of water. Very, very good!
07/15/2011
Absolutely wonderful, I used only 1 cup water and would lessen the romano a bit next time, and then I baked them in the oven for 40 minutes @ 350. They were tender, moist, and very flavorful! Will definitely make again!
02/03/2013
Too much bread - and - adding water to a meatball recipe is something I never heard of in my Italian family. Cut down the bread and get rid of the water.
07/01/2011
My family and i loved these meatballs but i made some changes.. I only used 1lb of Italian sausage and 1lb of ground beef. I used dry parsley and Panko parmigiana bread crumbs. I used 2cups of olive oil by accident and 1 cup of warm water. I think it made around 38-40 meatballs. They were absolutely amazing......
07/12/2011
I made these small,added them to a homemade marinara sauce, they were GREAT!
04/24/2012
These meatballs are really great!! I use a tip from a show years ago, use milk instead of water, it makes a good recipe even better.
05/24/2011
Everyone is right....they're the best! I think its the large amount of cheese that really adds to the flavor. Plus adding the water keeps them from turning into hard golf balls. I've been using panko bread crumbs and it works just as good.
04/24/2012
I used equal parts of meat, and substituted the pork for italian sausage. I removed the casings first. I soaked my bread in milk instead of water and then squeezed most of it out. You can fry the meatballs or bake at 350 for 30 minutes. This is easier. I also use a nice handful of fresh parsley. I then add the meatballs to the home made sauce which has already been simmering for 30-45 minutes, and simmer for an additional four hours.
04/06/2003
These meatballs were DELICIOUS!!!!! My family loved them and I will definately make them again. I substituted milk for the water and used a little less of the liquid than the recipe called for. This recipe is a keeper!
11/14/2009
The best meatballs EVAAAA!
04/24/2012
This is the best meatball recipe I have used bar none!!! We have been to best restaurants in New York, and have made meatballs for over 40 years. I made this three times, but never had a copy of recipe. We had used all the same ingredients for years except the warm water. That made the consistency tender and terrific!!!
08/21/2008
Delicious!!! These were simple to make but tasted like they took all day. The only thing I did different was I used half parsley and half italian seasoning for personal preference.
09/05/2011
I love this recipe! I had a company 10 people and everybody loved it. I did everything like ot said in recipe and I fried them on each side about 2-3 minutes and after all of them put in aluminum tin and put to the oven for about 30 minutes on 375 and they came out so soft and delicious!
09/20/2010
These are very similar to the meatballs I've made for years and years - same as what my mother and grandmother made! I use dry seasoned breadcrumbs - about 1 cup for this recipe and I add a small grated onion, about 1 T. Italian herbs and about 1 cup milk instead of the water. I bake these to save on the fat from the oil. These are always a hit!
04/10/2003
I make a lot of meatballs and wasn't impressed with this recipe...I never mixed different meats before and was excited to try it, but I couldn't taste the difference and it was much more expensive. I also prefer to bake them on a baking sheet instead of fry them in so much oil.
04/24/2012
Very, very good. Probably the best recipe I've tried for meatballs in a longtime.
04/24/2012
Soooo funny! When I received this recipe via email, I thought "it can't be as good as my grandma's" recipe that my entire family has used forever. Well I had to laugh, IT IS THE SAME RECIPE! It is the best! Enjoy!
03/02/2011
Definetly a staple in my recipe box. I didn't use all the water called for. I went by texture and I didn't use fresh bread crumbs. I baked these in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes (I made them quite large)until light brown and added them to the "Best Marinara Sauce" to continue cooking.
01/23/2011
As was mentioned in other comments I baked in the oven for 45 minutes. It was the best meatballs I ever tried.
02/12/2006
As a Jersey girl with millions of great meatballs all around....kudos to you for providing a great recipe here! Simply put, there is no better combo of meat for meatballs. It's sold in the grocery store as 'meatloaf mix' for the same price as lower fat ground beef- so it's not more expensive than what I would normally buy. I skip the whole frying/baking process and put these meatballs right into my sauce. I've used all combination of bread crumbs and cheese and find that all work well. These are just good meatballs! This was my biggest craving when I was pregnant and it still hasn't gone away yet even though my daughter is 2! I make these all the time and even Miss Picky (the same baby) loves them!! Don't bother with any other recipes!
07/26/2011
Good flavor, but needed the addition of 5-10 minutes under a stand-mixer to make the meatballs tender.
04/02/2009
Very good, but I think I'd use finer bread crumbs next time for less meatloafy texture. Also, I think I'd bake them rather than fry them. Frying adds nothing to this recipe, except a tougher exterior and fat. Maybe mist them in olive oil and put under broiler a couple minutes, then turn down the oven to 325 until done.
08/13/2012
Thank you, Geanine! I had to make some adjustments and according to my family, they're still 5-star quality: 1) doubled the recipe - as long as your taking the time to fry these, make it worth your while, 2) no veal at my grocery store, so replaced with ground chuck (80/20%) - thus, it's 3 pounds ground chuck and 1 pound ground pork; 3) cost of fresh grated Romano was out of my budget, so one, 8 oz. plastic shaker of a 50/50% Romano/Parmesan blend; 4) no stale Italian bread on hand, so 1 1/4 cup of Italian bread crumbs for a double recipe. While I agree with Geanine that freshly grated cheese and bread crumbs may be more flavorful, the prepared cheese and bread crumbs are much more time-efficient and cost-effective.
Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/40399/the-best-meatballs/
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