Simply the BEST Homemade Meatballs
There really is nothing more disappointing in life than biting into a meatball and it being tough and dry. It’s just absolute devastation across the board. If I’m having spaghetti and meatballs it’s usually for dinner, which means I’ve been looking forward to it all day, then to be served with a dry meatball? Oh hell no, not for me, not ever. Admittedly in the early days of my cooking I saw myself as a meatball connoisseur, because I could make meatballs that weren’t dry. But in hindsight, they may not have been dry, but they certainly weren’t gorgeously soft and juicy either. Thus in recent times I’ve made it my mission to master the art of melt in your mouth meatballs (gosh, that was a mouthful) ((excuse the pun)). When I tell you this is one of my go-to recipes to impress I truly mean it. Not only because it’s absolutely delicious, but because it’s foolproof. Works every time. Here’s why you’re going to love it:
Truly Soft – No false promises here! These meatballs are truly soft and delicious. Mouthwateringly Juicy – Right through to the core, these meatballs are juicy with every bite! Flavour – These meatballs are far from bland, they’re absolutely packed with flavour!
So, without further ado, here are my top tips for the BEST homemade meatballs.
1. Use a Panade
What is a Panade?
A panade is essentially a mixture of starch and liquid that you add to meat to keep it moist. Here, and in many other authentic meatball recipes, the panade is usually made up of milk and bread (not to be confused with breadcrumbs).
How does a Panade work?
By allowing the pieces of bread to soak up the milk, it locks in moisture and keeps the meatballs juicy throughout the cooking process. This will keep your meatballs much juicier than just using regular breadcrumbs. Using breadcrumbs results in far denser meatballs in comparison to using small pieces of bread – this is something I’ve tried and tested. I know, a meatball recipe without breadcrumbs seems odd, but trust me on this one.
How to make a Panade for Meatballs?
2. Best Meat for Meatballs
Beef and Pork Meatballs
A combination of pork and beef works perfect. Many traditional Italian meatball recipes include veal, but honestly, using 2 different ground meats is already at my limit of convenience, so trying hunt down veal is just not the life for me. I find that a straight 50/50 ratio produces delicious meatballs. I have toyed around with different ratios in the past, but can’t really taste a huge difference and again – convenience.
Non lean Meatballs
It’s also important to use non-lean meat for homemade meatballs to help keep them lubricated throughout the cooking process. I’ve popped down a bit more about this in the recipe notes, but as a ballpark figure you want it definitely 15%+.
Feather fingers!
The final thing with the meat is don’t overwork it. You’ll see in the photos above I’ve already mixed together all the ingredients bar the meat. This is merely to reduce the amount of mixing you have to do to get an even spread of ingredients. Overworked ground meat simply results in a really solid, dense and dry meatball, which is certainly not what we want.
3. How To Cook Meatballs
For the softest meatballs the best method is to poach in the sauce. However the limitation with that is there’s nowhere near as much flavour in comparison to a meatball that’s been browned. So, here are 3 alternative cooking options for homemade meatballs, from my least favourite to favourite method.
a) Baked Meatballs
Baked meatballs are great because they require the least amount of effort. However, it’s difficult to get a really good browning on them. By the time they’re properly browned on the outside, they’re totally cooked through the centre, which isn’t what we want. In fact, what we want to do is only have them browned on the outside (for flavour), then to have them finish cooking by poaching in the sauce (so they stay soft in the centre).
b) Fried Meatballs
With frying you can do exactly that. Fry them over medium-high heat to get a good browning on the outside, then have them finish poaching in the sauce. The only limitations with frying however is 1. it’s difficult the keep the meatballs in uniform shape and 2. you’ll probably have to work in batches because they won’t all fit in the pan. This is still a great method though, just not quite as good as…
c) Grilled Meatballs (best method)
Grilling/broiling the meatballs means you can get a good colour on the outside, allow them to finish cooking in the sauce AND allow you to cook them all at the same time. Winner!
How to Broil Meatballs (quick summary)
How many meatballs are in 1lb meat?
The recipe below uses 1lb/500g meat and makes around 20 meatballs.
Can I prepare Meatballs ahead of time?
Absolutely! Rolling out your meatballs ahead of time is a great idea to get ahead of the game for dinner. Just space them out in a casserole dish or tray and cover with cling film.
Fridge – Make up to one day in advance and cook straight from fridge as you usually would. Freezer – Store in freezer up to one month then thaw overnight in fridge and cook as stated in recipe (see how to store meatballs in freezer for best method).
How to store Meatballs in the Fridge
If you have any leftover meatballs, or, want to cook them in advance, you can store them in the fridge. Just allow them to cool, then cover and place in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the sauce on the stove until piping hot through the centre.
How to store Meatballs in the Freezer
Allow the meatballs to cool, then if they are in sauce, pop everything in a large airtight container and leave in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove until piping hot through the centre. If the meatballs are without sauce, space them out on a tray and freeze, then take out and pop in ziplock bags and pop back in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw in fridge overnight then reheat in sauce until piping hot in the centre.
How to Serve Meatballs
The classic way is in a tomato sauce with spaghetti (recipe for this below). You could also plonk the meatballs in a sub and make a Homemade Meatball Sub. Here’s some sides if you’re after a little extra:
What to serve with meatballs?
Roasted Garlic Bread Cheesy Pesto Garlic Bread Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread Feta Bruschetta Garlic Butter Potato Skins Cheesy Caprese Bread
If you’re after some other meatball recipes with the same soft and juicy texture, check out my similar recipes!
Unique Meatball Recipes
Cranberry Turkey Meatballs Buffalo Chicken Meatballs (stuffed with blue cheese) Crispy Gnocchi and Sausage Meatballs BBQ Meatballs Meatball Pasta Bake Swedish Meatballs
Alrighty, time to tuck into the full meatball recipe I think! Follow me…
How To Make Homemade Meatballs (Full Recipe & Video)
If you loved this Homemade Meatballs Recipe be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it? Let me know how you got on in the comments and pick up your free ecookbook on the way!
