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The Only Meatballs You'll Ever Need

This is the meatball recipe that'll make you stop searching for other meatball recipes. Tender, flavorful, and ridiculously versatile, these work just as well on spaghetti as they do in a sub. The combination of ground beef and Italian sausage means maximum flavor with minimal effort, and that bread-and-water trick keeps them perfectly tender. Brown them for a caramelized crust, simmer them in Rao's marinara, and prepare to become the person everyone asks to bring meatballs.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs:
  • 3 slices white bread crusts removed, torn into pieces
  • 2/3 cup cold water
  • 1 lb lean ground beef 7-15% fat
  • 1 lb sweet ground Italian sausage casings removed
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
  • 3 Tbsp light olive oil or vegetable oil
For the Sauce and Subs:
  • 1 jar 24 oz Rao's marinara sauce
  • Fresh basil chopped (optional but recommended)
  • Ciabatta rolls
  • Sliced mozzarella cheese
  • Butter for toasting

Method
 

  1. Make the panade. Combine torn bread pieces with 2/3 cup cold water in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the bread is completely soaked, then mash it with a fork until it looks like wet oatmeal. This is going to keep your meatballs tender, so embrace the weird texture.
  2. Mix the meatball base. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, Italian sausage (make sure those casings are removed), parmesan, minced garlic, salt, pepper, egg, and your mashed bread mixture. Mix with your hands until everything's combined but don't overmix or you'll end up with tough meatballs. We're going for tender, not workout equipment.
  3. Form and flour. Shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs—about the size of a slightly flattened ice cream scoop. You should get 22-23 meatballs. Roll each one in flour and shake off the excess. This creates that crucial crust when you brown them.
  4. Brown in batches. Heat 3 Tbsp oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, brown the meatballs on all sides, about 6 minutes total or 2 minutes per side. They don't need to be cooked through yet—we're just building flavor here. Remove and set aside.
  5. Simmer in sauce. Wipe out your pan, add the entire jar of Rao's marinara, and bring it to a simmer. Add the browned meatballs back in, partially cover with a lid or splatter screen, and let them simmer gently for 30 minutes. Turn them occasionally so they cook evenly. The sauce will thicken and the meatballs will finish cooking through and get super tender.
  6. Finish and serve. Five minutes before the sauce is done, stir in some chopped fresh basil if you have it. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Notes

For Meatball Subs: While the meatballs simmer, slice ciabatta rolls in half, butter both sides, and top with sliced mozzarella. Broil for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the bread is slightly crisp. Load up with meatballs, spoon over some sauce, sprinkle with parmesan, close the sandwich, and try not to make a complete mess of yourself.
For Spaghetti: Cook pasta according to package directions. During the last few minutes of the meatballs simmering, add the cooked pasta right into the sauce and toss to combine. Serve with extra parmesan and that basil.