Mom's Meatballs

Not to be overdramatic, but I don’t know what I would do without this delicious pan-fried meatball recipe. It’s my mom's meatball recipe and the only way I make Italian meatballs at home now! The key is pan frying these babies in olive oil instead of baking them in the oven because you get this super delicious outside while still keeping the inside tender and moist from the addition of soaked bread and marinara sauce that gets added to the meat mixture.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Best Meatballs, Meatballs, Spaghetti and meatballs

Servings: people

Calories: 230kcal

Equipment

2 large nonstick or cast iron skillets

Ingredients

1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground beef 80:20
1 large egg
1/4 cup italian breadcrumbs
4 slices white bread
2-3 tbsp marinara sauce
1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp each: pepper, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried basil and oregano
1/2 white onion finely chopped
1 tsp garlic minced
2 ribs of celery finely chopped

Instructions

In a small skillet, sauté the onion, garlic and celery until soft. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the meat, egg and breadcrumbs.
Pour the milk into a separate bowl and submerge each piece of bread. Lightly squeeze out the excess milk, then tear each slice into pieces and add to the meat.
Add in the marinara, parmesan and seasonings.
Add in the sautéed onion, garlic and celery from earlier too.
Mix everything together (your hands are the best tool for this), then try to make a tester like I mentioned before.
If you're satisfied with the seasoning levels, start to roll the meat mixture into 2 to 3 inch sized balls.
Get two pans going on the stove over medium to low heat and start to fry up the meatballs.
You'll want to rotate the meatballs in the pan to get an even cook on them and make sure they aren't sticking.
You should see a nice brown color on all sides of the meatball (this part can be time consuming but it's what makes this recipe so good, it should take about 20-25 minutes total).
When the meatballs are fully cooked, transfer them to a paper towel lined baking tray to get rid of any excess oil.
My favorite ways to serve are in a sandwich, alongside pasta, or on top of creamy polenta!

Nutrition