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Chef John's Italian Meatballs

Chef John's Italian Meatballs

These Chef John's Italian meatballs are easy to make and packed with flavor, baked instead of fried for a simple cleanup.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course main dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 meatballs
Calories 390 kcal

Equipment

  • baking sheet
  • skillet
  • mixing bowl
  • rubber spatula

Ingredients
  

Breadcrumb Mixture

  • ⅓ cup plain bread crumbs
  • ½ cup milk or beef broth

Meat

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 2 large eggs

Vegetables & Seasonings

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions
 

Preparation Steps

  • Gather all ingredients.
  • Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Soak bread crumbs in milk in a small bowl for 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking and stirring until onion is very tender, about 15 minutes more.
  • Gently stir beef and pork together in a large bowl. Add onions, bread crumb mixture, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, Italian herb seasoning, and red pepper flakes; mix together using a rubber spatula until combined. Cover and refrigerate for about one hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  • Form mixture into balls about 1 ½ inches in diameter; arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Serve with your favorite tomato sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

Some recipes use equal portions of beef, veal, and pork, which is also nice, yet more expensive. Prefer 80% lean, 20% fat for optimal flavor and texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatballCalories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 21gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 617mgPotassium: 349mgFiber: 1gVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg
Keyword baked meatballs, Chef John's Italian Meatballs, dinner recipe, Easy Meatballs, Italian Recipe, meatballs
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