Grandma's Italian Meatball Recipe

• servings: 14 servings
• active time: 30 minutes
• total time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (80% to 90% lean meat)

2 large eggs

1 cup breadcrumbs (plain or Italian-style)

½ cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated, plus more for garnish)

½ cup yellow onion (finely minced)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasonings (omit if using Italian-style breadcrumbs)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

¼ cup sliced basil (optional, for garnish)

Directions

Meat Mixture

Set the oven rack to the lower-middle position and set it to broil. Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly grease it with olive oil. Set aside.In a large bowl, add the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, minced onion, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and minced garlic. Use hands to mix thoroughly until combined.

Form the Meatballs

Measure and roll the ground beef mixture into ⅓ cup (3 ounces) rounds, about the size of an egg. Evenly space the pieces on the baking sheet, there should be about 14 to 15 meatballs.

Brown the Meat

Broil the meatballs until the surface is browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Turn over and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to lightly brown the other side.

Simmer the Meatballs

Transfer the meatballs to the tomato sauce. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar, simmer on low heat for at least 1 ½ hours, checking and stirring every 20 minutes, or as needed. The meatballs should be fork tender when sliced.

Sauce Consistency

At the end of cooking, adjust the consistency of the sauce with water if needed, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Garnish and Serve

Serve meatballs with spaghetti topped with sauce, sliced basil, and Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

• Calories: 216 kcal
• Total Fat: 11 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
• Cholesterol: 44 mg
• Sodium: 810 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 9 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 2 g
• Protein: 19 g