Italian Meatballs

This is a delicious and classic italian recipe, meatballs made with hamburger meat, veal and pork.  Juicy meatballs bursting in flavor with fresh herbs and spices.  This is the perfect Sunday meal to enjoy with your family!

Last week I felt pretty down and overwhelmed because I didn't get my recipe ready to be posted and it was one of those weeks where I just wanted to get home from work, chill out by the pool and enjoy the sun.  In addition I was having family visiting from Brazil and I wanted to plan a few fun things, so I found myself tangled between the commitments and the need to take a break.  I took a break. And I am very glad I did because I was able to fully enjoy myself and my visiting family.

So I took them to see our beautiful city of Boston.  We visited the New England Aquarium which looks amazing after all the renovation they have recently done.  We also walked around the famous North End , visiting all the Italian shops, restaurants and delicious bakeries... boy that place can draw a crowd!  We also walked around Faneuil hall - Quincy Market and finally took a selfie with the Mayor over by City Hall Plaza (see posts on Instagram!). We had a great time! 

A couple weeks ago we decided to visit a very well known Italian restaurant.  Tuscan Kitchen is a very unique place because they make everything they serve and sell from SCRATCH, yes really... everything fresh, from scratch, amazing!   Tuscan Kitchen is not only a great place to dine but you also get to buy their fresh homemade pastas, breads, oils, spreads and much more!  Needless to say I came home with lots of food and felt very inspired to make this authentic and classic italian meatballs recipe.

Basically I went from buying frozen meatballs a few years ago, to making my own plain and not-so-inspiring hamburger meatballs, to finally making these delicious and flavorful combination of hamburger, veal and pork to recreate a real authentic italian meatball,  which I served over quattro formaggi ravioli and san marzano pomodoro sauce from Tuscan Market.

All these adventures and wonderful places not only made me feel refreshed but also inspired to get back in the kitchen and make delicious food for my family.  Meatballs are such a classic meal and I think it's a great option for a Sunday family dinner.

It's a great feeling when you know you've accomplished another recipe and you will never get it wrong again.

So I had to put my skills to the test and the results were nothing less then un successo! Everyone enjoyed the italian meatballs, including one of the kids who does not like meatballs, my dear mother-in-law who grew up with eating her mother's italian meatballs straight from Italy.  And my love who is very sweet but let me tell you, is the pickiest man alive.  I am so glad!

Well, I can only hope that this recipe is just as inspiring to you.  Please feel free to ask questions should you have any.

I will end this post with a note to -Enjoy life, family and the sweet opportunities that life brings.  It will refreshen your body and soul !

Print Recipe

Italian Meatballs

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 20 -22 meatballs

Author: Ribas with Love

Ingredients

• 1 lb hamburger meat
• ½ lb veal
• ½ lb pork
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cups bread crumbs
• ¼ cup parmigiano reggiano cheese shredded
• 3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• fresh parsley cut up thinly
• salt & pepper
• olive oil

Instructions

• In a large bowl bring the meats together.
• Add all the ingredients and mix them well with your hands. It's helpful to use latex glove.
• Once the mixture is nice and uniform start shaping the meat into balls. I like to grab a spoonful to be sure all the meatballs are about the same size.
• In a large frying pan add a generous amount of olive oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan.
• Bring this to a medium heat and add the meatballs.
• Pan fry the meatballs on both sides (about 7-8 minutes each side)
• In a large pot bring the meatballs to a medium low heat. At this point add the sauce of your preference (I am using a San Marzano Pomodoro sauce) but I think your homemade sauce is a great option.
• Cook for about 25 minutes. Serve the meatballs hot over the pasta of your choice.