Meatballs Recipe by Anne Burrell

Outstanding Meatballs

Discover chef Anne Burrell's tips for crafting juicy, tender meatballs worthy of a restaurant, and learn why her recipe boasts over 700 five-star reviews.

• Difficulty: Easy
• Yield: 18 to 20 meatballs
• Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories 268, Total Fat 18g, Saturated Fat 6g, Carbohydrates 14g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugar 6g, Protein 13g, Cholesterol 52mg, Sodium 619mg
• Total Time: 1 hr 23 min (Prep: 40 min, Cook: 43 min)

Homemade meatballs bring comfort, but achieving juicy and flavorful results can be challenging. To elevate your meatballs to a restaurant-quality level, follow the expert advice from Anne Burrell's aptly named Excellent Meatballs recipe. Learn which meats to select, how to enhance the binding mixture's taste, the secret to deep flavor, and the crucial step that keeps meatballs intact.

Professional Tips for Perfect Meatballs

• Use a variety of meats. Anne combines ground beef for rich flavor, pork for texture, and veal for mildness and binding ability to create moist, tasty meatballs.
• Flavor foundation with aromatics and herbs. She sauts onions with salt until soft but not browned, then adds garlic and crushed red pepper. Fresh chopped Italian parsley, grated Parmigiano, and salt further season the mixture.
• Bind with breadcrumbs and eggs. Mixing the meats with breadcrumbs and eggs ensures the meatballs will hold their form during cooking.
• Cool aromatics before mixing. Allow the onion and garlic to fully cool before adding to the meat to prevent scrambling the eggs.
• Mix with your hands. Anne gently kneads the ingredients by hand, which helps the proteins bind and keeps the mixture together without overworking it.
• Add water for moisture. Gradually incorporate water to make the mixture moist and to hydrate the breadcrumbs, resulting in lighter and juicier meatballs.
• Test the seasoning. Cook a small patty from the mixture to check salt and flavor, adjusting seasoning as needed.
• Brown meatballs twice. First brown them in a skillet over medium-high heat for even color, then finish cooking by baking in the oven. This double cooking method locks in flavor and helps meatballs maintain shape in sauce.

Serving Suggestions for Meatballs

Anne recommends serving meatballs with a homemade marinara sauce alongside spaghetti for a classic meal. Alternatively, try them with creamy polenta or stuffed into a crusty Italian roll for a hearty meatball sub. For further inspiration, explore collections of meatball recipes that bring variety to your cooking.

Freezing Meatballs

Meatballs can be frozen if not eaten immediately. After completely cooling, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray without touching, freeze for 2 to 4 hours until firm, then store in a sealed freezer bag or container for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator and gently reheat in sauce or oven.

Excellent Meatballs Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced 1/4 inch
• Salt
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
• Pinch crushed red pepper
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup water
• Marinara Sauce (recipe follows)

Marinara Sauce Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound diced pancetta
• 2 large Spanish onions, diced 1/4 inch
• Kosher salt
• 4 large garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
• 4 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum San Marzano tomatoes

Instructions

1. Coat a large saut pan with olive oil, add onions, season generously with salt, and cook on medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes until onions are very soft and aromatic, without browning. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; saut another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, combine meats, eggs, Parmigiano, parsley, and breadcrumbs. Use your hands to mix and gently squeeze the mixture. Add the cooled onion mixture and salt; mix well. Pour in the water and do one final thorough squish until mixture is wet. Form a small patty and cook to test seasoning; add more salt if needed.
3. Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
4. Shape meat into desired size, about slightly larger than a golf ball. Heat olive oil in a large saut pan over medium-high heat and brown meatballs on all sides. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through. If using immediately, add to simmering marinara sauce. Otherwise, freeze for future use.

Marinara Sauce Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepot. Add pancetta and cook over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in onions, season with salt, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring often.
2. Pass tomatoes through a food mill to remove seeds and stems. Add pureed tomatoes to the pot. Rinse one empty tomato can with water and add to the pot (2 to 3 cups). Season with salt carefully and taste frequently. Simmer sauce for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. Use sauce immediately with pasta or store cooled in the refrigerator for several days or freeze for later use.
4. Yield: Approximately 2 quarts