Classic Italian Fried Meatballs

Classic Italian Fried Meatballs finished in tomato sauce are flavorful, moist, and tender, and the perfect dish to serve with any pasta! These fried beef meatballs are made with a combination of simple ingredients like ground beef, real parmigiano cheese, parsley, and garlic, and this recipe is how my family always made them.

These are perfect to finish in an Italian-American Sunday Sauce or to serve on the side of a dish like Pasta alla Norma (A Sicilian Dish).

Looking for more Sunday Italian-American Meals? Try our Bison Ragu, Sausage and Lentil Soup, or Authentic Bolognese.

Why Fry Meatballs

Italian-Americans have so many different little variations when it comes to making traditional Italian-American meatballs. Whether it is the type of meat, breadcrumbs or bread, fresh garlic or garlic powder, etc. But most importantly, some people bake and some people fry their meatballs. And some people cook them raw in the sauce, almost like Italian Wedding Soup (these people are crazy).

The key differences between baking and frying meatballs are texture and flavor. When you fry the meatballs, they develop a crust on the outside (Maillard reaction), which will intensify the flavor of the meatballs and the sauce that you cook them in. Baking meatballs will give you a much softer and tender meatball, like Italian Meatloaf, but won't develop a sear, which is the signature flavor of traditional Italian fried meatballs.

Ultimately, it's up to you. I prefer fried meatballs, but if I'm serving a huge crowd, I prefer to bake them to save time. It's a lot easier to bake them alongside my Authentic Italian Baked Ziti or Italian Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce and Ricotta than standing over the oven, frying 30 meatballs 5 at a time.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Ground Beef. I like to use at most 80% lean ground beef when I'm making meatballs. Any more than that, and the meatballs can be dry and tough. You need some fat in meatballs to make them tender. You can also use different variations like 50/50 pork or a combination of beef, pork, and veal.
• Parmigiano. You can substitute pecorino romano for a sharper taste than parmigiano, but I prefer the subtle nuttiness of the parmigiano.
• Olive Oil. Fry your meatballs in olive oil. There are plenty of other processed oils you can use here, but a high-quality olive oil is the best and healthiest option, especially if you choose an olive oil that only comes from one type of olive. Olive oil has a smoke point of 400 degrees, so it is perfect for frying meatballs and other Italian dishes like Fried Cauliflower Cakes or Fried Flounder Oreganata.
• Breadcrumbs. I grew up making meatballs with my mom, and she always used breadcrumbs. I know a lot of people use cubed bread, but breadcrumbs are so much easier to keep on hand. You can also add more breadcrumbs as needed if you feel the texture of the meat is too wet.
• Garlic Powder. Season with garlic powder, not fresh garlic. It will flavor the meatballs better and won't get burned in the frying process.
• Milk. Whole milk is best because of its high-fat content.

*Please see the recipe card below for more information about the ingredients.

How to Make Italian Fried Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

This recipe is two-fold. You first mix and fry the meatballs in extra virgin olive oil until browned, then build a simple sauce with garlic, canned plum tomatoes, basil, and salt. You can cook the meatballs all the way through in the frying process, though, and I'll explain more below. Check out our Ultimate Guide to Marinara Sauce to learn more about the sauce.

Step 1: Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until completely combined. If the mixture feels a little wet, add extra breadcrumbs until it is a little tackier. If the mixture feels dry or grainy, add a little extra milk.

Step 2: Roll out meatballs about a ¼ cup large. This should provide 20-24 meatballs.

Step 3: Fill the pan with olive oil about a half-fingernail deep. Raise the heat to medium. Once hot, place your meatballs into the pan. Do this in batches and do not crowd the pan.

Step 4: Fry the meatballs for 1 minute on each side until browned, or you can fry them all the way through until they reach 165 degrees, and end the cooking process here. I prefer to finish them in a tomato sauce. Remove the meatballs from the pan when they are browned all around and set them aside.

Step 5: In the same pot, add a little olive oil. Add in sliced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Step 6: Pour in 2 28-oz cans of crushed tomatoes or hand-crush a can of whole plum tomatoes yourself. Add basil and salt, and bring to a simmer.

Step 7: Transfer the meatballs to the sauce and allow them to simmer for at least 30 minutes but up to 2 hours.

Step 8: Remove the meatballs from the sauce and serve. Use the rest of the sauce in the pot to serve with pasta.

FAQs about Meatballs

What to Serve with Meatballs?

Meatball options are limitless when it comes to what to serve with, but here are some of my favorites!

• Serve Meatballs in a Sunday sauce alongside some Homemade Italian Sausage, Authentic Italian Braciole, and Neck Bones!
• Throw them on a sandwich for a meatball parm or top them with some Pistachio Pesto for extra flavor.
• Traditional meatballs should always be served alongside some pasta like Creamy Red Pepper Sauce, Pasta with Peas and Pancetta, Bucatini Amatriciana, or a baked pasta dish like Authentic Italian Lasagna or Baked Cheese Manicotti.
• I always serve my Italian meatballs with some kind of delicious vegetable like Garlic Parmesan Green Beans, Italian Lacinato Kale, Italian Radicchio Salad, or Sauteed Rapini with Garlic. If I'm not making pasta, I'll also serve them with Crispy Garlic Parmesan Potatoes.

More Classic Italian American Recipes

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