Like many families, recipes are passed down and then subtly changed over time. This recipe was passed on to me from my mother from her mother, Nonny, who came to the United States as a young girl. My aunts and cousins I am sure have a different interpretation of this recipe. Nonny’s Meatballs are the ultimate comfort food to share with the family. This classic Italian meatball recipe has been perfected over the years, excellent for your spaghetti and meatballs, Italian meatball soup, or just a recipe to add to your collection.
When Nonny cooked, there were no exact measurements or recipes. When my family would ask her, she would say a little of this and a little of that. handfuls, and pinches of the fingertips. My aunts would put the ingredients in her hands and then put them into a measuring cup or spoon to document.
These tender, juicy meatballs are a delectable combination of ground beef, turkey breast if you’d like, and seasoned with onions, garlic, parsley, eggs, milk, Parmesan cheese, and a hand-full of other herbs and seasonings.
These delicious and versatile meatballs are a perfect base of good old Italian cooking. It remains a staple in my family’s recipes, as it’s one to make everyone’s stomach very happy!
Nonny's Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (can substitute turkey breast or use combination of the two)
- 2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (to season, add to plain breadcrumbs; ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp dried basil, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp dried parsley.
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup whole milk (can use lower fat, however the higher the milk fat, the richer the taste.)
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbs fresh parsley, finely chopped, or 2 tsp dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If do not linewith parchment, spray a light coat of oil. Set aside.
- Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and combine with your hands.
- Form into tablespoon size balls and place on baking sheet. Option to make larger or smaller depending on preference.
- Bake for approximately 10 minutes on each side until lightly browned. To speed up browning, turn oven to broil for last few minutes.
- Meatballs should reach internal temperature of 170º F.
Nutrition