Italian Meatballs

June 12, 2014 by Kristi 46 Comments

These Italian Meatballs are the perfect flavor combination with a mix of ground beef and sausage with a dozen flavorful herbs and spices

Today, I’m expanding my culinary horizons. I’m eating meatballs in marinara sauce for breakfast. 🙂

It’s a little known fact that friends think I’m weird because I eat non-traditional things for breakfast.

Like these scrumptious Italian Meatballs.

With a rich, savory, spicy, mouth-watering flavor coupled with perfect texture and consistency, I say ‘how could you not’?

I mean, does it really matter what time of day it is to eat amazing food? I say no!

So…although this isn’t my first time making meatballs, I have to tell you – it’s by far my best recipe. These not only have amazing flavor, but the texture and consistency is so perfect.

I’m seriously wondering if you all find the frozen, store-boughten ones as miserably rubbery, chewy and generally unedible as I do? Ugh. I can hardly choke them down.

These? A totally different story. These are fabulous. Even breakfast-worthy. 🙂

Now, once you have these bad boys all made up, I highly recommend you make yourself an Italian Meatball Sub. They are ssssoooo good! The flavors blend perfectly and the parmesan and provolone are awesome paired together! (p.s. be sure to toast the buns to prevent them from getting soggy).

Ok, now here’s a little trick to getting all your meatballs the exact same size (and you won’t have to handle them so much! w00t!): use a cookie scoop! It keeps your hands clean, and it will pack the meatball not too tightly and not too loosely – so you get the perfect size and consistency, every.single.time.

Trust me, it works like a charm. And, who doesn’t need a little charm in the kitchen? 🙂

What I loved about cooking this particular Italian Meatball recipe is, they did not fall apart while cooking. The binding ingredients are perfect for binding together and staying together. Once a meatball family, always a meatball family – they stick together! 🙂

Now, if you want to pump it up a notch with mind-blowing, mouth-watering taste, mix yourself this Spicy Marinara Sauce to top your Italian Meatball Sub Sandwich.

Instructions to do the Italian Meatball Sub Sandwich:

Generously slather melted butter over the insides of the buns and toast them in a hot skillet until the inside is crispy (this helps keep the sauce from soaking through the bun); remove and set aside.
Add two slices of provolone cheese to the inside of each bun. Next, place them on a baking sheet and put the baking sheet in a pre-heated 450 degree oven until the cheese melts.
When cheese is melted, remove them and top with 4+ meatballs (fill them side-to-side with meatball, baby)!
Top with a generous amount of pre-heated Spicy Marinara Sauce. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and grated parmesan.

BAM! You’ve got yourself a killer looking gourmet sandwich!

Now, here comes the fun part. Are you ready for this?

Grab it with both hands and show it you mean business! Now, get ready to get real messy. p.s. for the more conservative, grab a knife and fork and go ahead and act all civilized-like. Now, EAT! And, don’t stop ’til you’re done.

Enjoy!

Italian Meatballs

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Author: Kristi

Recipe type: Main

Ingredients

1 pound extra lean ground beef (7% fat)
2 Hot Italian Sausage links, casing removed (discard) and sausage crumbled (approx 8 ounces)
⅓ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs, extra large
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon crushed thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon parsley
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
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2 - 3 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Mix all ingredients (except the butter!) together until thoroughly mixed.
Roll into evenly sized balls (this is easy by using a cookie scoop!).
In a skillet, cook meatballs in melted butter over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until done through.

Notes

Do not crowd the pan when frying the meatballs. Be sure to leave enough room so that you can easily turn them to cook all sides. Cook in batches if necessary.