The Best Italian Meatballs in Marinara are so warm and comforting, so moist and rich in flavor! Serve with a crusty baguette and a simple green salad, or alongside your favorite pasta.

The Best Italian Style Meatballs in Marinara

These meatballs are some of the best I have ever eaten! Seriously! They blew me away! They even blew away my biggest critics – my family! These meatballs are so darn delicious you will make them again and again!

The Secret Ingredient

What makes this recipe so incredible, you ask? Both a secret ingredient AND a secret preparation method. Let’s start with the first, the secret ingredient. ZUCCHINI! That’s right! One grated small zucchini adds so much moisture and tenderness to these meatballs! Not to mention the added nutrients of folate, potassium, vitamin A, fiber and antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. Zucchini is a secret star in this recipe!

Recipe Ingredients

for this recipe you will need:

1 lb Ground Pork

1 lb Ground Beef

1 Small Zucchini, Grated (1 cup)

5 Cloves Garlic, Minced

3 tbsp Dried Italian Seasoning (ensure yours has sage, if not, add 2 tsp dried sage)

1/2 Yellow Onion, diced, about 1/2 cup

2 Eggs

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1 cup Bread Crumbs

1/3 Cup Milk

1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

With clean hands, combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well incorporated.

Form into bowls of equal size. Each of my balls are roughly 2 tbsp of meat mixture. (I added my first batch of rolled balls to my pot to better visualize how many I could cook at once. I removed these meatballs prior to heating the pot.)

Heat a large dutch oven or pot with 2 tbsp EVOO over medium heat. Once warmed, add the meatballs to the pot and brown on both sides in batches – about 2 minutes per side. Once browned, transfer to a baking sheet to allow room for next batch to be browned.

The Secret Preparation Method

The second secret in this recipe is the preparation method. After browning these meatballs on the stovetop in batches, you will braise them in your favorite marinara sauce and water. WATER! That’s the secret preparation method – adding water to your favorite marinara, and simmering in a covered pot. The water will slowly absorb into the meatballs, and the sauce will cook down, creating a rich, hearty sauce perfect for dipping crusty bread.

“Italian” Meatballs

Last year I visited the beautiful town of Cortona, Italy with my husband and friends. Above is the incredible place we called home for a week. With our stay came the privilege of cooking lessons with local townswomen. Our lessons taught us to prepare pork and potatoes in the traditional style of the region. We learned to make a rich Ragu. Yum! And it wouldn’t be cooking in Tuscany without learning to make Pasta and Tiramisu. It was an unbelievable experience that I will cherish forever.

At one point in our instruction, I asked about meatballs. Italy’s meatballs, called Polpettes, are very different from the American version of Italian Style Meatballs. Polpettes are smaller, not bigger than a golf ball; some are even as small as marbles. They are made from a variety of meats, from tripe to fish, depending upon region, and are rarely served the way we American’s think of meatballs – over a large plate of spaghetti marinara. Italian American immigrants are actually responsible for developing the dish we know and love today!

Print Recipe

The Best Italian Meatballs in Marinara

Rich and flavorful, The Best Italian Meatballs in Marinara are made with Pork and Beef and a secret ingredient!

Prep Time15

Cook Time33

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Italian Meatballs, Marinara, Meatballs, The Best Italian Meatballs

Servings: 10

Equipment

1 Dutch Oven
1 Baking Sheet lined with foil for easy cleanup
1 Large Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Beef 85/15
1 lb Ground Pork
4 cloves Garlic minced
3 tbsp Dried Italian Seasoning with sage * add 1 tsp sage if excluded from blend
½ Yellow Onion diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 Eggs
1 Zucchini small, grated (about 1 cup)
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes crushed
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 cup Bread Crumbs unseasoned
⅓ cup Milk
1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
24 oz Favorite Marinara Sauce
½ cup Water

Instructions

Add ground meats to a large mixing bowl – 1 lb each ground pork and ground beef.
To the ground meat, add the Garlic, Italian Seasoning Blend, Yellow Onion, 2 eggs, Salt and Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes, Breadcrumbs, Milk and Parmesan.
Add the grated Zucchini to the ingredients and with clean hands, mix to combine.
Form into balls, roughly 2 tbsp of mixture in each ball.
Heat 2 tbsp of EVOO in Dutch Oven or Large Pot over Medium Heat.
Without overcrowding the pot, add the meatballs. Brown on one side for about 2 minutes. Flip, and brown on the opposite side for 2 more minutes. Remove from pot, and place on lined baking sheet.
Once all meatballs have been browned and transferred to baking sheet, turn off heat. Allow pot to cool slightly.
Once cool enough to handle, wipe out the bottom of the pot with a paper towel to remove excess grease and oil.
Return meatballs to the pot. Pour in your favorite jarred or homemade marinara sauce. Add ½ cup water. Cover pot with a lid.
Cook over medium-low heat, for 20 minutes.
Serve meatballs with a crusty loaf of bread and simple salad. Enjoy!