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Classic Italian Meatballs Simmered in Sunday Gravy

A close-up view of several juicy Italian meatballs simmering in a rich, thick red tomato sauce in a white bowl.
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Make tender, flavorful Italian meatballs using a traditional blend of meats, slow-simmered in rich tomato sauce for the best flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20 recommended)
  • 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1/2 lb ground veal
  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, soaked in 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, for browning
  • 6 cups homemade or good quality canned tomato sauce (Sunday Gravy)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, and veal.
  2. Squeeze the excess milk from the soaked breadcrumbs and add them to the meat mixture along with the Parmesan cheese, parsley, eggs, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  3. Use your hands to gently mix all ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix, or the meatballs will become tough.
  4. Roll the mixture into uniform balls, about 1.5 inches in diameter. You should get about 20 to 24 meatballs.
  5. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  6. Working in batches if necessary, brown the meatballs on all sides until a nice crust forms. They do not need to be cooked through at this stage. Remove the browned meatballs and set them aside.
  7. Pour the tomato sauce into the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
  8. Carefully place the browned meatballs into the simmering sauce.
  9. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the meatballs simmer slowly for at least 2 to 3 hours. Stir gently once or twice during the cooking time.
  10. Serve hot over your favorite pasta or use them for an Italian meatball sandwich.

Notes

  • For the most tender Italian meatballs, use a blend of beef, pork, and veal.
  • Soaking the breadcrumbs in milk adds moisture, which keeps the meatballs soft during simmering.
  • Browning the meatballs before adding them to the sauce builds a deeper flavor base for the gravy.
  • If you are making these ahead of time, they taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://juliameal.com/italian-meatballs-perfection-recipe/