03/31/2026
obsessed with the concept of meatballs and ive been thinking about them for two months so it was time to get my hands dirty
please chime in with helpful tips and tricks if you have them!
hereâs what I did (roughly)
1 lb ground beef (85/15)
1 lb ground lamb
3 slices sourdough bread
1/3 cup whole milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup grated parmesan
1/2 of a medium sweet onion, finely diced (or two large shallots), about 1/2 cup total
4 minced or grated garlic cloves
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp italian seasoning
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
2-4 tbsp chopped basil or parsley (I have a parsley aversion)
sauce!!
1 jar of tomato sauce ( arrabiata!)
1/2 of a medium sweet onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
small handful of basil leaves
remove crust from bread and chop into small cubes, mix with milk in a small bowl and let it sit for a few minutes until it turns to an oatmeal like consistency - this is our panade and will act as a binding ingredient and will also keep the meatballs moist!
add the panade and other meatball ingredients to a large bowl and mix, truly best to use your hands, obviously wash them first and remove jewelry, donât be gross - you could also use gloves. using your hands keeps the meet from getting to packed or overworked.
use an ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out meatballs and place them on a tray - this made about 20 meatballs for me! you can make them smaller if youâd like
oil your hands with olive oil or avocado oil to prevent sticking, then gently roll each meatball in the palm of your hand until its a soft sphere
start the sauce: sautĂŠ onion and garlic on medium low heat until softened, add in jar of tomato sauce, then fill the jar with water or stock, swirl, and pour that into the sauce. keep on medium low heat. now is also a good time to start your pasta.
heat a few tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat, once shimmering drop in meatballs with about an inch of space between each to avoid overcrowding. youâll need to cook them in batches!
continued in comments and will be on substack tomorrow
