Polpette - Italian Meatballs

Home » Recipes » Meat Recipes
Polpette - Italian Meatballs
Published: May 4, 2022 · Updated: May 4, 2022 by Andrea

Jump to Recipe
The BEST polpette! Juicy inside and crispy outside, serve Italian meatballs with spaghetti and tomato sauce, roasted potatoes, salads and more!

Loaded with flavor, traditional Italian polpette are comfort food at its finest!

These Italian meatballs make the perfect weeknight meal for the whole family.

You can have them on the table in less than 30 minutes and they're guaranteed to please both kids and grown-ups.

The recipe is inspired by my mum’s delicious meatballs, and a few tricks my dear friend and U.S. Master Chef winner Luca Manfe’ taught me a few years ago when he gave me his mum’s precious meatball recipe.

You can serve them with pasta, or with potatoes and a salad, and use leftovers to fill up sandwiches for your lunchbox.

They also freeze beautifully, so you can make a big batch and store for a quick meal whenever you don't feel like cooking.

polpette aka italian meatballs. 

Subscribe to The Petite Cook!
Get seasonal recipes, cooking tips and ideas for your next cooking project directly into your inbox!

Website
Your Email...
Subscribe

I consent to receiving emails and personalized ads.
Jump to:
WHAT IS POLPETTE?
ITALIAN MEATBALLS INGREDIENTS
HOW TO MAKE POLPETTE
HOW TO STORE MEATBALLS
BAKED POLPETTE
AIR FRYER POLPETTE
WHAT TO SERVE WITH POLPETTE
RECIPE FAQs
Recipe
WHAT IS POLPETTE?
Polpette is the Italian word for meatballs, but it doesn't necessarily mean they're the same meatballs you'll find in the US or anywhere else.

Polpette are usually made with ground beef, aromatics such as parsley, garlic, or onion, breadcrumbs, milk, egg and lots of parmesan cheese.

These are the basic ingredients, but each family has its own version, as it often happens with traditional recipes.

Italian meatballs are not perfectly round, they're slightly flattened, and they're usually served as a main course.

Italians don't actually eat spaghetti with meatballs, and they often serve polpette plain with a salad on the side or smothered in tomato sauce.

PS: I'm Italian, and whilst I started making spaghetti and meatballs just recently (and I love it!), I can guarantee you pasta with meatballs is a thing in Sicily, we just find it unusual to use spaghetti shape!

ITALIAN MEATBALLS INGREDIENTS
For these Italian-style meatballs, you'll need the most simple ingredients.

Here's what you'll need:

polpette ingredients: bread, breadcrumbs, milk, parmesan, ground beef, garlic, lemon, parsley, egg, thyme.
Ground beef: Lean beef mince or veal mince is the base for the meatballs. Substitute with chicken mince if you want to make chicken meatballs.
Bread: a thick slice of chopped ciabatta bread or sourdough bread will make your meatballs soft and juicy. Remember to remove the crust.
Milk: A little bit of milk will add moisture. You'll soak the bread for a few minutes then squeeze out the milk in excess. You can use dairy-free milk if needed.
Parmesan: Parmigiano adds so much flavour, and makes meatballs soft and scrumptious. Grana Padano works well too.
Breadcrumbs: Helps bind the meatball mixture. Use homemade Italian breadcrumbs, store-bought, or panko breadcrumbs.
Parsley and thyme: All the best Italian meatballs include fresh parsley! Thyme adds an extra aromatic note, but you can skip it if you like.
Garlic: It's optional, but a little finely chopped garlic works wonderfully here.
Lemon: While this is an optional addition, lemon zest adds a citrusy note and makes the meatballs even tastier.
Egg: It works as a binding agent, but you can substitute it with a small mashed potato if needed.
Masterchef Tip: For extra flavor, Masterchef Luca Manfe' suggests adding 2 tablespoons of sauteed minced onion and 2 tablespoons of white wine into the meatballs mixture.

HOW TO MAKE POLPETTE
These easy Italian meatballs are super easy to make!

From start to finish it will take just about 30 minutes. Here's the step-by-step recipe:

Scroll until the end of the post for the full printable recipe

collage of four images showing the four steps of the recipe.
STEP 1 - Prepare the ingredients.

Soak the bread in milk, then drain and squeeze out the excess milk, and place it in a large bowl. Add in the remaining ingredients.

STEP 2 - Mix the ingredients.

Mix all the ingredients gently but thoroughly, until well combined.

STEP 3 - Form the polpette.

Lightly oil your hands, and form 1-inch (2½-cm) meatballs (about 1 full tablespoon each). Place the meatballs on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Then press each meatball gently with your hand to give it a more oval shape.

Masterchef Tip: When you form polpette, remember they are not super small, but they are not as big as hamburgers; they are not flat, but they are not round either!

STEP 4 - Cook the meatballs.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan.

Fold in the meatballs and cook them for about 3-4 minutes, flip them on the other side and cook them for a further 2-3 minutes.

Serve them straight away, or mix them with Italian tomato sauce and pasta.

spaghetti with meatballs 
HOW TO STORE MEATBALLS
STORE: Refrigerate leftover meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
REHEAT: Reheat leftover meatballs in the oven at 170C/350F for 5-10 minutes, or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
FREEZE COOKED MEATBALLS: Place the cooked meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer the frozen meatballs to an airtight freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
FREEZE UNCOOKED MEATBALLS: Place the cooked meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer the frozen meatballs to an airtight freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
BAKED POLPETTE
For a lighter alternative, instead of pan-frying them, you can bake the meatballs in the oven.