Homemade Meatballs in Marinara Sauce — The Italian-American Classic

Authentic Italian Gourmet Pasta Sauce. No Added Sugar. Ever.

There are few things in Italian-American cooking more satisfying than a pot of meatballs simmering in marinara. The smell alone is enough to bring people to the kitchen. The taste is enough to make them stay.

Great meatballs need a great sauce to simmer in — one that's rich enough to flavor the meatballs as they cook, bright enough to stay vibrant after 30 minutes on the stove, and authentic enough to honor the tradition. Albanese's Finest Original Marinara — authentic Italian gourmet pasta sauce with no added sugar — is exactly that sauce.

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
• ½ lb ground pork
• ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes

For the sauce:

• 1 jar Albanese's Finest Original Marinara (24 oz)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• Fresh basil

Step 1 — Soak the breadcrumbs. Combine breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes until the milk is absorbed. This is the panade — it keeps the meatballs tender and moist.

Step 2 — Mix the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, Parmigiano, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — don't overwork the meat or the meatballs will be tough.

Step 3 — Form the meatballs. Roll into balls about 1½ inches in diameter (roughly the size of a golf ball). You should get about 20–24 meatballs. Wet your hands slightly to prevent sticking.

Step 4 — Brown the meatballs. Heat olive oil in a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning to color all sides, about 5–6 minutes total. They don't need to be cooked through — just browned. Remove and set aside.

Step 5 — Build the sauce. In the same pan, add sliced garlic and cook 60 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the marinara. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the meatballs.

Step 6 — Simmer the meatballs. Return the meatballs to the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and cook 25–30 minutes, turning the meatballs occasionally, until cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

Step 7 — Serve. Serve over spaghetti with extra sauce, or on their own with crusty bread. Top with fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

The panade is non-negotiable. Soaking the breadcrumbs in milk before mixing creates a paste that keeps the meatballs tender and moist. Skip it and you'll have dense, dry meatballs.

Don't overwork the meat. Mix until just combined. Overworking develops the proteins and makes the meatballs tough. Gentle hands make tender meatballs.

Brown, don't cook through. The meatballs finish cooking in the sauce — that's where they get their flavor. The browning step is just for color and crust.

Use a mix of beef and pork. All-beef meatballs are fine. Beef-and-pork meatballs are better. The pork adds fat and flavor that beef alone can't provide.

Serving Suggestions

• Over spaghetti with extra marinara — the classic
• In a meatball sub on crusty Italian bread
• As part of a Sunday gravy spread
• Alongside Classic Baked Ziti with Marinara

About the Sauce

Albanese's Finest Original Marinara is made with no added sugar — which means the natural acidity of the tomatoes brightens the rich, meaty meatballs perfectly. It's the authentic Italian gourmet pasta sauce that makes this dish taste like Sunday dinner at an Italian-American grandmother's house.

No added sugar. Small-batch. Founder-made.

Shop Original Marinara →

Related recipes: Classic Spaghetti Marinara · Classic Baked Ziti with Marinara · Classic Lasagna with Marinara