45 italian meatball recipes

Hearty Italian spaghetti sauce with pork ribs, homemade meatballs, and scorched tomato paste simmered for hours into rich, meaty perfection.

German meatballs made with ground beef and pork, browned and simmered on a bed of sauerkraut. Worcestershire sauce and Italian breadcrumbs give these a savory kick. One skillet, one hour.

Italian-style party meatballs with Parmesan and rolled oats simmered in a homemade tomato-oregano-basil sauce. Serve in a chafing dish for easy entertaining and cocktail parties.

Homemade meatball soup with bow-tie pasta, chickpeas, spinach, and mushrooms in a basil tomato broth. Italian comfort in a bowl that feeds the whole family.

Polpette di pollo in brodo are Italian chicken meatballs simmered in broth with Parmesan, lemon zest, nutmeg, and parsley. A light, elegant soup ready in about 20 minutes.

Hearty Italian wedding soup simmered for hours with beef shanks, tiny meatballs, vegetables, tomatoes, and small pasta shells. Topped with grated Parmesan for a soul-warming bowl.

Baked tofu spaghetti balls with walnuts, oats, and Italian herbs, smothered in tomato sauce. Vegan meatballs that hold up on pasta or stuffed into a sub roll.

Italian-style tomato sauce simmered with kelp seaweed (alaria or laminaria), garlic, oregano, and Worcestershire. A mineral-rich, umami-packed sauce for spaghetti, meatballs, or browned meat.

Easy Italian mushroom spaghetti sauce built from fresh roma tomatoes, tomato paste, and four herbs, simmered with plenty of mushrooms. Vegetarian as-is, or add meatballs or browned beef.

Large pasta tubes get stuffed with a mixture of mashed meatballs and spinach, then layered with slow-simmered tomato sauce and Parmesan for an Italian feast that feeds a crowd.

Big-batch Italian pasta sauce made with fresh canned tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, sage, and grated Romano and Parmesan cheese cooked right into the sauce. Perfect for simmering with homemade meatballs.

California country meatballs with a beef, pork, and veal blend seasoned with fennel seeds, tossed with sauteed tri-color bell peppers, onion, and black olives. A colorful, Italian-inspired skillet dinner.

Old-school Italian-American spaghetti sauce simmered for hours with whole plum tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and bay leaf. Drop your meatballs in during the last hour and let Sunday dinner take care of itself.