These Polpette (the Italian word for Meatball) are addicting, fun to make, and so, so delicious! As a child, these were the best things on Earth! And as an adult? Yup! I feel NO different!
These polpette aka little glorious balls of fried meat aka Mom’s famous mini meatballs are seriously the best and honestly so, so addicting! They’re made with a mixture of ground veal and pork for the ultimate flavour explosion and require only a few other ingredients you probably already have in your pantry!
These mini meatballs are wonderful on their own, perfect to throw in some homemade tomato sauce, or the best addition to dishes like soups or pastas. HINT HINT: Italian wedding soup, anyone?!
Ok, here it is. Another day, another childhood fav. Another can’t-live-without, mama-makes-it-best recipe. Like these Italian-style artichokes or this simple sautéed rapini recipe, I’ve been snacking on POLPETTE for exactly 3 decades.
Oh, and clearly you’re in for another Italian lesson. It wouldn’t be the Lagana family cooking series without it, am I right?
WHAT IS POLPETTE?
In one word: polpette = meatballs in Italian. In my confession of my undying love for them: Polpette = little balls of pure heaven that, if I’m not paying attention, I could eat an entire bowl of in just one sitting. And no, that is NOT an exaggeration.
I know you already know about my sauce lovin’ ways and how I normally stand firm in the belief that any type of sauce perfects just about any meal. However, I have to tell ya, and this may very well be the first and last time you’ll ever hear me say this but It’s just simply not the case with these bad boys.
While nonna may argue these mini meatballs are best served smothered in homemade tomato sauce a-top a great big bowl of fresh pasta (which admittedly is dang delicious), I’d have to offer my contrary opinion that these little guys are best eaten like a bag of chips – one after the other and in exactly one sitting…and, low and behold, no sauce necessary. Yeah, I said it… Mrs. Saucy herself.
Aside from poppin’ ’em in our mouths as a “snack” 100 times in a row, my mama makes ’em the star of her famous lasanga (that in itself is just mind-blowing). So, yeah, you caught me…they’re to-die-for covered in sauce too!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THE BEST MINI MEATBALLS ON THE PLANET
It doesn’t take very many ingredients to make the best little meatballs on earth! So, what are you waiting for?! You probably already have most of them on hand!
- Ground Veal/Pork: The mixture of the two provide an unbeatable flavour for the meatballs when mixed with the other ingredients and we use equal amounts of each. However, you can choose to use just one over the other if you prefer.
- Breadcrumbs: A binder for our meatballs and the “glue” that holds it altogether. You can use plain breadcrumbs or Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. You can also use gluten free breadcrumbs, if necessary.
- Egg: A secondary binder and plays an important role in “marrying” the ingredients together. Also adds flavour and texture.
- Parmesan Cheese: My Mama’s secret ingredient for an extra boost of flavour. And I mean, can I really call these Italian meatballs without a little bit of Parmesan cheese? We use the Parmesan you can already find finely grated at the grocery store.
- Fresh Chopped Parsley: Adds flavour, colour, and texture to these mini meatballs. Finely chopped works best in this recipe. Reserve some for garnishing the meatballs when they’re done.
- Garlic: Adds flavour, texture, and pairs incredibly well with the other ingredients making the perfect meatball. Make sure to mince your garlic into very fine pieces for best results as the meatballs are already small and you don’t want the garlic to overpower the other ingredients.
- Salt/Pepper: The only additional spices we add to the meatballs because nothing else is needed! But don’t skip on these two, they’ll add the perfect balance to the meatballs and they would be bland without them!
HOW TO MAKE POLPETTE JUST LIKE MY MAMA AKA THE MEATBALL MASTER (KEY TIPS)
You can find full instructions for how to make the best mini meatballs in the recipe card down below, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
- Chop the garlic and parsley into very small pieces. Since the meatballs are already mini, we don’t want any of the ingredients to overpower the others.
- Use your hands to combine the ingredients! Go on, get dirty! I find that using your hands, as opposed to using a utensil or something else, is the best way to quickly and efficiently combine the ingredients without mixing it too much.
- Take care not to overwork the meat while you’re mixing it all up. You want it well combined but mixing it too much will result in tough, dense meatballs.
- If you find the mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs.
- Once the meat is completely combined with the other ingredients, begin to form the meatballs right away. The mixture will become soggy if you let it sit.
- Take care to make the meatballs as similar in size as you could. This will ensure they all cook evenly and in the same amount of time.
- Make sure the oil in the pan is super hot before adding the meatballs. Adding food to oil that is not hot results in food that tastes like nothing but greasy oil. PRO TIP: Use your finger to splash a pinch of water into the skillet. If it sizzles, the pan is hot enough to start adding your meatballs.
- Use a lid (partially on) or a splatter screen to prevent the oil from splattering all over the place.
- Keep turning the meatballs throughout frying to ensure they get browned all the way around and cook evenly throughout.
- Keep a close eye on the meatballs while they’re frying. Since they’re so small, they don’t take much time at all to cook and could brown too quickly if left alone. They shouldn’t take longer than 10-15 minutes in total.
- Once the meatballs are done frying, place them on a paper towel lined plate for a few minutes before serving. This step is crucial to ensure you don’t end up with greasy and oily meatballs!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When we’re feeling fancy, we use a mixture of ground pork and ground veal. However, sometimes we opt to use just pork. You can use one over the other, too, if you prefer. And while you can obviously make a good meatball with ground chicken, beef, or turkey, I honestly (or my Mama might kill me!) wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe. Pork and veal will give you the tastiest, juiciest results!
For sure! (I enjoy this method sometimes) Just lay them out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for 25-30 mins, flipping halfway through. PRO TIP: Make the meatballs slightly bigger if you are intending to bake them.
Of course, adding them to homemade tomato sauce or a pasta dish like this cream cheese pasta bake is a no brainer! I use them in my Italian wedding soup recipe and love just snacking on them as is. Consider serving them alongside any Italian-themed dinner night – they can be a main dish or a side, depending on your mood!
You can store cooked polpette in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. But be careful, having them sitting there just like that is SUPER DANGEROUS as they’re HIGHLY ADDICTING 😉
YES! You can freeze these mini meatballs both before and after cooking.
HOW TO FREEZE (same for both): Lay your polpette out in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and stick it in the freezer for a few hours. Once hardened, toss and store in a large ziplock freezer bag for up to 6 months.
When ready to eat the raw meatballs: there is no need to thaw them out completely if adding to sauce or frying. If baking instead, thaw in the fridge beforehand to avoid them becoming watery.
When ready to eat the cooked meatballs: Thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat in the oven on low heat or in a microwave until completely warmed through.
LOVE MEATBALLS? Try my gluten free meatball recipe, my chicken pesto meatballs, or my turkey meatballs with spinach, goat cheese, and sun dried tomatoes next!
MORE OF MY CHILDHOOD FAVS
MAMA’S FAMOUS WHITE WINE CHICKEN (LOW FODMAP VERSION)
PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER AND BACON
LOVE THIS RECIPE? PIN IT FOR LATER!
POLPETTE AKA MOM’S MINI MEATBALLS
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Meat* see notes
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- ½ cup Breadcrumbs more as needed
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- High Heat Oil* for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients (except the oil).
- Using your hands, mix until everything is well combined adding more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet.
- Shape the meat mixture into tiny balls (think marbles or a touch bigger) – try to make 'em as equal as you can to ensure even cooking.
- Lay them on a parchment lined baking sheet until ready to use.
- Add enough oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet and heat on medium heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and cook in a single layer, with the skillet partially covered to avoid splattering. Work in batches if necessary.
- Stir the meatballs every so often to ensure each side gets browned. Meatballs should take about 5-10 minutes and are done when all sides are crispy and browned. Remove with a slotted spoon shaking off any excess oil. Set 'em on a paper towel lined plate for a few minutes so some of the oil can continue to drain off.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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