Homemade Italian Meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs are the perfect comfort food. One plateful really checks all the boxes. Especially during the winter months, you’ll find a pot of these Italian meatballs simmering on my stovetop on any given weeknight. They’re tender, juicy, and packed with flavor thanks to a few simple ingredients and gluten-free seasonings. I’m sure once you’ve made just one batch of these gluten-free Italian meatballs, you’ll have them on repeat.

How Are Italian Meatballs Different?

Traditional Italian meatballs, or “polpettes”, are usually quite a bit smaller than the ones I’m sharing here (more similar in size to my baked turkey meatballs). In different parts of Italy, they’re made with pork, chicken, fish, or vegetables, and not always cooked in sauce. In many ways, they’re more like croquettes.

Some polpettes recipes are similar to Italian-American meatballs like these, though they’re usually made with breadcrumbs. For the sake of keeping this recipe gluten-free, I’ve taken a few creative liberties with my homemade version. We’ll call these “Italian-inspired,” and they’re just as delicious!

What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe

Below is a short list of what you’ll need to make the best homemade Italian meatballs! Be sure to check the recipe card for the full ingredient amounts.

• Ground Meat – This Italian meatballs recipe calls for lean ground beef, along with a blend of both sweet and hot Italian pork sausage, removed from its casings. If your family is like mine and can’t eat a lot of pork, feel free to use turkey sausage to make turkey meatballs instead.
• Garlic – I minced up 4 cloves of fresh garlic; however, you can use more or less to taste. 
• Eggs – Since these gluten-free meatballs don’t include breadcrumbs, eggs bind the ingredients together and help the meatballs hold their shape. 
• Seasoning – You’ll need your favorite Italian seasoning blend, along with salt and pepper. I like to toss a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes into the mix for a bit of kick, but feel free to omit it if spice isn’t your thing.
• Marinara Sauce – This recipe makes a lot of meatballs! As a result, you’ll need about two jars of marinara sauce if you’re going the store-bought route. If you have the time, however, I highly recommend making your own homemade marinara sauce. It’s easy, and the freshness is 100% worth it.

How to Make Italian Meatballs

This is the easiest recipe for Italian meatballs. Here’s how to prepare the meat mixture quickly from scratch, and how to cook meatballs in sauce on the stovetop:

• Prepare the meatball mixture. Add the ground meat along with the rest of the meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Give everything a quick mix, making sure the seasonings are evenly distributed. 

• Shape the meatballs. Once combined, shape portions of the meat mixture into round balls. I like my meatballs on the larger side, so I usually average about a ¼ cup of mixture per meatball. Next, you’ll place the shaped meatballs onto a baking sheet to chill in the fridge.

• Combine with the sauce. After about 30 minutes, heat the marinara sauce in a big Dutch oven on the stovetop. When it’s simmering, take your meatballs out of the fridge and add them to the sauce. Don’t stir right away – wait until the meatballs begin to float to the surface, about 10 minutes or so.
• Cook. Now, stir the meatballs and continue to simmer for another half hour. Stir them again every so often. If you notice any fat sitting on top of the sauce, you can skim it off using a spoon. Once your Italian-style meatballs are cooked through, it’s time to serve! See the section further on for our favorite ways to serve homemade meatballs.

Tips for the Best Homemade Meatballs

• How to tell when meatballs are done: When the meatballs are near the end of their cooking time, use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. The meatballs are ready when the temperature reaches 160ºF.
• What keeps meatballs from falling apart? The egg is what binds the ingredients in this gluten-free recipe and keeps the meatballs from crumbling as they cook. Don’t skip it! 
• For tender meatballs, avoid overmixing the meat. I find the easiest way to thoroughly combine the meatball ingredients is to use my hands. It’s worth getting a little messy for meatballs that are juicy and tender, and not dense and tough!
• Keep them uniform. I like using a large scoop to portion out the meat for my meatballs.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Store any leftover meatballs and marinara sauce airtight in a container, or covered in foil or plastic wrap. Both the meatballs and the sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3-5 days. 
• Reheat. I prefer to reheat the meatballs with a bit of sauce on the stovetop. Alternatively, you can warm meatballs in the microwave at 50% power until heated through.
• Freeze. The cooked Italian meatballs can be frozen along with the marinara sauce for up to 2-3 months. To do so, wait until the meatballs have cooled, then transfer them with the sauce to an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw the meatballs in the fridge, then reheat as directed.

More Easy Italian Dinner Ideas

• Italian Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Gluten Free Lasagna
• Air Fryer Gluten-Free Pizza Rolls
• Gluten-Free Chicken Parmesan