HOMEMADE ITALIAN MEATBALLS WITH RICH TOMATO PASSATA — A HEARTY FAMILY-STYLE CLASSIC

Made entirely from scratch—from hand-ground meats to house-made tomato sauce—these Italian meatballs are a labor of love, perfect for large family gatherings and festive occasions. Tender pork and veal combine with aged parmesan and pancetta, simmered gently in a rich, flavorful tomato passata infused with herbs and spice. This recipe yields a generous potful of meatballs, ideal for sharing and enjoying fresh or reheated.

🕒 Prep Time: 45 min

⏲️ Cooking Time: 1 hr 30 min (including simmering and baking)
🍽️ Yields: 6–8 servings (3–4 meatballs per serving)

Ingredients

Meatballs:

500 g pork neck (pork shoulder can substitute)
500 g veal
150 g aged parmesan cheese, grated (12–24 months)
100 g pancetta, diced (preferably unsmoked)
35 g stale bread (crumbs only if crust is thick/tough)
50 ml milk
1 medium onion (approx. 100 g), finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons chili flakes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 heaping teaspoons salt
1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
2 eggs
All-purpose flour, for dusting

Tomato Passata:

4 cans (400 g each) whole peeled tomatoes
75 ml quality olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Additional:

50 ml oil for frying meatballs
1 liter chicken broth (or water)
1 teaspoon chili flakes
2 large bay leaves

Instructions

1. Prepare Bread and Onion

Cube stale bread and soak in milk until needed.
Sprinkle chopped onion with a pinch of salt and let sit, then squeeze out excess moisture before adding to meat.

2. Grind Meat

Cut pork and veal into chunks and pass through a coarse grind plate of your meat grinder.

3. Mix Meatball Ingredients

Combine ground meat with soaked bread, onion, garlic, pancetta, parmesan, chili flakes, pepper, salt, and parsley, mixing gently with a spoon until just combined (do not add eggs or flour yet).

4. Re-Grind and Add Eggs

Pass the mixture through the grinder once more (using coarse plate is fine).
Add beaten eggs and mix lightly until fully combined.

5. Shape Meatballs

Weigh out approx. 50–55 g portions of meat and form into smooth balls by rolling between your palms.
You should get about 25–27 meatballs.

6. Coat Meatballs

Place flour on a large plate. Dredge each meatball lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
Arrange on a large tray and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

7. Make Tomato Passata

Blend canned tomatoes until smooth.
Heat olive oil in a large pot, carefully add tomato puree (beware of splatter).
Stir in sugar, salt, and pepper.
Simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and splatters frequently. Adjust salt to taste. (Passata can be made a day ahead.)

8. Fry Meatballs

Heat oil in a large pan. Fry meatballs in batches without crowding for about 3 minutes per side until lightly browned but not fully cooked.
Toss gently for even browning on all sides.

9. Bake in Sauce

Transfer meatballs to a large, wide ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, placing them in a single layer.
Mix 1 liter of tomato passata with 1 liter chicken broth (or water). Pour over meatballs just enough to nearly cover them.
Sprinkle chili flakes and tuck in bay leaves.
Bake uncovered at 175°C (350°F) for 1 hour.

10. Serve

Serve hot, sprinkled with grated parmesan and accompanied by rustic toasted bread.
Leftovers reheat beautifully, flavors deepen overnight.

💡 Tips

Use a meat grinder for the freshest, most tender meatballs.
Double grinding creates a fine texture that binds beautifully.
Light flour dusting prevents sticking and helps form a delicate crust during frying.
Slow simmering in tomato passata enriches flavor and keeps meatballs juicy.

🎉 Perfect For

Large family gatherings and holiday meals
Classic Italian dinner parties
Make-ahead meals that improve with time

📝 Final Thoughts

This fully homemade Italian meatball recipe captures the essence of traditional rustic cooking, blending premium meats with savory pancetta and aged parmesan for deep, comforting flavors. The hands-on process—from grinding meat to crafting your own rich tomato passata—may be labor-intensive but rewards you with tender, succulent meatballs that shine in a fragrant, slow-simmered sauce. Perfect for sharing around the table, this dish embodies warmth, tradition, and the joy of home cooking.