Description
Ina Garten’s veal meatballs recipe offers a delightful Italian-inspired dish with rich flavors and tender texture. Succulent meatballs paired with fragrant herbs create a memorable meal you’ll savor with pure culinary pleasure.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pounds ground veal
- 1 pounds ground pork
- 0.5 pounds sweet Italian sausage (casings removed and meat crumbled)
- 2 extra-large eggs (lightly beaten)
- 0.75 cups whole milk
- 0.75 cups fresh whole-milk ricotta
- 0.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese (2 oz)
- 0.25 cups grated Pecorino cheese (1 oz)
- 1 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs (such as Progresso)
- 0.5 cups minced fresh parsley
- 2 tsps minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 1 tsp ground fennel
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 0.5 cups good olive oil (divided)
- 2 (32-oz) jars good marinara sauce (such as Rao’s)
Instructions
- Aromatic Base Preparation: Gently heat olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium-low temperature. Add minced garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant, avoiding browning. Cool the garlic-infused oil completely.
- Meat Mixture Composition: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground veal, ground pork, crumbled sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, Pecorino, parsley, fennel seeds, kosher salt, and black pepper. Use a fork to blend ingredients delicately, maintaining a light texture.
- Liquid Integration: Incorporate beaten eggs, whole milk, ricotta cheese, and cooled garlic-infused oil into the meat mixture. Fold gently but thoroughly, ensuring even distribution without overmixing.
- Portioning and Preparation: Moisten hands and use a 2¼-inch ice cream scoop to create uniform meatballs. Arrange on two rimmed baking sheets, leaving slight separation. Brush generously with olive oil to enhance browning and moisture.
- Roasting Process: Position oven racks in middle and upper thirds. Preheat to 425°F (220°C). Roast meatballs for 25-30 minutes until golden-brown and internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
- Sauce Finishing: Warm marinara sauce in a large pot until gently simmering. Transfer roasted meatballs into the sauce, allowing them to simmer for 10 minutes to develop flavors and ensure complete cooking.
- Serving Suggestion: Plate meatballs immediately, offering additional marinara sauce and optional fresh herb garnish for enhanced presentation.
Notes
- Prevent Overworking Meat: Gently mix ingredients with a fork to maintain a light, tender texture. Overmixing can make meatballs dense and tough.
- Moisture Matters: Brush meatballs with olive oil before roasting to enhance browning and keep them juicy. This technique ensures a golden, flavorful exterior.
- Temperature Precision: Use an instant-read thermometer to check internal temperature, aiming for 160°F to guarantee safe and perfectly cooked meatballs.
- Flavor Infusion: Let meatballs simmer in marinara sauce for 10 minutes to develop deeper, more complex taste profiles and ensure thorough cooking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 530
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 760 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg