Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Polpette al Sugo (Meatballs in Sauce)
Soft, tender Italian meatballs simmered slowly in a rich tomato sauce. Eaten as a main course with bread, NOT with spaghetti.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork)
- stale bread (crusts removed)
- milk (for soaking)
- parmesan cheese (grated)
- eggs
- garlic (minced)
- fresh parsley (chopped)
- canned tomato passata
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Large heavy skillet or Dutch oven
Instructions
- 1
Soak the Bread
Tear the stale bread into chunks and soak it in milk for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the excess milk and crumble the wet bread into a large bowl. This is the secret to tender meatballs.
- 2
Mix the Meat
Add the ground meat, eggs, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the bread.
- 3
Knead Lightly
Mix everything together using your hands until just combined. Do not overwork the meat, or the meatballs will be tough.
- 4
Shape Meatballs
With wet hands, roll the mixture into golf-ball sized spheres.
- 5
Start the Sauce
In a large, wide pot, heat olive oil and a garlic clove. Pour in the tomato passata, season with salt, and bring to a gentle simmer.
- 6
Add Meatballs Raw
Traditional Southern Italian recipes drop the raw meatballs directly into the simmering sauce, without browning them first, ensuring maximum softness.
- 7
Simmer Gently
Cover the pot partially and simmer on very low heat for 40-45 minutes. Do not stir vigorously, or the delicate meatballs will break; gently shake the pot instead.
- 8
Thicken Sauce
The sauce will reduce and become deeply flavored by the meat juices.
- 9
Serve
Serve the meatballs hot, smothered in the sauce, with a large basket of bread for 'la scarpetta' (mopping up the plate).
Cooking Tips
- Italians do not eat meatballs with pasta. Pasta with a light sauce is eaten as a first course (primo), followed by the meatballs (secondo) with bread.
- Using milk-soaked bread (pane ammollato) instead of dry breadcrumbs is mandatory for authentic, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Variations
- Polpette Fritte: Skip the tomato sauce and simply deep fry the meatballs for a crispy exterior.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The ultimate Italian comfort food, reminiscent of Sunday lunches at Nonna's house.
Nutrition Estimate
480 calories · 32g protein · 18g carbs · 30g fat · 3g fiber per serving
