Perfect Meatballs with Ground Beef and Italian Sausage

Course: Main Course

Ingredients

  • 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • One pinch of crushed red pepper
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb mild Italian sausage
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  • Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the chopped onion and bring to a medium-high heat. Season the onion generously with salt and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until soft and aromatic but not long enough to brown.
  • Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool.
  • In a large bowl use your hands to squish together the meats, eggs, Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.
  • Add the cooled onion mixture, season generously with salt and mix everything up a bit more.
  • Add the water and do a final squish; the mixture should be quite wet.
  • If you want to test your seasoning; take a bit of the mix and cook it in a skillet with a small amount of olive oil; add more salt to your mixture if needed.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Shape the meat into desired size meatballs. I make mine approximately 1.5 - 2" diameter.
  • Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake them in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through.
  • Serve over pasta and finish them with your favorite sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!!