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Meatballs are amongst the most beloved and popular Italian recipes, with good reason. Homemade meatballs can be used in a wide variety of Italian recipes -- both simple classics as well as complicated gourmet dishes.
Since meatballs can be used in so many Italian recipes. I recommend making a big batch and freezing the leftovers. Homemade meatballs will keep for about a month in your freezer, and you'll be able to use them in soups, lasagna, sandwiches, calzones and all sorts of pasta dishes.
Simple Italian Meatballs:
If you're looking for kid-friendly Italian recipes, try this simple meatball recipe. When making meatballs, it's okay to play with your food. Kids enjoy forming the ground meat into small balls and are more likely to eat food they "helped" make. Just four ingredients are used to make a classic homemade meatball: ground meat, eggs, grated parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Season to taste with salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper.
Easiest Spaghetti and Meatballs:
Most traditional Italian recipes don't involve microwaves, but busy moms can grab the jarred sauce and whip up this "homemade" meal in just 15 minutes. These microwave meatballs aren't gourmet, but your kids will love them.
Italian Wedding Soup:
Every thorough collection of Italian recipes tends to include Italian Wedding Soup. Traditional Italian wedding soup includes meatballs and escarole like this recipe from the food blog We Are Never Full. But I also enjoy this twist on the classic Italian recipe which uses turkey meatballs rather than beef/pork/veal and spinach instead of escarole.
Meatball Lasagna:
I saw Chef Sal Scognamillo of Patsy's Restaurant make this meatball lasagna on the Today Show a few years ago, and it is now one of my favorite Italian recipes. The meatballs are made from scratch using chopped veal, minced garlic, chopped parsley, eggs, breadcrumbs and romano cheese. Supposedly, Frank Sinatra loved this meatball lasagna. Try just one bite, and you'll understand why. This isn't a simple dish for quick weeknight dinners, but it is a wonderful special occasion recipe.
Meatball Calzones:
Although Rachel Ray makes a sophisticated Florentine meatball calzone using homemade turkey meatballs and spinach that I enjoy, I'd found that kids prefer traditional Italian recipes for meatball calzones which blend old fashioned beef meatballs, cheese, spaghetti sauce and dough into a delicious pizza-sandwich.
Baked Ziti and Meatballs:
Italian recipes for baked ziti are crowd pleasing dishes that children enjoy as much as adults. Baked Ziti with meatballs is a make-ahead dish that's perfect for entertaining. Just pop the casserole in the oven when your guests arrive, and it will be ready to eat by the time you've finished your cocktails and appetizers. In a hurry? Try this easy baked ziti variation using frozen meatballs and jarred tomato sauce.
Meatballs and Creamy Polenta:
Polenta (ground cornmeal) pairs perfectly with homemade meatballs in these Italian recipes. While I enjoy Tyler Florence's ultimate meatballs al forno with creamy polenta, I prefer making food blogger Julie O'Hara's twist on the dish. She simplified Florence's gourmet recipe – paring it down to, in her words, its "delicious fundamentals."
Email This
Meatballs are amongst the most beloved and popular Italian recipes, with good reason. Homemade meatballs can be used in a wide variety of Italian recipes -- both simple classics as well as complicated gourmet dishes. Since meatballs can be used in so many Italian recipes. I recommend making a big batch and freezing the leftovers. Homemade meatballs will keep for about a month in your freezer, and you'll be able to use them in soups, lasagna, sandwiches, calzones and all sorts of pasta dishes.
Simple Italian Meatballs:
If you're looking for kid-friendly Italian recipes, try this simple meatball recipe. When making meatballs, it's okay to play with your food. Kids enjoy forming the ground meat into small balls and are more likely to eat food they "helped" make. Just four ingredients are used to make a classic homemade meatball: ground meat, eggs, grated parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Season to taste with salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper.
Easiest Spaghetti and Meatballs:
Most traditional Italian recipes don't involve microwaves, but busy moms can grab the jarred sauce and whip up this "homemade" meal in just 15 minutes. These microwave meatballs aren't gourmet, but your kids will love them.
Italian Wedding Soup:
Every thorough collection of Italian recipes tends to include Italian Wedding Soup. Traditional Italian wedding soup includes meatballs and escarole like this recipe from the food blog We Are Never Full. But I also enjoy this twist on the classic Italian recipe which uses turkey meatballs rather than beef/pork/veal and spinach instead of escarole.
Meatball Lasagna:
I saw Chef Sal Scognamillo of Patsy's Restaurant make this meatball lasagna on the Today Show a few years ago, and it is now one of my favorite Italian recipes. The meatballs are made from scratch using chopped veal, minced garlic, chopped parsley, eggs, breadcrumbs and romano cheese. Supposedly, Frank Sinatra loved this meatball lasagna. Try just one bite, and you'll understand why. This isn't a simple dish for quick weeknight dinners, but it is a wonderful special occasion recipe.
Meatball Calzones:
Although Rachel Ray makes a sophisticated Florentine meatball calzone using homemade turkey meatballs and spinach that I enjoy, I'd found that kids prefer traditional Italian recipes for meatball calzones which blend old fashioned beef meatballs, cheese, spaghetti sauce and dough into a delicious pizza-sandwich.
Baked Ziti and Meatballs:
Italian recipes for baked ziti are crowd pleasing dishes that children enjoy as much as adults. Baked Ziti with meatballs is a make-ahead dish that's perfect for entertaining. Just pop the casserole in the oven when your guests arrive, and it will be ready to eat by the time you've finished your cocktails and appetizers. In a hurry? Try this easy baked ziti variation using frozen meatballs and jarred tomato sauce.
Meatballs and Creamy Polenta:
Polenta (ground cornmeal) pairs perfectly with homemade meatballs in these Italian recipes. While I enjoy Tyler Florence's ultimate meatballs al forno with creamy polenta, I prefer making food blogger Julie O'Hara's twist on the dish. She simplified Florence's gourmet recipe – paring it down to, in her words, its "delicious fundamentals."