Mary's Baked Italian Meatballs

Submitted by Clare Bear

"Buttermilk is the surprising secret for these flavorful meatballs! This is an adaptation from Cook's Illustrated's Pasta book. These are juicy and tender but lean, and ready to plop into your favorite sauce."

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Yields: 20 meatballs
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 1 clove garlic
• 1⁄2 cup onion
• 3 slices bread
• 3⁄4 cup buttermilk
• 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• black pepper
• 1 1⁄4 lbs lean ground beef

directions

1. In a food processor, mince garlic.
2. Add onion, and pulse to chop.
3. Add bread slices, crumbled, and pulse to shred.
4. Add buttermilk, pulse, and let stand until liquid is absorbed.
5. Add red pepper flakes, salt, Parmesan cheese, egg, parlsey and pepper, and pulse to mix.
6. Add ground beef, pulse till thoroughly mixed.
7. Form into meatballs 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter.
8. They will be soft (it makes about 20 meatballs or so).
9. Place on a foil-lined 10 x 15 jelly roll pan.
10. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Reviews

[punkrock_mama]

My husband and son really liked this. My husband buys bulk meat and then portions it out in 1 lb freezer bags for our son and him as they are meat eaters in the house so we didn't have 1 1/4 lbs of meat. I help then with the non meat parts and then they take over the rest. I reduced the bread slice from 3 to 2 and I toasted it first to medium in color. I feel like it was too soft & didn't hold the shape. I know it said it was supposed to be soft but it was too soft. It was my fault. We will try again with the additional bread slice. They said the flavor was good though.

 

[Baby Kato]

The buttermilk in your recipe intrigued me. I made some sauce the other day and decided to serve some of it with meatballs. Your recipe worked beautifully. I love the depth of flavor the buttermilk added to the meatballs. Thanks so much for sharing a recipe that I will enjoy again. Made for What's on the Menu? tag game.

 

[ShortieOne]

I have tried making meatballs before, but these were the best meatballs I have ever made! <br/>The meatballs very delicious and tender and the recipe was so simple, I think the buttermilk makes all the differences.

 

[mandagirl]

Wow - fabulous meatballs! Tender and delicious!

 

[Heirloom Tomato]

I intended to make the meatballs, honestly I did, but ran short of time. Substituted one tablespoon of dried Italian Herb seasoning for the parsley as I was out of parsley, and left out the parmesan as I was out of that too. I doubled the recipe and made two meatloaves instead of meatballs to use for this week's work lunch sandwiches (on whole grain bread with ketchup). I ate the first sandwich hot from the oven and that was delicious. They are less noteworthy at room temperature but still quite good. Thank you for the tasty recipe.