The Best Homemade Sourdough Italian Meatball Recipe

Juicy homemade meatballs just got healthier and packed with more flavor. Sourdough breadcrumbs make this Sourdough Meatball recipe the ultimate family comfort food. Mix all the ingredients in one bowl and bake for authentic and tender Italian meatballs. Then simmer them in your favorite tomato sauce for an even more flavorful meatball.

Marrying into an Italian family, one recipe that I quickly got my hands on was their family Italian meatball recipe. I grew up only ever having spaghetti and meat sauce, never meatballs.

I distinctly remember one-time craving spaghetti and meatballs, so I went into the kitchen to make my first attempt at turkey meatballs. Mistake number one. No offense to those who love them, but they were bland, dry, and tough. Never made them again.

Then came Grandma Rose’s meatball recipe. I had never had a meatball that was so juicy and packed with delicious Italian herbs and garlic flavor. Each bite was so tender, never spongy or tough, just perfect.

Better yet, when my mother-in-law shared with me the family recipe, I was shocked at how simple it was to make! Mix the ingredients, form the spheres, and bake. Bata-bing, bata-boom! My kind of recipe.

Now already 5 years later, I’ve made numerous batches of these comforting meatballs, but lately, I’ve been giving them a twist – sourdough breadcrumbs.

I am not someone who wastes food, instead, I search for different ways to use up ingredients that I have. With how much homemade sourdough bread I have been baking, a girl can only freeze so much!

So I learned how to make sourdough breadcrumbs and added them to this meatball recipe, and it was simply delicious! Course sourdough breadcrumbs are not only a more flavorful and healthy breadcrumb option than those found at the grocery store, but they also keep all the juices locked into the meatballs. Once baked until golden brown and crispy, simmer in your favorite pasta sauce for the most comforting meal.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Delicious and Easy:

This recipe never disappoints! Batch after batch, this sourdough meatball recipe is flavorful and always tender. Not only is this recipe a crowd-pleaser, but they are simple to make.

No Food Waste:

When I’m not freezing my sourdough bread, making bread crumbs is another way I love to reduce food waste. Transform your sourdough bread and use them in all your favorite breadcrumb recipes, like meatloaf, breadcrumb chicken, or these great meatballs. Sourdough breadcrumbs last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Makes for Great Leftovers:

Sourdough meatballs are just as tender and flavorful the next day as they were the first. My family loves to eat them with mostaccioli and pasta sauce for dinner one night and then serve them as a meatball sub the next day. Ladle the warm meatballs on a slice of toasted sourdough bread with melted mozzarella cheese on top. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Ingredients

Ground beef

Homemade Sourdough Breadcrumbs

Egg

Garlic Powder

Parsley

Basil

Salt

Parmesan Cheese

Supplies

Large Mixing Bowl

Parchment Paper

Rimmed Baking Sheet

How to Make Sourdough Breadcrumbs:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees f.

Add cubed pieces of sourdough bread, fresh or stale, into a food processor. Process on high for 30 seconds for coarse sourdough bread crumbs or for 1-2 minutes for fine sourdough breadcrumbs.

I prefer a more coarse breadcrumb for this recipe as the bread softens and leads to more airy meatballs.

Spread the bread crumbs on a large rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and place into the preheated oven.

Bake for 5 minutes, stir, and then bake for an additional 10 minutes. The bread crumbs should turn to a golden brown color and be dry to the touch.

Continue to bake for a few extra minutes if necessary.

Remove the sourdough breadcrumbs from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.

Return the breadcrumbs to the food processor and process if you desire more fine breadcrumbs.

How to Make Sourdough Meatballs:

Mix

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees f.

Add ground beef, homemade sourdough breadcrumbs, egg, garlic powder, parsley, basil, salt, and parmesan cheese to a large bowl. Mix by hand until the ingredients are just incorporated. Overmixing the ingredients can lead to a tough meatball.

Form

Form the meat mixture into meatballs and place them on a baking sheet. This recipe makes 12 medium-sized meatballs.

Bake

Bake the meatballs in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are browned and crispy. You know the meatballs are done when their internal temperature has reached at least 160 degrees f.

Simmer

Do as the Italians do and simmer your meatballs in your favorite tomato sauce for a boost of extra flavor. Be sure not to simmer for too long, otherwise, the meatballs will overcook and become soggy.

How to Serve Sourdough Meatballs:

Pasta and Sauce – A combo that just can’t be beaten is spaghetti and meatballs. Serve these juicy meatballs with your favorite marinara sauce – whether homemade sauce or from the grocery store, and your favorite cooked pasta. Top with fresh herbs and parmesan cheese. Simple, but oh so satisfying.

Homemade Meatball Subs – Another scrumptious serving suggestion is to serve these sourdough meatballs as a meatball sub! This homemade meatball sub recipe is quite simple. First select your favorite type of bread, maybe a hoagie roll, french bread, or a ciabatta roll, perhaps. Slice meatballs and place on top of some toasted bread. Ladle your favorite tomato sauce on top, sprinkle it with provolone cheese or mozzarella cheese, and place it under the broiler until the cheese is nice and melted. Bon appetite!

How to Store Sourdough Meatballs:

This sourdough meatball recipe will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days. Honestly, they are tastier the next day! Store the meatballs in an airtight container. Reheat by simmering in your favorite pasta sauce until heated all the way through.

These sourdough meatballs can also be frozen. Store in the freezer for up to two months. To refresh, place in the fridge until completely thawed. Reheat on the stovetop by simmering in marinara sauce or by frying them up quickly in a large skillet on medium heat.

FAQs:

Should sourdough meatballs be fried or baked?

Some recipes will fry their meatballs before baking them to attain a browned and crispy exterior. This is an unnecessary step for this sourdough meatball recipe. Don’t dirty up another pan and get olive oil all over your stovetop. Simply bake these meatballs and you will have a golden brown and tender meatball.

Is it better to cook sourdough meatballs in sauce or in the oven?

As I mentioned before, baking sourdough meatballs in the oven will not only create a crispy exterior that locks in all the beef’s juice, making it super tender, but you can also simmer your meatballs after they have been baked. That way the meatballs can soak in extra delicious flavors from the marinara sauce, while still having crispy edges.

Why are my meatballs falling apart?

If your meatballs are falling apart, there must have not been enough binding ingredients. This sourdough meatball recipe uses the help of an egg and sourdough breadcrumb mixture to hold the meatballs together. Be sure to follow the recommended quantities of each for the perfect meatballs.

Happy baking!

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