A good meatball recipe is worth having on hand — over spaghetti, stuffed in a sub roll, or simmered as an appetizer, it covers a lot of ground.
Searing first before finishing in the sauce is what separates a meatball with real texture from one that's just boiled and mushy.
Sear the meatballs until browned but not fully cooked through — they finish cooking in the simmering sauce, which also keeps them from drying out.
Save this recipe for later — pin it to your dinner board.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, parmesan, eggs, parsley, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix gently until just combined.
Roll the mixture into 24 meatballs, about 1.5 inches each.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear meatballs in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until browned (they don't need to be cooked through yet).
Add marinara sauce to the skillet, nestle the meatballs back in, and simmer covered for 15-20 minutes until meatballs reach 160°F (71°C) and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Pork adds fat and a slightly sweeter flavor that beef alone doesn't have — the combination is the classic Italian-American ratio for a juicier, more flavorful meatball.
Searing builds a browned crust and locks in some structure before the meatballs finish cooking gently in the sauce — skipping straight to simmering in liquid gives a softer, less developed flavor.
Yes — freeze the seared (or fully cooked) meatballs in a single layer, then transfer to a bag. They reheat well directly in simmering sauce from frozen.