Why you’ll love these giant meatballs
The giant meatballs are seriously huge, weighing in at a quarter pound each. I actually weighed each of them before committing to rolling them into balls, and there was surprisingly just enough to make 20 meatballs. Of course, I made a double batch just in case, so don’t worry—you’ll only get 10 with this recipe. Needless to say, we ate meatballs for days, but they’re absolutely delicious, dairy-free, and totally worthy of their own tinfoil swan.
If you like this recipe, you have to try these baked Italian meatballs, and this meatball stroganoff and these Greek meatballs.
Searching for more Italian inspired recipes? dairy free tiramisu / Italian sausage risotto / Osso buco / chocolate praline cake
Ingredients & substitutions
- Ground beef & pork– We use a combination of beef and pork in meatballs because each of these meats adds its own flavor and texture making the perfect meatball. You can use all ground beef if you prefer, although opt for a higher fat content to keep the meatballs tender and juicy.
- Italian-style panko breadcrumbs – Make sure to check the label for hidden dairy ingredients.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make giant meatballs
Make the sauce. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add garlic and crushed red peppers, sauté until garlic is aromatic. When garlic is fragrant, stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs and salt.
Simmer sauce. While the sauce is simmering, make the meatballs.
Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, mix meatball ingredients until evenly combined. Portion and roll into ¼ pound meatballs.
Bake the meatballs. In a large baking dish, bake for 20 minutes at 375˚F. Remove meatballs from the oven and cover with sauce and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes.
Garnish and serve. Top meatballs with remaining tomato sauce and sliced fresh basil and serve.
Frequently asked questions
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 3/4 cup Italian-style Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove - minced
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
For the sauce:
- In a large saucepan, heat olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes over medium heat until sizzling.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and keep warm.
For the meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- In a large bowl, mix meatball ingredients until evenly combined.
- Portion meatball mixture into 1/4 pound pieces, rolling into balls.
- Place meatballs in a large baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove dish from oven and top meatballs with about half of the sauce mixture. Return to oven and bake for an additional 25 – 30 minutes, or until meatballs have reached an internal temperature of 165˚F.
- To serve, top with remaining sauce.
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