10/18/2026
A very special guest on Make Sundays Italian Again: my dad!
Dad’s Famous Italian Meatballs
Makes 16–18 large meatballs
Ingredients
• 3 lbs ground chuck
• 4 eggs
• 4–5 garlic cloves, chopped
• ½ cup chopped Italian parsley
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• 1–1½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, enough for a thin layer in your baking pan
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add a thin layer of oil to a rimmed baking pan and place it in the oven to heat.
2. Whisk the eggs with the garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Add the egg mixture to the ground chuck and mix well.
4. Mix in the parsley, Parmigiano, breadcrumbs, and additional salt and pepper as needed.
5. Before rolling, microwave a small spoonful of the mixture until fully cooked, then taste. Adjust your seasonings as needed—no guessing and no tasting raw meat!
6. Roll into 16–18 meatballs and carefully place in the hot, oiled pan.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, turn, then bake for about another 20 minutes, until the centers reach 160°F.
8. Add to your sauce—but save one to taste straight out of the oven. That’s part of the family recipe, too. 🤍
A note on the meat: I used all ground chuck. You can also use a 50/50 blend of ground chuck and pork, or ground chuck and veal. For this recipe, that’s 1½ lbs of each, keeping the total at 3 lbs.
Save this for your next Sunday dinner!
