Chef John’s Italian Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Soak bread crumbs in milk in a small bowl for 20 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onions in hot oil until translucent, about 20 minutes.

Mix beef and pork together in a large bowl. Stir onions, bread crumb mixture, eggs, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian herb seasoning, and Parmesan cheese into meat mixture with a rubber spatula until combined. Cover and refrigerate for about one hour.

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Using wet hands, form meat mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Arrange onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.