Sourdough Breadcrumb Meatballs

Name: Sourdough Breadcrumb Meatballs
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 oz (85 g) stale sourdough bread, torn into 1-inch pieces, tough crusts removed (makes about 1 cup / 60 g crumbs); ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, cold; 1½ lb (680 g) ground beef, 80/20, cold; 1 whole (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; ⅔ cup (40 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated on a Microplane; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano; 1½ tsp (5 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the pan; 3 cups (700 ml) marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade; 8 leaves (4 g) fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, juicy baked beef meatballs made with a milk-soaked panade of leftover sourdough crumbs, plus parmesan, garlic and parsley. The tangy bread keeps them soft inside, and finishing them in marinara makes a cozy Italian-American dinner.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 30 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 24 meatballs (about 1½ inches / 4 cm each)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the meatballs
3 oz (85 g) stale sourdough bread, torn into 1-inch pieces, tough crusts removed (makes about 1 cup / 60 g crumbs)
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, cold
1½ lb (680 g) ground beef, 80/20, cold
1 whole (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
⅔ cup (40 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated on a Microplane
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
1½ tsp (5 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the pan
To finish
3 cups (700 ml) marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade
8 leaves (4 g) fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving (optional)

Equipment (8)

Rimmed baking sheet, about 18×13 inches (46×33 cm)
Parchment paper
Food processor or box grater (for crumbs)
Large mixing bowl
Small bowl of water for wetting hands
Large skillet or Dutch oven, 12-inch (30 cm), with lid
Instant-read thermometer
Microplane or fine grater

Steps

Before you start

Use sourdough that is 1–3 days old and slightly dry but not rock hard. Remove very thick, hard crusts. You need about 3 oz (85 g) of bread to make 1 cup (60 g) of crumbs.
Use ground beef that is 80/20 (20% fat). Lean beef gives dry, dense meatballs.
Take the beef out of the fridge about 15 minutes before mixing, but keep it cold to the touch.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the center when you start step 1.
Read the timing: 25 minutes active, 15 minutes soaking and resting, and 30 minutes of cooking.

1
Preheat and prep panOven 400°F / 205°C
- Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and brush the parchment with the olive oil so the meatballs release easily.
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Ready when: Pan is lined and lightly oiled.
Tip: Use a rimmed sheet. The meatballs will release some fat as they bake.
2
Make the crumbs
- Pulse the torn sourdough in a food processor in short bursts for about 30 seconds, until you have uneven crumbs the size of small peas with no big chunks left.
- You should have about 1 cup (60 g) loosely packed.
- No processor?
- Grate the bread on the large holes of a box grater.
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Ready when: Crumbs are coarse and pea-sized, not a fine powder.
Tip: Don't over-process into dust. Coarse crumbs give a lighter, more tender meatball.
3
Soak the crumbs
- In a large bowl, stir the crumbs and cold milk together.
- Let them sit for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the crumbs have absorbed the milk and look like a thick, wet paste.
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Ready when: No dry crumbs remain and the mixture is a thick, spoonable paste.
Tip: If some crumbs are still dry after 10 minutes, mash the mixture with a fork.
4
Add the flavorings
- Add the beaten egg, parmesan, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using) to the soaked crumbs.
- Stir with a fork until everything is evenly combined and the mixture looks like a thick paste with visible green flecks.
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Ready when: Seasonings are evenly distributed with no streaks of egg.
Tip: Mix the seasonings in before adding the beef. This means you can mix the meat less.
5
Gently mix in beef
- Add the cold ground beef to the bowl.
- With clean hands, fold and press the meat into the paste for about 1 minute, just until no streaks remain and the mixture looks uniform.
- Stop as soon as it comes together.
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Ready when: Mixture is evenly combined, soft and slightly sticky.
Tip: Overmixing makes meatballs tough and rubbery. Mix lightly.
6
Shape the meatballs
- Wet your hands lightly with water.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons (about 43 g) of mixture and roll it between your palms into a smooth ball about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide.
- Place on the prepared sheet about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
- You should get 24 meatballs.
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Ready when: 24 smooth, evenly sized balls on the pan.
Tip: A 2-tablespoon cookie scoop keeps sizes even so they cook at the same rate.
7
Bake the meatballsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 18–22 minutes, until the meatballs are deeply browned on top and a thermometer inserted into the center of a few of them reads 160°F (71°C).
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Ready when: Browned all over, firm to a light press, and 160°F (71°C) in the center.
Tip: Check the largest meatballs first. Pull the pan out as soon as they reach 160°F so they stay juicy.
8
Warm the sauce
- While the meatballs bake, pour the marinara into a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet or Dutch oven.
- Warm over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until small bubbles just break at the edges, stirring occasionally.
- Keep warm over low heat.
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Ready when: Sauce is steaming with small bubbles at the edges.
Tip: Don't let the sauce boil hard. It will splatter and can scorch.
9
Simmer in sauce
- Use a spoon to transfer the baked meatballs to the sauce, leaving the rendered fat on the pan.
- Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, turning the meatballs once halfway, so they absorb the flavor of the sauce.
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Ready when: Sauce is gently bubbling and the meatballs are glossy and coated; the center still reads at least 160°F (71°C).
Tip: Keep the heat low. A hard boil can make the meatballs break apart.
10
Rest and serve
- Turn off the heat and let the meatballs sit in the sauce, uncovered, for 5 minutes so the juices settle and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Top with torn basil, if using, and serve with pasta, crusty sourdough or polenta.
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Ready when: Sauce clings to a spoon and the meatballs are no longer steaming heavily.

Good to know

Tips

Fresh, coarse crumbs soaked in milk give a softer meatball than dry store-bought crumbs. If you only have dry sourdough crumbs, use ½ cup (about 55 g) and soak them for 15 minutes.
To check seasoning before shaping all of them, fry a small spoonful of the mixture in a skillet, taste, and adjust the salt.
For extra browning, broil the baked meatballs on high for 1–2 minutes at the end, watching closely.
Always check doneness with a thermometer. Browning alone doesn't tell you the center has reached 160°F (71°C).

Make ahead

"Shape the raw meatballs up to 24 hours ahead. Arrange them on the lined pan, cover tightly and refrigerate, then bake straight from the fridge, adding 2–3 minutes. You can also fully bake them, cool, and refrigerate for up to 3 days before simmering in sauce."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store meatballs in sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze cooled meatballs (with or without sauce) for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 10–12 minutes, or in a 325°F (160°C) oven covered for 15–20 minutes, until steaming hot and 165°F (74°C) in the center."

Substitutions

ground beef, 80/20 → Half ground beef and half ground pork (¾ lb / 340 g each). Pork adds richness and tenderness. Keep the total weight the same.
whole milk → Buttermilk, or unsweetened plain oat milk. Buttermilk adds extra tang; use the same amount.
Parmigiano-Reggiano → Pecorino Romano. Saltier and sharper, so reduce the kosher salt to 1 tsp (3 g).
stale sourdough bread → Other stale crusty white bread. The meatballs will be slightly less tangy but just as tender.