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Soaking breadcrumbs in milk before mixing them into the meatballs (a panade) is what keeps them tender rather than dense - the moisture gets trapped inside the meat as it cooks instead of evaporating out. Simmering the browned meatballs directly in the marinara sauce for the last stretch of cooking lets them finish gently while the sauce picks up their flavor.
Prep Time
20 min
Per serving
560
Cook Time
35 min
Servings
4 people
Difficulty
medium
Calories
30g
Protein
58g
Carbs
22g
Fat
4g
Fiber
8g
Sugar
Follow step-by-step with voice guidance.
In a small bowl, soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for 5 minutes, until softened.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, grated parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined.
Roll the mixture into evenly sized balls, about 4cm in diameter.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs in batches for 2-3 minutes per side, until browned on all sides (they don't need to be fully cooked through yet). Remove and set aside.
In the same skillet, pour in the marinara sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes, until fully cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente, then drain.
Serve the spaghetti topped with the meatballs and sauce, finished with extra grated parmesan and fresh basil.
Soak the Breadcrumbs First: This panade technique traps moisture inside the meatballs as they cook, keeping them tender rather than dense and dry - don't skip straight to mixing dry breadcrumbs into the meat. Sear Before Simmering: Browning the meatballs in a hot pan first builds flavor through the Maillard reaction before they finish cooking gently in the sauce - simmering raw meatballs directly in sauce skips this crucial step. Don't Overmix the Meat: Handling the mixture too much develops the proteins and makes the meatballs tough rather than tender - mix just until the ingredients are combined.
This technique, called a panade, traps moisture inside the meatball as it cooks, resulting in a much more tender texture than using dry breadcrumbs alone, which can make meatballs dense and dry.
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