Fried meatballs, grandma’s recipe for the best meatballs in the world. This is, for me, a Sicilian recipe that is part of traditional cuisine and that reminds me of my childhood; I adored them with mayonnaise made with pasteurized eggs. There was a time, when I was a child, when non-stick pans had not yet been invented (or at least my mother didn’t use them yet) and meatballs, fragrant and delicious, were always fried! Over the years we have prepared many meatball recipes, from Beer meatballs to the more traditional Sicilian-style meatballs in sauce, not to mention meatballs on lemon leaves or those in white with peas, but never the traditional fried grandma’s meatballs! And now it’s time to fix that, because that intense, tempting aroma that filled my childhood Sundays shouldn’t be lost to memory! I prepared grandma’s meatballs using my Sicilian seasoned breadcrumbs, but you can use plain breadcrumbs. Now let’s head to the kitchen to discover how to make the best meatballs in the world, and if you’d prefer grandma’s vegetarian meatballs check the Potato and eggplant meatballs or the typical Sicilian-style potato meatballs. Before that, as always, remember that if you want to stay updated on all my recipes you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here).
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients to make fried meatballs
- 1.1 lbs ground beef
- 4 eggs
- 3 oz Grana Padano, grated (or pecorino, or a mix of both)
- 1/2 clove garlic
- 1 bunch parsley
- to taste salt
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- to taste sunflower seed oil (high-oleic, or olive oil)
Tools
- Bowl
- Skillet
Preparation of grandma’s fried meatballs
To make my meatballs I decided to use the seasoned breadcrumbs I already had in the fridge (you can see it in the first photo, green in color); you can use plain breadcrumbs if you prefer.
In a bowl combine the ground beef, the breadcrumbs, the chopped parsley and a pinch of chopped garlic. Add 3 or 4 eggs as needed, the grated cheese (pecorino for a stronger flavor, Grana Padano for a milder taste),
and mix until you obtain a homogeneous, workable mixture. Shape the meatballs with lightly oiled hands, heat a skillet with a generous amount of oil and begin frying the meatballs over medium-high heat, turning them a couple of times. They should be cooked in about 6–7 minutes, but you can’t go wrong: as soon as a little liquid comes out of the meatballs, wait one minute and take them out of the pan. Place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil, plate and enjoy.
Storage notes and tips
Cook the fried meatballs at the last minute and serve them hot and golden. If you need to plan ahead, prepare the mixture a few hours in advance and fry the meatballs just before serving (add an extra egg if the mixture becomes too firm).
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