Giant meatballs in broth are a delicious and enveloping dish, simple yet extremely hearty. Instead of the classic small meatballs, I decided to create giant meatballs, halfway between traditional meatballs and a small meatloaf. It’s a very tasty and very convenient dish because in one preparation you obtain both the first course (by cooking the pastina in the broth) and the second course. The grated potato in the mixture makes them incredibly soft. A true classic of popular cuisine.
Let’s start cooking, a hug, Giusi.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economic
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 3 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for the Giant Meatballs
With these quantities, I made three large meatballs and the broth for the pastina for 3 people
- 1 lb ground veal
- 1 egg
- 1 potato (Grated)
- 3 tbsps breadcrumbs
- salt (To taste)
- 2 cloves garlic (Minced)
- parsley (To taste)
- water
- 3 celery (3 stalks)
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- salt (To taste)
Steps for the Giant Meatballs in Broth
Place the pot on the heat with the water and all the aromatics needed for the broth and bring it to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, place the ground meat, the egg, the breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, minced garlic, salt, and the grated potato. Mix well all the ingredients, first with a fork and then with your hands, until you get a compact and homogeneous mixture.
Take the mixture and create the giant meatballs to the desired size, working them between the palms of your hands to make them smooth and well-formed.
When the broth comes to a rolling boil, carefully immerse the giant meatballs into the pot. Let them cook over moderate heat for about 20-30 minutes, depending on their size, so they cook well inside.
Let the meatballs cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. This way, the meatballs will become very soft and the broth will absorb all the flavors.
After 30 minutes, remove the carrots, onion, and celery used for the broth from the pot. Puree them carefully using a immersion blender until you get a smooth and homogeneous vegetable cream.
At this point, the giant meatballs in broth are ready. You decide whether to enjoy them as a tasty second course immersed in a broth enriched by the vegetable cream, or to pour some pastina into the broth and create a complete single dish, as I did. If you opt for pastina, add it and cook it for the time indicated on the package.
The giant meatballs in broth are ready to enjoy, a real comfort food that warms the heart. I hope this simple and hearty single dish will please you.
A hug, Giusi.
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