Indulge in the comforting flavors of Italy with this savory and satisfying dish of Italian Meatballs with Polenta. Turn a humble tube of pre-cooked polenta into a lusciously creamy base that perfectly complements the robust flavors of the meatballs. Learn how you can turn a stable into a decadent side dish with just a little whisking, and have dinner on the table in no time at all!
The meatballs in this recipe were inspired by the ones in my Meatball Salad recipe. Try more meatball recipes with my Creamy Spinach Turkey Meatballs or my Italian Meatball Soup.
Experience more flavors of Italy by making my Chicken Pastina Soup or even serving my Sicilian Salad with the Italian Meatballs with Polenta.
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Ingredients
- Cooked Polenta ( in a tube)
- Chicken Broth (or any broth of your choice)
- Olive Oil
- Grated Parmesan
- Ground Beef
- Egg
- Panko Crumbs
- Dry Oregano and/or Basil
- Red Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Tomato Pasta Sauce
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Italian Meatballs with Polenta
Preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Have a small bowl of cold water at the ready. Dip your fingers in the water, while rolling the meatballs to prevent them sticking to your hands.
Combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs into a large bowl and mix until smooth.
Shape 15-16 meatballs and place them on the prepared baking tray. Place the tray of meatballs into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until they have an internal temperature of 160F.
Chop up the tube of cooked polenta into ½ inch cubes.
Place the cubes of polenta in a saucepan with the chicken broth and the olive oil.
Place the saucepan on medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Use a metal whisk to mash the cubes into the liquids. Keep whisking until the cubes break down and you obtain a smooth texture.
Turn off the heat and whisk in the grated parmesan until well combined.
Pour the ready-made pasta sauce into a skillet or frying pan and bring to a simmer.
Add the cooked meatballs to the simmering sauce. Turn them over in the sauce until well coated.
Serve the Italian Meatballs with Polenta by ladling polenta into a bowl or on a plate and placing meatballs with sauce on top. Garnish with grated parmesan and freshly chopped parsley.
Substitutions and Variations
- Meatballs - Substitute the ground beef with any other type of ground meat to make the meatballs. Alternatively, you can use precooked meatballs to make this dish even simpler to make. Follow the instructions on the package and then add them to the simmering sauce before placing on top of the polenta.
- Gluten Free - Polenta is Naturally gluten free, making this dish easy to make safe, by only having to use gluten free panko crumbs in the meatballs. Make sure to check the packaging on your brand of polenta, just to make sure it is truly gluten free.
Storage
Store leftover Italian Meatballs with Polenta in airtight containers. Place in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or into the freezer for up to a month.
Recipe
Italian Meatballs with Polenta
Ingredients
Ingredients for Meatballs
- 600 grams Ground Beef
- 1 large Egg
- ½ cup Panko Crumbs
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dry Oregano
- 1 tablespoon Dry Basil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ cup Red Onion finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic crushed
- ⅓ cup Marinara Sauce
Other Ingredients
- 900 grams Cooked Polenta from a tube
- 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth or broth of choice
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 2 cups Marinara Sauce
- 3 tablespoon Fresh Parsley chopped for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Meatballs
- Preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Have a small bowl of cold water at the ready. Dip your fingers in the water, before rolling the meatballs to prevent them sticking to your hands.
- Combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs into a large bowl and mix until smooth.
- Shape 15-16 meatballs and place them on the prepared baking tray. Place the tray of meatballs into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until they have an internal temperature of 160F.
Prepare the Polenta
- Chop up the tube of cooked polenta into ½ inch cubes.
- Place the cubes of polenta in a saucepan with the chicken broth and the olive oil.
- Place the saucepan on medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Use a metal whisk to mash the cubes into the liquids.
- Once the liquids come to a simmer, turn the heat down to low. Keep whisking until the cubes break down and you obtain a smooth texture. Be careful for the polenta splattering as it simmers.
- Once smooth, turn off the heat and whisk in the grated parmesan until well combined.
- Pour the ready-made pasta sauce into a skillet or frying pan and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked meatballs to the simmering sauce. Turn them over in the sauce until well coated.
- To serve, ladle some of the creamy polenta in a bowl or plate. Top with some of the meatballs and sauce. Garnish with extra parmesan and fresh parsley.
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