There are dishes that need no decoration.
A deep pot of tomato sauce slowly bubbling on the stove, the smell drifting through the kitchen, and a plate of big, tender meatballs waiting to be covered in ragù is enough to bring Sunday lunch to the table.
These Neapolitan Ragù Meatballs are soft inside, beautifully browned outside, and simmered in a rich tomato sauce until they soak up every bit of flavor.
Serve them as a second course with plenty of crusty bread—or use some of that incredible ragù to dress pasta first, the way it has been done in countless Neapolitan homes.
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Authentic_Neapolitan_Meatballs_in_Ragu
Cooking Times & Servings
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: About 2 hours 40 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Makes: About 12 large meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- 5 oz stale Italian bread, crust removed
- ½ cup whole milk, or enough to soften the bread
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable or olive oil, for frying
For the Neapolitan-Style Ragù
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 2 bottles Italian tomato passata, about 24–25 oz each
- ½ cup water
- 4–5 fresh basil leaves
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
1. Make the Ragù
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat.
Add the finely chopped onion and cook slowly for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until completely soft and lightly golden.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes.
Pour in the red wine and let it simmer for several minutes, until most of the alcohol has evaporated.
Add the tomato passata and water. Season lightly with salt and add the basil leaves.
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to very low. Partially cover the pot and cook for about 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
The ragù should never boil aggressively—it should cook slowly and quietly.
2. Prepare the Bread
Place the stale bread in a bowl and pour the milk over it.
Let it sit for about 5–10 minutes, until completely softened.
Squeeze the bread gently with your hands to remove excess milk, then crumble it into a large mixing bowl.
3. Make the Meatball Mixture
Add the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, parsley, garlic, salt, and black pepper to the bread.
Mix gently with your hands until everything is just combined.
Do not overwork the mixture, or the meatballs can become dense.
4. Shape the Polpette
Wet your hands slightly and shape the mixture into large meatballs, about 2½ inches wide.
You should get approximately 10–12 generous meatballs.
Place them on a plate while you heat the oil.
5. Fry the Meatballs
Pour about ½ inch of oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, fry the meatballs until deeply golden on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total.
They do not need to cook completely through at this stage.
Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels.
6. Finish the Meatballs in the Ragù
Carefully lower the fried meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce.
Spoon a little sauce over the tops.
Cover partially and let them cook very gently for another 35–45 minutes, turning them once if necessary.
During this final cooking time, the meatballs will become exceptionally tender and will flavor the ragù even more.
7. Let Them Rest
Turn off the heat and allow the polpette to rest in the sauce for about 10 minutes before serving.
Like many slow-cooked Italian dishes, they are even better after the flavors have had time to settle.
How to Serve Neapolitan Ragù Meatballs
For a traditional-style Sunday meal, use some of the ragù to dress ziti, rigatoni, paccheri, or another sturdy pasta, then serve the meatballs separately as the main course.
Or forget the formalities and put several meatballs in a deep plate, cover them generously with ragù, and bring plenty of crusty Italian bread to the table.
That bread is not optional—the sauce left at the bottom of the plate is far too good to waste.
Nonna’s Tips
- Use stale bread instead of breadcrumbs. It gives the meatballs a noticeably softer texture.
- Frying the polpette before adding them to the sauce creates much more flavor than cooking them directly in the tomato.
- Keep the ragù at a very gentle simmer throughout cooking.
- Make the meatballs fairly large. Neapolitan-style polpette should feel substantial rather than bite-sized.
- For an even richer filling, some traditional family recipes add a few tablespoons of finely chopped raisins and pine nuts to the meat mixture.
- The flavor is even better the following day.
Storage
Store the meatballs completely covered with ragù in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat them slowly in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
They can also be frozen with the sauce for up to 3 months.
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