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You are here: Home / Grilling / Barbecue / Grilled Homemade Italian Meatballs

Grilled Homemade Italian Meatballs

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These Grilled Homemade Italian Meatballs come together in minutes. Traditional in technique, incredibly tender, packed full of Italian flavor and parmesan cheese, these meatballs are then grilled to caramelized barbecue-grill perfection!

two grilled homemade Italian meatballs in the front on the grill

These melt-in-your-mouth meatballs are everything a meatball should be. Made with equal portions ground beef and pork, the Italian herbs and cheeses are combined with garlic and light and airy panko bread crumbs for a tender inside and a perfect exterior crust creating the ULTIMATE meatball recipe!

This recipe came about when my middle son requested Meatball Subs for dinner…..Well, I may have mentioned a time or two how much I enjoy grilling and my patio time when the weather is conductive. There is something about the smell of the grill, cocktail in hand, chirping birds, kiddos jumping on the trampoline, and everything that embodies summer that has me spending my flip-flop wearing self outside evening after evening.

Jennifer in front of a grill making Italian meatballs

I’m especially fond of when I can cook the majority of the meal outside on the grill with minimal heating of the inside of the house. This is the version where everyone gets what they want, Meatball Subs with a Homemade Red Sauce and quality patio time. Life is good.

How to make Grilled Homemade Italian Meatballs

My meatball recipe uses the perfect combination of traditional ingredients and tequniques for a super tender and flavor filled meatball. The exception to that is that I prefer panko breadcrumbs, which are Japanese in origin, to traditional bread crumbs.

ingredients being prepped for grilled Italian meatballs

Begin by soaking the breadcrumbs in milk.

In a large bowl, add the breadcrumb mixture to ground beef and pork, onion, eggs, parmesan cheese, parsley garlic, basil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and oregano.

Next, let the meatball mixture chill in the refrigerator for about an hour. This helps the balls to hold together and lets the flavors really come together.

Can these meatballs be made ahead of time?

Yes. The meatball mixture can be made and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance before cooking.

Using wet hands, form them into 18 balls. This creates a slightly larger than average meatball, but is sized to have three meatballs on a hoagie or hotdog bun if that is your goal.

raw Italian homemade meatballs ready to be gilled

Please the raw meatballs on well oiled grill grates directly over a medium flame/heat. Both charcoal grills land gas grills work well for this recipe, although my favorite is my 26″ Weber Kettle.

Brown the side facing down for 1-2 minutes until it caramelizes, develops a crust, and releases from the grill grates. Repeat the process on the other sides.

raw meatballs just placed on the grill

After the outside edges are browned, move the meatballs to the flameless / indirect cooking area and close the lid. Cook the meatballs an additional 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.

Do these meatballs have to be cooked on the barbecue grill?

No. Below in the recipe card are details for how to brown them in a skillet and then finish the meatballs in the oven.

two grilled homemade Italian meatballs in the front on the grill

Can I make Meatball Sub Sandwiches with my Grilled Italian Meatballs?

I LOVE Meatball Sandwiches and the grilled version is dynamite! See the picture below.

For Grilled Meatball Sub Sandwiches, toast 6 sub buns over the coals.  Add three cooked meatballs, Homemade Red Sauce or a quality marinara, and a cheese (mozzarella, provolone, provel, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack). Close the grill lid and continue to cook on indirect heat for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. 

What to serve with Meatball Subs?

  • PURPLE CILANTRO LIME COLESLAW
  • GRILLED FRESH PEACH CAST IRON SKILLET CAKE
  • BOURBON BACON GRILLED BAKED BEANS
  • GRILLED TRIPLE BERRY CRISP IN A CAST IRON SKILLET
  • EASY GRILLED PARMESAN ASPARAGUS
  • PINEAPPLE SLAW
  • Grilled Zucchini or Yellow Squash
Grilled Italian meatballs homemade into meatball subs

If you’ve tried my Grilled Homemade Italian Meatballs or any other recipe on this website, please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it came out in the comments below. I’d LOVE to hear from you!

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5 from 3 votes

Grilled Homemade Italian Meatballs

These Grilled Homemade Italian Meatballs come together in minutes. Traditional in technique, incredibly tender, packed full of Italian flavor and parmesan cheese, these meatballs are then grilled to caramelized barbecue-grill perfection!
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Grilled Homemade Italian Meatballs
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 6
Calories 507kcal
Author Jennifer Grissom

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 pound ground pork (85/15)
  • 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup onion, minced
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup parsley, Italian fresh, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons basil, fresh chopped
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried

Instructions

  • Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for 5-10 minutes.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the breadcrumb milk mixture and all of the remaining ingredients.
  • Gently combine the mixture with your hands just until combined.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Using wet hands, form into 18 equal size balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.
  • Preheat the grill to a medium heat for two zone cooking; one side direct flame and the other for indirect, flameless cooking.
  • Place the raw meatballs on a pre-heated, well oiled grill grate directly over a medium flame.
  • After about 2 minutes, when the grill side down begins to brown and the meatball releases from the grill grates, flip and continue the same process until the meatball is browned on the outside.
  • Move the meatballs OFF of the direct flame to continue to cook indirectly in a covered grill for approximately 15-20 additional minutes or until the interior temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Video

Notes

Homemade Red Sauce Link

 
For Grilled Meatball Sub Sandwiches, toast 6 sub buns over the coals.  Add three cooked meatballs, Homemade Red Sauce or a quality marinara, and a cheese (mozzarella, provolone, provel, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack). Close the grill lid and continue to cook on indirect heat for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. 
Stove Top/Baking Method: Preheat a large, oven safe skillet to medium high heat.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook the meatballs on all sides to brown them/create a crust. Cook and additional 10 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven until the interior temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Nutrition specifications are approximate.

Nutrition

Calories: 507kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 1087mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 701IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 3mg
Jennifer - Savor With Jennifer Image
Jennifer Grissom

Mother, Gardener, Book Devourer, and Food Obsessor. I love being inspired with fresh, seasonal ingredients and relish every opportunity to elevate my home cooking. Join me!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amren

    October 10, 2021 at 12:26 pm

    5 stars
    My kids really liked the meatballs! Definitely making again!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Grissom

      October 10, 2021 at 4:20 pm

      My kids loved them too. Glad your family enjoyed them.

      Reply
  2. Hans Grotelueschen

    May 8, 2023 at 8:25 pm

    5 stars
    These are fantastic! Don’t change anything!

    Reply
  3. Barb

    June 26, 2023 at 11:32 am

    5 stars
    Great idea and recipe! I didn’t have fresh parsley so I had to use dried. They still were fabulous!!!!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Grissom

      June 27, 2023 at 12:39 pm

      Love hearing this! Thanks for the feedback.

      Reply

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Jennifer Grissom

Mother, Gardener, Book Devourer, and Food Obsessor. I love being inspired with fresh, seasonal ingredients and relish every opportunity to elevate my home cooking. Join me!

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