Italian Cheese and Bread Meatballs (Polpette di Pane)

This Cheese and Bread Meatballs recipe is perfect for when you have bread to use up, particularly if it is stale and can no longer be used for anything else. These bread meatballs don’t actually contain any meat. Instead, they comprise a mixture of bread, milk, eggs, parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper along with a coating of breadcrumbs for crunch. These can be served as an appetizer as they are or with some marinara sauce for dipping.

To make the bread meatballs, the stale bread gets mixed with egg, parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper until combined. Then, using oiled hands, the mixture gets divided into balls before being coated in breadcrumbs and fried. The results are crisp, golden, flavorful morsels that use up an ingredient that might otherwise get thrown away.

What are Bread Meatballs?

These bread meatballs are a take on classic Italian meatballs, except that they include only bread rather than meat. Typically, Italian polpette might include ground meat, parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic, salt, and pepper, and be cooked in a flavorful tomato sauce. These bread meatballs serve well as an appetizer since they are fried morels of bread and are great for dipping into marinara sauce.

Pro Tips

• Any stale bread you have can be used for these bread meatballs. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
• If your bread is very dry and stale, you might have to allow it to soak in the milk mixture a little longer to ensure that it absorbs all of the mixture and becomes soft.
• When you bread the meatballs, use one hand to dip the meatballs in the egg and your other hand in the breadcrumbs. This will prevent you from having breadcrumbs and eggs sticking to your hands.
• The best temperature for frying these bread meatballs is 375 F (190 C). This will ensure that the bread meatballs become golden brown and that they cook through to their middles.
• It is best to use a heavy bottomed pot when deep frying as it will heat the oil more evenly and will be more stable on the stove.
• Feel free to add other herbs to the bread meatball mixture such as basil or rosemary.

What to Serve with Bread Meatballs?

These bread meatballs can be served on a platter as they are with a bowl of warm marinara sauce for dipping. However, they would also work well with a creamy cheese sauce that you could dip the fried morsels into.

Can I Make These Bread Meatballs Dairy-Free?

Yes, it is possible to make these bread meatballs dairy-free. Simply replace the milk with your favorite plant-based milk such as soy milk or almond milk and replace the parmesan cheese with a vegan parmesan cheese. You could also add some nutritional yeast into the bread meatballs to impart a cheesy flavor.

Can I Use Different Cheese in These Bread Meatballs?

Yes, if you don’t have parmesan cheese, you could replace it with a similar textured cheese like pecorino romano. However, a hard cheese like asiago would be delicious as well.

More Meatballs Dishes to Try!

Italian Meatballs

Classic Cocktail Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs

Meatball Parmesan Casserole

How to Store Bread Meatballs

These bread meatballs are best served as soon as they are cooked so that you can enjoy their crisp exteriors. However, if you have leftovers you need to store, you can place them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

When you plan to reheat them, it is best to heat them in an air fryer, which will help return them to their crisp state. Alternatively, you could refry them in oil to crisp them up.

How to Make Bread Meatballs

Step 1

Step 1

In a large bowl, mix the bread with the milk. Add the egg, parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper, and mix until combined. Stir in some olive oil.

In a large bowl, mix the bread with the milk. Add the egg, parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper, and mix until combined. Stir in some olive oil.

Step 2

Step 2

With oiled hands, divide the mixture into balls.

With oiled hands, divide the mixture into balls.

Step 3

Step 3

Dip each ball into the egg followed by the breadcrumbs to coat.

Dip each ball into the egg followed by the breadcrumbs to coat.

Step 4

Step 4

Fry the balls in a pot of hot oil until golden brown.

Fry the balls in a pot of hot oil until golden brown.

Step 5

Step 5

Place the balls on a serving platter and serve immediately.

Place the balls on a serving platter and serve immediately.