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Golden brown Piccata Meatballs served over spaghetti in a creamy lemon caper sauce, garnished with fresh parsley.
Daniel

Piccata Meatballs

Tender beef and pork meatballs bathed in a bright, buttery lemon-caper sauce that brings classic piccata flavor to cozy weeknight comfort.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 420

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs
  • 0.75 lb ground beef 80/20
  • 0.75 lb ground pork
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.75 tsp salt divided
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for frying
For the Piccata Sauce
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter divided
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio
  • 0.75 cup chicken broth low sodium
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced, about 3 tbsp juice
  • 2 tbsp capers drained and roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Microplane or fine grater

Method
 

Prep and Form Meatballs
  1. In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, panko, Parmesan, egg, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix gently until just combined. Do not overwork or meatballs will be tough.
  2. Roll mixture into 16 meatballs, about 1.5 inches across. Place on a plate and chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes while you prep the sauce ingredients. This helps them hold their shape.
Sear the Meatballs
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. They do not need to be cooked through yet. Transfer to a plate.
Make the Piccata Sauce
  1. Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 tbsp butter to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits. Pour in wine and simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by half. Add broth, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer for 3 minutes.
  2. Return meatballs and any juices to the skillet. Cover and simmer gently for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until cooked through and sauce has slightly thickened. An instant-read thermometer should read 160F in the center.
Finish and Serve
  1. Remove from heat. Swirl in remaining 1 tbsp butter until glossy. Sprinkle with lemon zest and parsley. Serve immediately over buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Notes

For extra tender meatballs, soak the panko in 2 tbsp milk for 5 minutes before mixing. The wine adds acidity that balances the richness, but you can substitute with extra broth plus 1 tbsp white wine vinegar if needed. These reheat beautifully - make a double batch and freeze half in the sauce for up to 3 months.