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Close-up of tender meatballs, potato chunks, carrots, and green peas in a light, glossy sauce on a blue-and-white floral plate.
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Italian Meatball Stew with Potatoes and Peas

Tender Italian meatballs braised with potatoes, carrots, and peas in one pot until the sauce turns silky and creamy. Rustic comfort food — a complete meal, and even better the next day.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 738kcal
Author: Svitlana

Ingredients

  • 1.1 lb ground meat, a mix of beef and pork , 500 g
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs, or stale/day-old bread , 50 g
  • ¼ cup milk , or a little more
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated , 50 g
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon parsley (a few sprigs)
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ½ teaspoon salt (the Parmesan is already salty)
  • Pepper , to taste

For the stew:

  • 1.5 lb potatoes, cut into cubes , 700 g
  • 2 carrots , cut into thick batons
  • 1½ cups peas (frozen are fine)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper , to taste
  • Parsley , finely chopped, to finish (optional)

Instructions

Make the meatballs:

  • Season the breadcrumbs.
    With a food processor: blitz the breadcrumbs with the parsley and garlic until combined.
    Without a food processor: simply stir the breadcrumbs together with finely chopped parsley and grated garlic.
    Breadcrumbs blitzed with fresh parsley in a food processor for the meatballs.
  • In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, seasoned breadcrumbs, Parmesan (freshly grated, or already-grated), about ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Pour in the milk and mix well until everything is combined and the mixture is soft — the milk softens the breadcrumbs right in the mix.
    Hands mixing ground meat, breadcrumbs, and grated cheese together in a large glass bowl.
  • Roll into meatballs of your preferred size (about 30 g / 1 oz each works well).
    A raw meatball rolled by hand, held in an open palm above the bowl of meat mixture.

Brown the meatballs:

  • Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs for about 2 minutes per side — just enough to color and firm the outside, not cook through. This helps them hold their shape in the braise.
    Turning meatballs with tongs so they brown evenly on all sides.

Braise the stew:

  • Add 1 cup of hot water (or, for extra flavor, a broth), the cubed potatoes (roughly meatball-sized), and the carrots. Season with salt and pepper, add the bay leaves, and add more hot liquid until the potatoes are almost covered.
    Browned meatballs in the pan with potato chunks, carrot sticks, bay leaves, and broth for the stew.
  • Cover and simmer gently on low for about 30 minutes, tossing occasionally and adding more hot water if it gets dry, until the potatoes are nearly tender and the liquid at the bottom has thickened into a creamy sauce.
    Stirring the meatball stew with a wooden spatula once the potatoes are tender and the broth has reduced.
  • Stir in the peas and cook 5 minutes more.
    Frozen peas added on top of the simmering meatball stew with potatoes and carrots.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley. The liquid should be mostly reduced, leaving a light, creamy sauce at the bottom. Serve warm, with crusty bread.
    Meatball stew with potatoes, carrots, and peas in a blue-and-white floral bowl, with sauce spooned over the top.

Notes

  • Parmesan: pre-grated works fine; if you have a block, blitz it into fine crumbs in the food processor with the breadcrumbs — same bowl, no extra washing up.
  • Brown the meatballs first so they hold their shape — raw meatballs are delicate and can break apart when stirred with the potatoes.
  • Let the potatoes thicken the sauce: add hot water a little at a time so you finish with a creamy sauce, not a soup.
  • Add peas at the end so they stay sweet and green.
  • Even sizing: cut the potatoes about the size of the meatballs so everything cooks evenly.
  • Make ahead: even better the next day; keeps 3 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen.

Nutrition

Calories: 738kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 847mg | Potassium: 1406mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5794IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 255mg | Iron: 6mg