Golden and savoury, Meatball Spiedini are crisp, layered skewers that combine bread, cheese, and meat for a simple, flavourful dish made to share at any meal.
My dad often talks about his nonna making Sicilian spiedini and crostini. He would sit by her side and learn. I did the same with him, then later cooked these with my girls for special family nights.
When I created a Sicilian Street Food New Year’s Eve spread for a Foodbuzz event years ago, these were front and centre with a tray of Crostini.
What I Love About Traditional Spiedini
- These meatball skewers are easy to hold and perfect for sharing at casual meals or parties.
- Works well with side salads, grilled vegetables, or other antipasto favourites.
- Quick shallow-frying gives the skewers a crisp, golden crust while keeping the inside tender.
Key Ingredients for Spiedini
Beef Mince
Gives savoury richness and tenderness when combined with egg, cheese, and breadcrumbs. Choose regular mince rather than extra-lean so the mixture stays moist during frying. A gentle mix prevents a dense texture.
Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
Adds depth and umami while helping the meat mixture bind and brown. Finely grate the cheese so it disperses evenly. Either option works; pick what you have on hand.
Primosale Cheese
Melts gently between bread and salami, adding a mild, creamy layer. Slice evenly so pieces soften at the same rate. Young provolone or scamorza offer a similar flavour and melt if primosale is unavailable.
Find the complete list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Meatball Spiedini
For the Meatballs
Step 1: Mix all the ingredients together until evenly combined. Form small, slightly oval meatballs, each the size of a dried plum. Set them aside.
For Assembling the Spiedini
Step 1: Cut the bread, cheese, and salami. Cut everything to a similar size for even coating and frying.
Step 2: Thread the ingredients onto double skewers, starting with a piece of bread, then cheese, salami, and a meatball, and repeat. Make sure to finish with a piece of bread to keep the other ingredients from falling off the skewers.
Note: If you do not have double skewers, use two regular skewers side by side.
Step 3: Dip each skewer into lightly beaten egg whites and coat well with the flour and breadcrumb mix.
Step 4: Shallow-fry the spiedini in hot vegetable oil until crisp and golden. Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Assemble the skewers up to 8 hours ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Coat and fry them when ready to serve for the best texture.
Scamorza or mild provolone melts smoothly and gives a similar mild flavour. Both work well in this spiedini recipe if primosale is unavailable.
Yes. Place coated meatball skewers on a lightly greased rack and bake at 200°C – 400°F for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning once until golden and crisp.
Use double skewers or two skewers side by side for extra stability. This setup keeps the layers firm so they don’t slip off while frying or serving.
They go well with roasted potatoes, mixed salads, or grilled vegetables. For a classic pairing, serve them with Sicilian street food favourites such as Crostini.
Extra Help from the Kitchen
Rest the Meatball Mix – Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes before shaping so breadcrumbs absorb moisture evenly and hold together better.
Chill Before Coating – Place assembled skewers in the fridge for 15 minutes before dipping in egg whites; this helps the layers stay firm during coating.
Use Shallow, Wide Pans – A broad pan keeps oil temperature steady and makes it easier to turn the skewers without breaking them.
Test Oil Temperature – Drop a small breadcrumb in the oil; it should sizzle gently and rise to the surface within seconds, showing the oil is ready.
Drain on a Rack – After frying, rest the spiedini on a wire rack set over paper rather than directly on it; airflow underneath keeps the coating crisp.
Variations and Twists
Herb-Flavoured Spiedini – Add 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley or basil to the meatball mixture for a gentle herbal note.
Gluten-Free Version – Substitute gluten-free breadcrumbs and bread, using the same coating method. Always check the salami label, as some may include traces of gluten.
Eggplant Spiedini – Thin grilled eggplant slices can replace salami for a lighter, vegetable-based variation that still keeps the layered texture.
Lemon and Herb Finish – Serve with lemon wedges or a drizzle of lemon-infused olive oil to refresh the coating and balance the richness before serving.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store cooked spiedini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days. Cool fully before packing to prevent condensation inside the container. For freezing, assemble the skewers without coating, place on a lined tray to firm up, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for 1 month.
Thaw in the refrigerator before dipping in egg whites, coating, and cooking. Avoid freezing once fried, as bread softens after thawing. Reheat cooked spiedini on a wire rack in a preheated oven at 180°C – 350°F for 8–10 minutes until hot.
Meatball Spiedini Recipe
Golden and savoury, Meatball Spiedini are crisp, layered skewers that combine bread, cheese, and meat for a simple, flavourful dish made to share at any meal.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 300 g – 10.5 oz beef mince
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 5 tbsp grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
- 5 tbsp breadcrumbs
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- 1 tsp salt
For Assembling the Spiedini
- stale bread* – sliced into 1 cm – ½ inch thick slices and then cut to the same size as the meatballs
- Primosale cheese – sliced into 0.5 cm – ¼ inch thick slices and then cut to the same size as the meatballs
- salami – sliced into 0.5 cm – ¼ inch thick slices and then cut to the same size as the meatballs
- egg whites – lightly beaten
- flour and breadcrumbs – mixed in equal proportions
- salt
Instructions
For the Meatballs
-
Mix all the ingredients together until evenly combined. Form small, slightly oval meatballs, each the size of a dried plum. Set them aside.
For Assembling the Spiedini
-
Cut the bread, cheese, and salami. Cut everything to a similar size for even coating and frying.
-
Thread the ingredients onto double skewers, starting with a piece of bread, then cheese, salami, and a meatball, and repeat. Make sure to finish with a piece of bread to keep the other ingredients from falling off the skewers. Note: If you do not have double skewers, use two regular skewers side by side.
-
Dip each skewer into lightly beaten egg whites and coat well with the flour and breadcrumb mix.
-
Shallow-fry the spiedini in hot vegetable oil until crisp and golden. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
*The bread should be compact, with no holes inside. Buy it a few days in advance and let it dry before making the spiedini.
I have been searching for this recipe! My mother was so very proud of her Sicilian heritage and kept up all the Sicilian traditions and recipes. I remember helping her make this very delicate recipe. I can’t wait to make this, but cannot find the double skewers. I am only finding long ones not short ones. Any help finding them would be appreciated
I definitively have to go on a gastronomic tour of Palermo!
Congratulazioni Manuela e Buon Anno! sembrano veramente deliziosi, li provero’,a presto.
Happy 2012! What a great recipe for me to land on. It’s like a deconstructed pizza! How yummy is that!?!?
this look so fantastic! everything I love is in that little skewer
What a great idea for an appetizer!
My godness! Your Sicilian street food party is awesome! I wanna have a party like this myself! 🙂
Happy New Year Manu! Italian street food! I’ve never seen & heard of this dish before, but it’s interesting how you use bread and cheese between meat. I’ve been reading your delicious posts through phone, but it was about time to come back to your blog. Hope you had a wonderful holiday!!
WOW. this looks great manuela! 😀 what other wonders with stale bread can you whip together? haha
YUM! I haven’t caught up with what you have been up to lately but I was looking up sofficini and came across your December post! Mmmm! And the Sicilian Street Food New Year’s Eve Party looks fantastic! What fun! All the dishes are to die for as are these spiedini. If you wrote a cookbook it would have to be in my kitchen! Wonderful cooking!
I am honestly surprised Manu at the number of deep fried treats there are in this series, I had no idea the Italians deep fried so much. Non-the-less, bread – meat and cheese are a winning combo. I can just imagine how that cheese would be so melty and stringy. Would you dip these into some kind of sauce, or just eat off the skewers?
What a great idea! Love how it turned out and of course how delicious it looks!
Thanks for sharing yet another winner recipe!
Oh wow, these are a new to me treat. They look fantastically crispy and flavorful! 🙂