Italian Meatballs And Sunday Sauce Recipe
User Reviews
5.0
276 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs
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Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
824 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Italian Meatballs And Sunday Sauce Recipe
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Flavorful and juicy Italian meatballs with garlic, parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese braised in a simple Sunday sauce.
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Ingredients
For The Sauce
- 4 ounce cans plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
- 1 ounce can tomato paste
- 1/2 cup (120g) olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
For The Meatballs
- 1 pound (454g) ground chuck
- 1 pound (454g) ground pork
- 1 1/2 cups (150g) plain breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup (68g) grated parmigiano reggiano
- 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 2-3 large eggs beaten
- 3 cloves garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
For The Sauce
- Coat the bottom of a large heavy pot with a 1/2 cup of olive oil and saute the onions on medium-low heat until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the tomato paste to the onions and cook for 5 minutes, spreading the paste around with a wooden spoon. Add a splash of water if the paste starts to burn.
- Add in all the hand crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir the sauce until incorporated and cook on a low simmer with the lid left slightly ajar. Stir the sauce every so often (very important!) to avoid sticking. The sauce should cook on low heat for at least 2.5 to 3 hours but longer will be better.
For The Meatballs
- Add the beef and ground pork to a large mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- To the meat, add the breadcrumbs, grated cheese, parsley and garlic paste. Pour 2 beaten eggs in and gently mix everything together. If the mixture is too dry, add one more egg to the mix.
- With wet hands roll approximately 2" diameter meatballs. The meatballs can be baked on a sheet pan with wire rack at 375F for 25-30 minutes or until brown in the middle of oven.
- Place the browned meatballs in the sauce and cook for a minimum of 1 hour on low heat to allow the meatballs to absorb the flavor and braise in the sauce.
- When the meatballs are finished, serve with choice of pasta, grated cheese and Italian bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- Calories - The calorie info reflects the addition of 1 pound of pasta.
- Salt - Salt is necessary for flavorful meatballs. A good amount is 1 tsp per pound of meat, which is what the recipe calls for.
- Meat - Chuck, which has a large amount of fat and flavor, and ground pork are a great combo for juicy tender meatballs. Avoid using really lean meats if at all possible.
- Mixing the meatballs - It's crucial to not over-mix a meatball and to not form them too tightly. Use wet hands and roll the meatballs by hand until there are no cracks.
- Breadcrumb amount - The amount this recipe calls for is a fair compromise in the meat to breadcrumb ratio.
- Eggs - 2 eggs is a good starting point, but don't be shy about using an extra one if the mix is too dry. The eggs are the binder and ensure the meatballs can be formed properly.
- Let the meatballs cook - Leave them in the sauce (minimum 1 hour) on real low heat to slowly braise and absorb the flavors of the homemade tomato sauce.
- How to make the sauce thicker - With or without paste the sauce can be thickened by simply opening the lid to allow quicker evaporation. Conversely, to slow the thickening process keep the sauce pot fully covered.
- Leftovers - The meatballs and sauce can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days and reheated on the stove-top. If the sauce is a little too thick, just add a touch of water to loosen it up. Or if needed, just toss in another can of crushed plum tomatoes to increase the amount of sauce and let it cook for 30 minutes to incorporate into the existing sauce.
- Freezing - The sauce and meatballs can be frozen. Reuse them by thawing in the fridge, then cooking on the stove-top until heated through.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
824kcal
(41%)
Carbohydrates
97g
(32%)
Protein
46.3g
(93%)
Fat
27.5g
(42%)
Saturated Fat
6.2g
(31%)
Cholesterol
132mg
(44%)
Sodium
1255mg
(52%)
Potassium
850mg
(24%)
Fiber
14.6g
(58%)
Sugar
29.3g
(59%)
Calcium
220mg
(22%)
Iron
14.6mg
(81%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 824 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 824kcal | 41% |
| Carbohydrates | 97g | 32% |
| Protein | 46.3g | 93% |
| Fat | 27.5g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 6.2g | 31% |
| Cholesterol | 132mg | 44% |
| Sodium | 1255mg | 52% |
| Potassium | 850mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 14.6g | 58% |
| Sugar | 29.3g | 59% |
| Calcium | 220mg | 22% |
| Iron | 14.6mg | 81% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
276 reviews
Excellent
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