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4.7 from 30 votes

Meatballs cooked in rich tomato sauce

Perfect for any time of day, this recipe delivers great flavor effortlessly.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 4 -6
Course: Main Course , Dinner , Others

Ingredients

for the meatballs
  • 500 g beef mince
  • 1 small red onion peeled
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled
  • 2 large handfuls fresh herbs of your choice I used Italian parsley, basil, thyme and oregano
  • 2 lices white bread crusts removed
  • 1/4-1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup approximately 50g pecorino, finely grated
  • salt & pepper to serve
for the tomato sauce
  • 1 large red onion finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 500 g ripe tomatoes chopped (alternatively use a can of chopped tomatoes)
  • 1 cup passata tomato puree
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 fresh rosemary sprig
  • 1 teaspoon sugar optional
  • salt & pepper to taste
to serve
  • Bucatini or pasta of your choice, cooked
  • grated Pecorino/Parmesan
  • fresh basil leaves

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. To make the meatballs, place the beef in a bowl.
  2. In a small food processor (or by hand), finely chop the herbs, onion and garlic.
  3. Add the herb mixture to the beef.
  4. In a small bowl, soak the bread in just enough milk to completely saturate the bread.
  5. Add the soaked bread to the beef and onion mixture then add the cheese and season to taste.
  6. Mix well and form golf-ball sized meatballs.
  7. In a large frying pan, fry the meatballs in a splash of oil until browned all over. Set aside.
  8. To make the sauce, fry the onion in a splash of oil in a saucepan until soft and translucent.
  9. Add the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds.
  10. Add the remaining ingredients and allow to come up to a simmer.
  11. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes uncovered.
  12. Place the meatballs in the tomato sauce and allow to simmer gently for another 10-15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked to your liking.
  13. Serve with cooked pasta garnished with a good grating of Pecorino and a few fresh basil leaves.