Meatballs in tomato sauce are one of the most classic dishes, loved by everyone, but especially by children. There are so many ways to prepare meatballs… every grandmother keeps her recipe secret, but today we want to show you how we prepare them! Ground beef and sausage, mixed together, will give a unique flavor, while bread and cheese, in addition to enhancing their taste, will give the right softness. Round, tasty, and succulent, our meatballs are browned and then cooked in tomato sauce, in this way they will not fall apart and will maintain their shape.
Meatballs in tomato sauce are a recipe from the heart, which reminds us of a special moment. Perhaps our meatballs may not live up to those of your grandmothers, red or white, but we hope that their taste, even if only in part, will take you back to one of the Sunday family dinners. We recommend not forgetting to serve the meatballs with good homemade bread for the final “scarpetta,” an essential custom for this dish!
Here are some other meatball recipes to try:
Ingredients for 24 meatballs:
– Ground beef: 220g
– Sausage: 165g
– Firm bread: 30g
– Grated Parmigiano Reggiano DOP: 25g
– Eggs: 1
– Chopped parsley: 1 tablespoon
– Dried oregano: 1 pinch
– Grated nutmeg: 1 pinch
– Fine salt: to taste
– Black pepper: to taste
– Extra virgin olive oil: as needed
Calories: 287 kcal
Preparation:
Difficulty: Very easy
Preparation time: 30 min
Cooking time: 20 min
Servings: 24 pieces
Cost: Low
How to prepare meatballs in tomato sauce:
1. To prepare the meatballs in tomato sauce, start with the mixture: cut the bread into pieces and put it in a food processor fitted with blades. Grind until the bread is reduced to crumbs.
2. Take the sausages, delicately slice them lengthwise and remove the casing. Using a knife blade or a fork, flatten the meat.
3. In a large bowl, place the sausage and ground meat. Add the oregano, a pinch of grated nutmeg, and chopped parsley.
4. Finally, add the grated Parmigiano and the breadcrumbs you ground earlier. Add the egg and start kneading with your hands.
5. Season with salt and black pepper, then continue kneading until you get a homogeneous mixture.
6. With the mixture obtained in step 5, form spheres weighing 20 grams each. Take a piece of the mixture and roll it with both hands.
7. As soon as all the meatballs are ready, heat the oil in a non-stick pan. When the oil is hot, gently place the meatballs in the pan, letting them cook on both sides for a couple of minutes.
8. Then add the tomato pulp and water. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking over low heat for 15-20 minutes.
9. Once ready, add some dried oregano and your meatballs in tomato sauce are ready to be served!
Storage:
You can store meatballs in tomato sauce in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap for 2-3 days. You can also freeze them both cooked and raw: in this case, however, it is essential that the ingredients are very fresh and not thawed. If you have leftovers, you can make our tasty baked ziti!
Tips:
Another tasty variant? Try frying the meatballs in a pan and then soak them in tomato sauce cooked separately: a real delight! If you prefer more flavorful meatballs, add some aged Pecorino to the mixture.