Meatballs Recipe
meatballs in our homemade sauce
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Ingredients
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Meatballs
Homemade Sauce
To Serve (optional)
Method
Meatballs
- 1
Soak breadcrumbs
Place fresh breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the whole milk over them. Stir and let sit 5 minutes until milk is mostly absorbed.
- 2
Mix meatball base
In a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, 1 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Gently mix with your hands or a spoon until ingredients are just combined — avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.
- 3
Portion meatballs
Using a slightly wet 1.5 tablespoon scoop or your hands, portion the mixture into roughly 1–1 1/4 inch (about 24–28 g) meatballs. You should get about 18–20 meatballs. Roll each into a smooth ball without compressing too tightly.
- 4
Brown meatballs
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add meatballs and brown on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side (they will not need to be fully cooked through). Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.
Homemade Sauce
- 5
Sweat aromatics
In a large saucepan or deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add 3 teaspoons minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- 6
Build the sauce
Stir in the 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor. Add the 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup water or broth, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and the bay leaf. Stir to combine and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- 7
Simmer with meatballs
Carefully nestle the browned meatballs into the simmering sauce in a single layer. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally and spooning sauce over the meatballs so they cook through evenly. If sauce thickens too much, add 1–2 tablespoons water. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- 8
Finish sauce
Remove the bay leaf. Stir in chopped fresh basil (about 2 tablespoons) if using, and let the meatballs rest in the sauce 2–3 minutes before serving so flavors meld.
To Serve (optional)
- 9
Spoon meatballs and sauce over cooked pasta or serve with crusty bread. Garnish with extra grated Parmesan. Serve hot.