Jul 13 2026
Restaurants›Woodfire Rockford›Bucantini Meatballs Recipe

Bucantini Meatballs Recipe

Inspired by Woodfire Rockford
Time1h 30m
Serves4

Sunday Gravy, Woodfire meatballs, grana padano, & fresh basil.

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Ingredients

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Meatballs

Sunday Gravy

Pasta

Garnish

Method

Meatballs

  1. 1

    Prepare the Meatball Mixture

    In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, grated Grana Padano, minced garlic, chopped fresh basil, egg, salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined.

  2. 2

    Form the Meatballs

    Using your hands, form the mixture into meatballs approximately the size of a golf ball (about 60 grams each). Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

  3. 3

    Cook the Meatballs

    In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for about 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally until browned on all sides. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Sunday Gravy

  1. 4

    Sauté the Aromatics

    In the same skillet used for the meatballs, add more olive oil if needed, and sauté the chopped onion over medium heat until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute.

  2. 5

    Add the Tomatoes

    Pour in the canned tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon if whole. Stir in chopped fresh basil, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Bring to a simmer.

  3. 6

    Simmer the Sauce

    Return the meatballs to the skillet, cover, and let simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pasta

  1. 7

    Cook the Bucatini

    In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the bucatini pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually about 8-10 minutes. Reserve a cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.

  2. 8

    Combine Pasta and Sauce

    Add the cooked bucatini to the skillet with the Sunday gravy and meatballs. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Garnish

  1. 9

    Serve the Dish

    Plate the bucatini and meatballs, then generously sprinkle with grated Grana Padano and garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.

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