Jul 13 2026
Restaurants›Woodfire Rockford›Bucatini Meatballs Recipe

Bucatini 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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For the Meatballs

For the Sunday Gravy

For Serving

Method

For the Meatballs

  1. 1

    Prepare the Meatball Mixture

    In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, grated Grana Padano, chopped basil, egg, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.

  2. 2

    Form the Meatballs

    Wet your hands and form the mixture into meatballs (about 1.5 inches in diameter). Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

  3. 3

    Cook the Meatballs

    In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches and cook until browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

For the Sunday Gravy

  1. 4

    Sauté the Aromatics

    In the same skillet used for the meatballs, add more olive oil if necessary. Sauté chopped onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute.

  2. 5

    Make the Sauce

    Stir in crushed tomatoes, whole basil leaves, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Bring to a simmer.

  3. 6

    Simmer with Meatballs

    Return the meatballs to the skillet, cover, and let simmer on low heat for 20-30 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.

For the Pasta

  1. 7

    Cook the Bucatini

    While the sauce simmers, cook the bucatini pasta in a pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

  2. 8

    Combine and Serve

    Toss the cooked bucatini with the Sunday gravy and meatballs. Serve hot, garnished with grated Grana Padano and fresh basil leaves.

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