Description
This recipe for Juicy Meat Balls with Tomato Basil Sauce offers tender, flavorful meatballs in a rich, sweet sauce. It’s an effortless and family-friendly comfort food, perfect for busy weeknights and meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Ground Beef, 80/20
- 1 large Egg
- 0.5 cup (60g) Plain Breadcrumbs, or use gluten-free breadcrumbs for a GF meal
- 0.25 cup (25g) Grated Parmesan Cheese, or Pecorino Romano for a sharper taste
- 0.25 cup (30g) Yellow Onion, finely minced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz / 794g) can Crushed Tomatoes, organic ingredients recommended
- 0.5 cup (12g) Fresh Basil, chopped
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Salt, plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground
- 0.25 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- Pinch of Sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients and Form Meatballs: In a large bowl, gently combine ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, minced garlic, and chopped onion. Mix until just combined (if your mixture looks too wet, add 1 Tbsp more breadcrumbs). Form into 16-18 golf-ball sized meatballs (approx. 1.5 inches); they should feel slightly firm when rolled.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add meatballs, browning on all sides for 5-7 minutes until golden crusted. Remove and set aside.
- Prepare Sauce Base: In the same skillet, add more oil if needed. Sauté remaining garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, watching for small bubbles to appear.
- Simmer and Finish: Gently return the browned meatballs to the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20-25 minutes until cooked through and tender. Stir in a generous handful of fresh chopped basil in the last 5 minutes. Taste, adjusting seasoning as needed.
Notes
For quicker prep, use a quality pre-made marinara sauce. If fresh basil isn’t available, use 1-2 teaspoons of dried basil, adding it with the tomatoes. This recipe is also great for meal prep.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 480 calories
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
Keywords: easy dinner, family friendly, comfort food, meatballs, tomato basil sauce, ground beef, weeknight meal, make ahead, Italian-American, simmered