Italian Meatballs with Tomato Sauce

Name: Italian Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: Tomato Sauce: 2 tablespoons olive oil; Tomato Sauce: 1 small onion, finely chopped; Tomato Sauce: 1 small carrot, finely chopped; Tomato Sauce: 1 small celery rib with leaves, finely chopped; Tomato Sauce: 2 garlic cloves, minced; Tomato Sauce: 1 tablespoon chopped basil, rosemary, sage, or thyme; Tomato Sauce: 2 lbs fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped Or one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes; Tomato Sauce: ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water until soft, and finely chopped; Tomato Sauce: 2 teaspoons tomato paste; Tomato Sauce: ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste; Tomato Sauce: ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste; Meatballs: 1 pound ground beef, half ground beef and ground pork, or 12 ounces lean ground beef and 4 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, removed from its casings; Meatballs: 2 garlic cloves, minced; Meatballs: 1/2 cup chopped parsley; Meatballs: 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces); Meatballs: 1 medium onion, finely chopped; Meatballs: 1/2 cup bread crumbs; Meatballs: 1 large egg, beaten; Meatballs: 3 tablespoons dry red wine; Meatballs: 2 tablespoons tomato paste; Meatballs: 1 teaspoon salt; Meatballs: 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; Meatballs: 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; Meatballs: 1/2 cup flour (for dredging); Meatballs: Olive or vegetable oil (for frying, about 1/4 inch in the skillet)

Pairs With Merlot, Zinfandel

Leave a Review

Share this Recipe:

Difficulty:: Easy
Prep Time:: 10 minutes
Cook Time:: 40 minutes
Total Time:: 50 minutes
Yield:: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped 2 small onions, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped 2 small carrots, finely chopped
1 small celery rib with leaves, finely chopped 2 small celery ribs with leaves, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped basil, rosemary, sage, or thyme 2 tablespoons chopped basil, rosemary, sage, or thyme
2 lbs fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped Or one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes 4 lbs fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped. Or two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water until soft, and finely chopped 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water until soft, and finely chopped
2 teaspoons tomato paste 4 teaspoons tomato paste
¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Meatballs

1 pound ground beef, half ground beef and ground pork, or 12 ounces lean ground beef and 4 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, removed from its casings 2 pounds ground beef, half ground beef and ground pork, or 24 ounces lean ground beef and 8 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, removed from its casings
2 garlic cloves, minced 4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces) 1 cup grated Parmesan (4 ounces)
1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs 1 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten 2 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons dry red wine 6 tablespoons dry red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup flour (for dredging) 1 cup flour (for dredging)
Olive or vegetable oil (for frying, about 1/4 inch in the skillet) Olive or vegetable oil (for frying, about 1/4 inch in the skillet)

Instructions

Heat in a large skillet over medium heat: 2 tablespoons olive oil Add: 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 small carrot, finely chopped 1 small celery rib with leaves, finely chopped Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft, about 15 minutes.
Add and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds: 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon chopped basil, rosemary, sage, or thyme.
Stir in: 2 pounds fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped or one 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water until soft and finely chopped 2 teaspoons tomato paste ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste Simmer, uncovered, crushing the tomatoes with a potato masher or a wooden spoon to break them up, until the sauce is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Pass through a food mill for a smooth sauce.
Bring tomato sauce to a low simmer, cover, and have at the ready. Combine in a large bowl: 1 pound ground beef, half ground beef and ground pork, or 12 ounces lean ground beef and 4 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, removed from its casings 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ cup chopped parsley ½ cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces) 1 medium onion, finely chopped ½ cup bread crumbs 1 large egg, beaten 3 tablespoons dry red wine 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon dried oregano Mix with your hands. Scoop out the mixture in heaping tablespoons and form into 1½-inch balls.
Dredge the meatballs in: ½ cup flour Heat in a large skillet over medium heat: ¼ inch olive or vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, fry the meatballs in uncrowded batches, turning them several times so that they brown evenly. As the meatballs finish browning, transfer them to the warmed tomato sauce, if using. If not serving with a sauce, place the browned meatballs in a baking dish and transfer to oven to keep warm.