Authentic Italian Meatballs in a Rich Tomato Sauce
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Resting Time:: 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
These Authentic Italian Meatballs are tender, juicy, and packed with rich flavor! Made with a blend of pork, beef, and Italian sausage, they’re simmered in a homemade tomato sauce for the perfect Italian-style meal. Serve them with pasta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread for a comforting and satisfying dish. Plus, they’re great for meal prep—make ahead and reheat for even more flavour the next day!
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 500 grams pork or beef mince or a mixture of both like I used today
- 3 Italian sausages 250 grams
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup fresh soft breadcrumbs or almond meal like I used today
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Sauce
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 small onion
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh basil or substitute 2 teaspoons of dried basil.
- 1 kg of roughly chopped fresh tomatoes skin, seeds, juice and all.
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Oil & Butter for frying
Instructions
Meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork & beef mince with Italian sausage meat (remove the casings and squeeze the meat out).
- Add chopped parsley, lemon rind, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and garlic to the bowl.
- Stir in the breadcrumbs (or almond meal), Parmesan cheese, milk, and beaten egg.
- Using clean hands, mix everything thoroughly until well combined. The mixture should feel moist but firm enough to hold its shape.
- Wet your hands with water and roll the mixture into golf-ball-sized meatballs (about 18 balls).
- Place the meatballs on a tray, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour—this helps them hold their shape when frying.
Tomato Sauce
- Heat 2–3 tbsp olive oil and butter in a heavy-based pan over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the chopped fresh tomatoes (or canned tomatoes), followed by tomato paste, basil, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper.
- Stir well and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If the sauce gets too thick, add a little water as needed. If using canned tomatoes, you may need to add a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.
- Once the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and set aside.
Cook Meatballs
- Heat 1–2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat.
- Once the oil is warm, place the meatballs in batches, ensuring they don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Fry the meatballs, turning them every minute or so, until they are golden brown on all sides (about 7 minutes per batch).
- Remove the first batch and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining meatballs.
- Once all meatballs are cooked, carefully drain most of the excess fat from the pan.
Simmer Meatballs in Sauce
- Pour the prepared tomato sauce into the same pan (with the flavourful browned bits from frying the meatballs).
- Add the fried meatballs into the sauce and gently stir to coat them.
- Cover and let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for 10 minutes over low heat, allowing the flavours to meld.
Serve & Enjoy
- Serve the meatballs with freshly cooked pasta, mashed potatoes, or crusty Italian bread.
- Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.
- Enjoy these meatballs fresh, or store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days (they taste even better the next day!).
Video
Notes
👩🍳 COOKING TIPS & VARIATIONS ✔️ Chilling the meatballs before frying prevents them from falling apart. ✔️ Prefer a smoother sauce? Blend it before adding the meatballs for a restaurant-style finish. ✔️ Make it spicy by adding chili flakes or red pepper flakes to the sauce. ✔️ Gluten-free option – Swap breadcrumbs for almond meal or use GF breadcrumbs.