Easy Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
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These meatballs in tomato sauce are the perfect quick and easy dinner. Juicy and tender homemade meatballs cooked in a simple rustic Italian-style tomato sauce.
If you love quick and easy Italian dinners, try my one-pot lasagna recipe or my chorizo pasta. And this easy gnocchi bake is always a winner!
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⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Quick and Easy: Perfect for a weeknight dinner but also special enough for a Sunday meal.
- Juicy and Tender Meatballs: Cooking the meatballs in the sauce helps them stay moist.
- Flavorful: A mix of beef and pork, along with a rustic Italian-style tomato sauce, creates a rich taste.
- Simple Ingredients: Everything you need can be found at Aldi.
🧾 Ingredients overview
- Pork and beef mince: Provides the perfect mix of flavour and fat for juicy meatballs.
- Egg and milk: Help bind the ingredients together and keep the meatballs moist.
- Fresh rosemary, dried oregano, Italian-style herbs: Add depth to the meatballs' flavour.
- Grana Padano (parmesan) cheese: Adds a salty, umami taste.
- Passata, red onion, tomato puree, garlic: Base for a rich and hearty tomato sauce.
For precise measurements and additional ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
👩🏻🍳 Here's how to make it
Italian meatballs step-by-step
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a bowl, combine pork and beef mince with fresh rosemary, dried oregano, Italian herbs, an egg, and a splash of milk. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon just until the ingredients are combined, avoiding over-mixing to keep the meatballs tender.
- Form Meatballs: With oiled hands, roll the mixture into evenly sized balls. This prevents sticking and ensures the meatballs cook evenly.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat a little oil in a skillet and brown the meatballs on all sides. This adds flavour and texture. Once browned, remove them from the pan and set aside. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Make the Sauce: In the same pan, soften the onion and garlic, then add tomato puree and thyme for flavour. Stir in the passata, blending well to create a rich sauce.
- Cook Meatballs in Sauce: Return the meatballs to the pan, cover with the sauce, and simmer for about 10 minutes until they are cooked through. The sauce will infuse the meatballs with moisture and flavour.
- Serve: Adjust the sauce's seasoning to taste, then serve the meatballs hot with pasta, garnished with Grana Padano cheese and basil, if desired.
🍯 Storing and reheating leftovers
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in sauce for up to 3 months. Let cool completely before freezing.
- Reheat: Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature, then reheat in the microwave or on the stove until hot.
📖 Variations
- Cheese: Substitute Grana Padano with any hard cheese like Parmesan.
- Meat: Use only beef or a mixture of turkey and pork for lighter meatballs.
- Add Cheese: For a cheesy twist, add shredded mozzarella on top and grill until melted and bubbling.
💡 Chef's Guide: Expert Tips
Drawing on a decade of experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and Cordon Bleu training, I have compiled my top tips for recipe success.
- Gentle mixing: To keep meatballs tender, mix ingredients until just incorporated.
- Browning in batches: Don’t overcrowd the pan when browning meatballs to ensure even cooking.
- Using milk: The secret to juicy meatballs is adding a splash of milk to the mixture.
- Resting the meatballs: After forming the meatballs, let them rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before cooking. This helps them keep their shape when cooked.
- Searing in batches: To ensure a good sear, avoid crowding the pan. Crowding can lower the temperature of your pan, leading to steamed instead of beautifully browned meatballs.
- Taste as you go: Seasoning is the key to a perfect dish. Remember to taste your sauce before adding the meatballs, and adjust the salt, pepper, or herbs as needed.
❓Recipe FAQ's
Absolutely! You can use turkey, chicken or even a meat-free option like Quorn. Because these meats are leaner with less fat, you may want to add an extra egg to the mixture to help bring back some of the richness and moisture that will be lost from the reduction in fat.
Absolutely! Let them simmer for about 20 minutes. Be sure to turn them in the sauce a couple of times so that they cook evenly. After 20 minutes check them using a meat thermometer or cut one open and check that they are cooked through.
Yes, this dish freezes well. Allow the meatballs and sauce to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Yes, after browning the meatballs, you can transfer them to a slow cooker along with the sauce ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until the meatballs are tender.
More easy Italian comfort food dinners:
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Easy Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 750 g (1 ⅔ lb) minced beef & pork mix
- 1 egg
- 100 ml (¼ cup) milk
- 2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 3 teaspoons Italian pasta mix
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb mix
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 50 g (½ cup) Grana Padano cheese, grated
For the sauce
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) tomato puree
- 500 ml (2 cups) passata (smooth tomato sauce)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the minced beef and pork, egg, milk, oregano, basil, Italian pasta mix, Italian herb mix, fresh rosemary, and grated Grana Padano cheese.
- Mix Gently: Using hands or a wooden spoon, gently mix until just incorporated. Ensure the mixture remains moist and cohesive, with visible pieces of ground meat.
- Form Meatballs: With lightly oiled hands, form the mixture into meatballs. This prevents sticking and helps incorporate a bit more moisture into the meatballs.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides to develop a golden crust, then set aside on a baking tray. This may require doing in batches.
- Prepare the Sauce: In the same pan, add additional oil if needed, and soften the chopped onion and minced garlic. Stir in the tomato puree, then add the passata. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook Meatballs in Sauce: Add the meatballs back to the pan with the sauce. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.
Notes
- Consistency: The meatball mixture should be moist but able to hold its shape. If too wet, add a bit more cheese or breadcrumbs for absorption.
- Sauce Thickness: If your sauce thickens too much during simmering, add a splash of water or broth to reach your desired consistency.
- Serving Suggestion: For an authentic Italian dinner, serve the meatballs and sauce over freshly cooked pasta, garnished with additional Grana Padano cheese and fresh basil leaves.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If the sauce has thickened, gently heat it on the stove or in the microwave, adding a little water.
Nutrition
Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef dedicated to helping you create unforgettable meals on a budget. Discover more about my journey and dive into a world of foolproof recipes designed for those who love to eat well without overspending.
What is “ Italian pasta mix?”
It's a mix of dried oregano, parsley, rosemary and chilli flakes. If you can't find it, then Italian herb mix will work well, or you can use a blend of Italian herbs you already have on hand.
Amazing. Loved it. Also used the sauce recipe with king prawns and scallops, worked a treat. Thank you.
So happy you used to sauce in other recipes, too! It's a great staple tomato sauce recipe! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's so appreciated. 🙂
Hi Deborah - can you substitute the beef/pork for Turkey mince in this recipe?
Hi Dave. You absolutely can. Turkey has a lower fat content, so your meatballs will have a little bit less moisture. To add some of that back, you can add an extra egg if you like. But they will absolutely work with turkey mince, no problem.
very well explained looking forward to trying you recipe.thanks
Thank you so much Francis! 🙂
I only made the sauce part of your recipe as I'm a vegetarian. I served the sauce with Beyond Meat meatballs, vegetarian cheese and fresh basil. Best sauce I've ever had for pasta and I've tried many! And yes, (almost) all the ingredients were from Aldi lol. Thankyou so much for this recipe and considering cost of living as it is. 🙂
Amazing! So happy that you adapted it to exactly what you need and that it was a hit! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a review. It's much appreciated. 🙂
Very good and recipe. Can you make it without the cheese? If so, will it have the same consistency and taste?
Hi Olivia, the texture of the meatballs will be very similar. You won't notice much difference. Flavour wise, the dish may not be as rich, but if you season the sauce and the meatballs well, it will more than make up for the lack of cheese.
Fabulously scrumptious dish, will definitely be cooking again. Very many thanks Gail
Thanks so much, Gail. And thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's very appreciated. 🙂
Only 2 tablespoons of purée for an entire batch of spaghetti and meatballs? That must be a misprint.
Hi William. Not a misprint. You only need two tablespoons of tomato puree because the recipe also requires 500ml of tomato passata. You can use more puree if you like, but that usually results in a sauce that is too bitter and needs to be neutralized with a little bit of sugar. The role of the puree in this recipe is to enrich and thicken the sauce. Hope that helps to clarify for you. 🙂
Is it okay to skip baking the meatballs and just simmer them in the sauce for longer? If so how long would they need to simmer to be cooked please?
Absolutely you can. Let them simmer for about 20 minutes. Be sure to turn them in the sauce a couple of times so that they cook evenly. After 20 minutes check them using a meat thermometer or cut one open and check that they are cooked through. They may need another 5 minutes or so. Let me know how it goes. 🙂
These meatballs were absolutely amazing! Super easy to make and so full of flavour.
So happy you loved them, Ali! And thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. It's much appreciated. 🙂
I just tried this recipe on a whim this week. Normally I buy meatballs and tomato sauce but wanted to try making it healthier. These were incredible! Thank you.
So happy that this recipe was a hit! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's very appreciated. 🙂
These meatballs are so good! Easy to make and that sauce is so rich and hearty.
So happy you like them! 🙂
What are the measurements for this recipe?
The recipe card is at the bottom of the page with all the measurements and recipe notes. 🙂
I make this recipe almost every week. The entire family loves it and that's not easy to do! Thanks!
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's much appreciated! 🙂
Such a quick recipe for a midweek dinner, went down well with family.
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's so appreciated! Happy that everyone loved it.
Such a great easy recipe! My family absolutely loved these. Will definitely be making these a lot over the winter! Thank you.
Love hearing this Julia! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a review.