Meatballs With Tomato Sauce and Rice
Classic meatballs simmered in a simple tomato sauce. Serve over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ?1 pound 450 gground beef
- ?1 smallyellow onionfinely diced or grated
- ?3 clovesgarlicminced
- ?1/2 cupdried breadcrumbs
- ?1 largeegg
- ?1/4 cupchopped fresh parsley
- ?1/4 teaspoonground black pepper
- ?1/2 teaspoonsalt
- ?2 tablespoonsolive oilor vegetable oil
- ?1 smallyellow onionfinely diced or grated
- ?2 clovesgarlicminced
- ?1 tablespoontomato paste
- ?14 ounces 400 gtomato sauce
- ?1/2 teaspoondried oregano
- ?1/2 teaspoonsalt
- ?1/4 teaspoonground black pepper
Instructions
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the meatball ingredients: 1 pound (450 g) ground beef, 1 small finely diced or grated yellow onion, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a spatula until just combined — do not overmix.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil) in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the second 1 small finely diced or grated yellow onion (for the sauce) and sauté about 2 minutes, until the onion is soft.
- Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 tablespoon tomato paste to the skillet and cook about 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant.
- Pour in 14 ounces (400 g) tomato sauce and stir in 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so it stays at a low simmer.
- Use a 1- or 2-tablespoon cookie scoop (or tablespoons) to portion the meatball mixture. Wet your hands with a little water as needed and roll each portion between your hands to form round meatballs.
- Carefully drop the formed meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce, spacing them so they are not overcrowded.
- Cover the skillet with a lid and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, flipping the meatballs once about halfway through the cooking time.
- Check that the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 160°F (71°C). When they reach that temperature, remove the skillet from the heat.
- Serve the meatballs and tomato sauce over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.
Equipment
- Skilletwith a lid
- Mixing Bowl
Notes
If you’d like more sauce with your meatballs, use a large 32oz jar of tomato or marinara sauce instead of the smaller can.
I made these meatballs small, because that’s how my mom always made them! You can make them larger if you prefer.
Use your hands!I use my hands to mix the meatball mixture so that it doesn’t get overmixed and tough. You’ll also want to use your hands to roll each meatball before adding it to the sauce.
Using a 1-tablespoon scoop will give you about 30 meatballs, or you can make 15 2-tablespoon-sized ones.
To Store:Keep leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They reheat easily in the microwave or on the stovetop.
I made these meatballs small, because that’s how my mom always made them! You can make them larger if you prefer.
Use your hands!I use my hands to mix the meatball mixture so that it doesn’t get overmixed and tough. You’ll also want to use your hands to roll each meatball before adding it to the sauce.
Using a 1-tablespoon scoop will give you about 30 meatballs, or you can make 15 2-tablespoon-sized ones.
To Store:Keep leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They reheat easily in the microwave or on the stovetop.