How To Make Beef Meatballs and Classic Sauce from The Meatball Shop Recipe

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add chopped garlic, diced onion, bay leaf, and oregano to the saucepan.

Cook for about 10 minutes until onions are translucent.

Add tomato paste and mix to disassemble chunks, cooking for an additional 5 minutes to create a sofrito.

Add whole plum tomatoes (with liquid) to the saucepan and mix well.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).

In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, ricotta cheese, chopped parsley, oregano, ground fennel, salt, and eggs.

Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat.

Form mixture into meatballs, about the size of a golf ball, and place on a baking tray.

Bake meatballs in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Once meatballs are done, add them to the sauce and simmer together for an additional 5 minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens