Meatballs in Tomato Sauce Recipe
These meatballs in tomato sauce are the ultimate comfort food! Juicy homemade meatballs are simmered in a thick tomato sauce, then served any way you like. It's an easy recipe that uses simple ingredients, and it's ready in just 35 minutes!
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, see notes
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs, quick oats, or almond flour, see notes
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup grated onion, use the juices
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and saute for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, honey, salt, and pepper and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Lower the heat if the sauce begins to splatter.1 tablespoon olive oil, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands to mix everything together. Divide the meat into 12 portions and roll it into balls.½ cup breadcrumbs, quick oats, or almond flour, ½ cup chicken stock, ¼ cup grated onion, 1 lb lean ground beef, 1 large egg, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper
- Place the meatballs into the tomato sauce and let them cook for 2 minutes. Turn them over in the pot then cover the pot with a lid and let them continue to cook for 15 minutes.
Notes
Oats: Breadcrumbs, almond flour, and quick oats all work great for softening meatballs. Quick oats are my favorite, as they make the meatballs the softest.
Tomatoes: You can also use whole tomatoes, and crush them with your hands as you add them to the pot. Fire-roasted tomatoes make a nice substitute if you want a touch of smoky flavor.
Serving: 1 = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 314kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 123mg, Sodium: 1610mg, Potassium: 525mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 169IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 124mg, Iron: 4mg