Meatballs in Marinara Sauce
This recipe of meatballs in marinara sauce is a classic but delicious dish. It's the perfect pasta sauce and topping, but it also tastes great on its own.
Equipment
Large mixing bowl
10-inch non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet
Large saucepan or deep skillet
Wooden spoon
Baking sheet or plate (for chilling meatballs)
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
1 pound ground beef - about 450g- 10 medium crackers - crumbled, approximately 1/3 cup / 40g
2-4 sprigs rosemary - fresh ; leaves stripped and finely chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary- 2 tablespoons garlic and herb seasoning
1 tablespoon mustard
1 medium egg
1 pinch salt - to taste
1 pinch ground black pepper - to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil - for frying meatballs
For the Marinara Sauce
¼ cup basil - fresh basil leaves ; roughly torn, for serving
1 medium white onion - diced
2 cloves garlic - minced
½ medium red chili (red chilli in British English) - fresh, finely chopped, or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tins tomatoes - (chopped) 14 oz (400g)
½ cup Parmesan cheese - 50g, freshly grated, for serving
1 teaspoon sugar- 1 pinch salt - to taste
- 1 pinch ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, crumbled crackers, rosemary, garlic and herb seasoning, mustard, egg, salt, and black pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined — avoid overworking or the meatballs will be dense. Roll the mixture into 16-20 evenly sized balls. Place on a plate or baking sheet, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to firm up.1 pound ground beef, 10 medium crackers, 2-4 sprigs rosemary, 2 tablespoons garlic and herb seasoning, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 medium egg, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- While the meatballs chill, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and chopped chili, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant — don't let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, then season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir well and let the sauce simmer gently on low heat while you fry the meatballs.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium white onion, 2 cloves garlic, ½ medium red chili (red chilli in British English), 2 tins tomatoes, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, turning every 1-2 minutes, until browned on all sides — about 6-8 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned meatballs into the marinara sauce and let everything simmer together on low heat for 10 minutes, spooning sauce over the meatballs occasionally. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan and torn basil leaves.2 tablespoons olive oil, ¼ cup basil, ½ cup Parmesan cheese
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate meatballs in sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months — thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Make-ahead: Form and chill the raw meatballs up to 24 hours in advance. The marinara sauce can be made a day ahead and reheated.
Substitutions: Swap ground beef for a 50/50 beef and pork blend for richer flavour. Use breadcrumbs (1/3 cup) in place of crackers. Any mild mustard works if you don't have honey mustard.
Pro tip: Don't overcrowd the pan when frying — brown the meatballs in two batches so they sear rather than steam, which gives you that flavourful caramelised crust.
Reheating: Gently reheat in sauce on the stovetop over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 331kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 18gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 295mgPotassium: 349mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 288IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 188mgIron: 4mg
How did this recipe turn out for you?Rate this Recipe !
