Category: Meatballs

Homemade Italian Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

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While this is not traditionally a dish found in restaurants around Italy, I think it’s pretty much synonymous with Italian American cuisine. My approach is to keep it simple and treat it as two dishes combined. Meatballs in a marinara sauce. 

There are so many options for meatballs and so many things you can add. This is my basic recipe and feel free to experiment. 

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

1 lb Beef, ground, but not too lean. 80/20 is perfect. 

1 lb Pork, ground

2 Tbsp Breadcrumbs 

2 Tbsp Milk, whole. 

2 Eggs, beaten 

1 Tbsp Parmesan or Romano Cheese, grated

Salt and Pepper

1 Tbsp Onion, grated. 

1 clove Garlic, crushed. 

Dash of freshly grated Nutmeg. 

Gently combine the meat using two forks to pull it together without compacting it. The key to a good moist meatball is not to overwork the meat. Then combine the breadcrumbs and milk and add the two eggs and beat the mixture. 

Gently mix the garlic, onion, grated cheese and nutmeg into the meat mixture and add the breadcrumb, milk and egg mixture in a bit at a time gently incorporating it with a fork and then finish with salt and pepper. Cover it, and into the fridge for at least an hour.

Sauce:

Olive Oil

1 medium Onion, minced

1/2 cup Carrot, minced

1/2 cup Celery, minced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 cup Marsala or White Wine 

2- 28oz cans of whole peeled Tomatoes, crushed by hand. 

Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

Form your meatballs into the size of about a golf ball. Then you have two choices. You can lightly sear them in a sauté pan with olive oil or you can drop them into your simmering sauce. I believe either way is good.

Sauté your onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until it’s translucent, and the smell changes slightly. The key to a good sauce is a properly prepared sofritto.

Deglaze with your wine and add your tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer. Add in your meatballs and simmer gently for 2-3 hours.

Serve with spaghetti and traditionally some garlic bread. Perfect!

Homemade Italian Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

While this is not traditionally a dish found in restaurants around Italy, I think it’s pretty much synonymous with Italian American cuisine. My approach is to keep it simple and treat it as two dishes combined. Meatballs in a marinara sauce. 
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Meatballs:
  • 1 lb Beef ground, but not too lean. 80/20 is perfect.
  • 1 lb Pork ground
  • 2 Tbsp Breadcrumbs
  • 2 Tbsp Milk whole.
  • 2 Eggs beaten
  • 1 Tbsp Parmesan or Romano Cheese grated
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Onion grated.
  • 1 clove Garlic crushed.
  • Dash of freshly grated Nutmeg.
Sauce:
  • Olive Oil
  • 1 medium Onion minced
  • 1/2 cup Carrot minced
  • 1/2 cup Celery minced
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup Marsala or White Wine
  • 2- 28 oz cans of whole peeled Tomatoes crushed by hand.
  • Salt and Pepper

Equipment

  • Heavy Pot

Method
 

Meatballs
  1. Gently combine the meat using two forks to pull it together without compacting it. The key to a good moist meatball is not to overwork the meat. Then combine the breadcrumbs and milk and add the two eggs and beat the mixture.
  2. Gently mix the garlic, onion, grated cheese and nutmeg into the meat mixture and add the breadcrumb, milk and egg mixture in a bit at a time gently incorporating it with a fork and then finish with salt and pepper. Cover it, and into the fridge for at least an hour.Form your meatballs into the size of about a golf ball. Then you have two choices. You can lightly sear them in a sauté pan with olive oil or you can drop them into your simmering sauce. I believe either way is good.
Sauce:
  1. Sauté your onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until it’s translucent, and the smell changes slightly. The key to a good sauce is a properly prepared sofritto.
  2. Deglaze with your wine and add your tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer. Add in your meatballs and simmer gently for 2-3 hours.
  3. Serve with spaghetti and traditionally some garlic bread. Perfect!

Notes

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Homemade Marinara Sauce: Cook Meatballs Right In

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This produces some of the best marinara sauce with meatballs I’ve ever tasted, because the sauce actually cooks the meatballs. That’s right, they’re not browned first,  just dropped into the simmering sauce and cooked until done.

It helps to have the sauce at a point where it needs about another hour of cooking. This assures that the meatballs will be cooked through.

Meatballs: 

2 lbs. of lean ground Beef

2 tbsp. Breadcrumbs

2 Eggs, well beaten

3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Marsala wine, Cream Sherry can be substituted if Marsala isn’t available.

1 large sautéed Onion

2 Tbsp. freshly chopped Parsley

1 tsp. Salt

Fresh ground Black Pepper

Makes approx. 15 to 20 meatballs depending on the size. After prepping, put them into the refrigerator.

Marinara Sauce:

1 large finely chopped Onion

1 large finely chopped Carrot

2 finely chopped stalks Celery

4 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

2- 28 oz. cans of crushed Tomatoes, or whole tomatoes that are lightly chopped in the processor. San Marzano’s are the best

1/2 cup of Marsala wine

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Preparation:

Put enough olive oil to just cover the bottom of the saucepan. The key to this sauce is to use a stainless steel or cast iron pan that will maintain heat. The cheap aluminum pans will not work, as they can’t maintain an even heat. My favorite is Le Creuset.

Just heat the oil slightly, and then add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. You want to just sweat the mixture sweat gently. Don’t let it brown, as the flavor will become bitter.

After the mixture has become soft, add the Marsala and cook until the alcohol is gone. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Now bring it back to a boil, and then reduce the heat down and just let it cook. The longer you cook it, the better it will be.

After about 1 hour, you should add in the meatballs and cook for another 1-2 hours. Afterwards, you will have a beautiful, hearty marinara sauce with meatballs.

Serve with your choice of pasta. I suggest spaghetti or penne if you prefer a heartier pasta.

Homemade Marinara Sauce: Cook Meatballs Right In

This produces some of the best marinara sauce with meatballs I’ve ever tasted, because the sauce actually cooks the meatballs. That’s right, they’re not browned first,  just dropped into the simmering sauce and cooked until done.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs. of lean ground Beef
  • 2 tbsp. Breadcrumbs
  • 2 Eggs well beaten
  • 3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp. Marsala wine Cream Sherry can be substituted if Marsala isn’t available.
  • 1 large sautéed Onion
  • 2 Tbsp. freshly chopped Parsley
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • Fresh ground Black Pepper
  • Makes approx. 15 to 20 meatballs depending on the size. After prepping put them into the refrigerator.
Marinara Sauce:
  • 1 large finely chopped Onion
  • 1 large finely chopped Carrot
  • 2 finely chopped stalks Celery
  • 4 cloves of Garlic finely chopped
  • 2- 28 oz. cans of crushed Tomatoes or whole tomatoes that are lightly chopped in the processor. San Marzano’s are the best
  • 1/2 cup of Marsala wine
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Equipment

  • Heavy Pot

Method
 

  1. Put enough olive oil to just cover the bottom of the saucepan. The key to this sauce is to use a stainless steel or cast iron pan that will maintain heat. The cheap aluminum pans will not work, as they can’t maintain an even heat. My favorite is Le Creuset.
  2. Just heat the oil slightly, and then add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. You want to just sweat the mixture sweat gently. Don’t let it brown, as the flavor will become bitter.
  3. After the mixture has become soft, add the Marsala and cook until the alcohol is gone. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Now bring it back to a boil, and then reduce the heat down and just let it cook. The longer you cook it, the better it will be.
  4. After about 1 hour, you should add in the meatballs and cook for another 1-2 hours. Afterwards, you will have a beautiful, hearty marinara sauce with meatballs.
  5. Serve with your choice of pasta. I suggest spaghetti or penne if you prefer a heartier pasta.

Notes

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Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!