Homemade Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Juicy, golden-fried meatballs simmered in a rich, fragrant tomato sauce — comfort food at its very best. Made with everyday pantry staples and ready in under 45 minutes, this crowd-pleaser pairs beautifully with pasta, rice, or crusty bread. A weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
🛒 Ingredients
4 servings
- 500 g (1 lb) ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup (100 ml) water
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 pinch of sugar
- Dried or fresh parsley to garnish
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Directions
- 1
Combine ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix until well blended.
- 2
Shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls using a teaspoon — you should get around 40–45 meatballs.
- 3
Heat a generous layer of oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs until lightly golden on all sides. They don't need to be cooked through at this point.
- 4
Transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside, reserving any juices released.
- 5
In a saucepan, sauté the sliced onion and garlic in olive oil over low heat until soft and translucent.
- 6
Add crushed tomatoes, water, crumbled bouillon cube, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- 7
Once the sauce starts to bubble, add the meatballs along with their reserved juices. Cover and cook on low heat for 5–7 minutes.
- 8
Serve immediately, garnished with parsley.
💡 Chef's Tip
For extra-tender meatballs, add 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan to the meat mixture. The sauce freezes beautifully — make a double batch and save half for a busy weeknight!
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