Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
This is an easy recipe for pork meatballs in tomato sauce - just like my grandma used to make.
- leftover meatballs
- marinara sauce from a jar (Note 1)
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb passata (or 1 can of crushed tomatoes)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leave
- 1 pinch of sugar
- fine sea salt and pepper
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 thick slice white bread (crusts removed, about 1.7 oz/ 50 g)
- 2 large garlic cloves (grated)
- 1 lb ground pork (Note 2)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped )
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- fine sea salt and black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley (to serve)
- Heat the meatballs in the sauce, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.leftover meatballs + marinara sauce from a jar
- Preheat the oven: If you want to bake the meatballs, preheat the oven to 360°F/ 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can cook the meatballs in a frying pan, on the stovetop.
- Saute onions: Chop the onion finely. Heat the oil and cook the onions until softer and golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to the mixing bowl and let them cool slightly.1 tablespoon oil + 1 onion
- Soak the bread: Remove the crust from the bread and soak the bread in a little cold water. Squeeze it lightly and add it to the bowl.1 thick slice white bread
- Meatball mixture: Add the garlic, ground pork, egg, parsley, thyme, about ½ teaspoon salt (to taste), and pepper. Mix well with your hand, and form small meatballs. Wet your hands from time to time; it works better. 2 large garlic cloves + 1 lb ground pork + 1 egg + 1 tablespoon parsley + 1 teaspoon dried thyme + fine sea salt and black pepper
- Flour pork meatballs: Place the flour in a large, shallow bowl, add the meatballs 2-3 at a time, and toss them gently to coat them with flour. Pat them carefully to remove the excess flour. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.1-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. Cut one in the middle to check that it's cooked through.
- Alternatively, you can fry the meatballs in a large frying pan. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil and cook the meatballs in two batches, turning them regularly for 5–6 minutes, or until nicely browned and cooked through. Cut one open to check for doneness.1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Saute onions: Chop the onion and the garlic very finely. Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion and the garlic until translucent.1 onion + 2 garlic cloves + 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Simmer tomato sauce: Add the remaining sauce ingredients. Bring to a simmer, cover the pan, leaving a crack open, and cook on a medium-low heat for about 30 minutes; the sauce should thicken slightly. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper and another small pinch of sugar, if necessary.1 lb passata + 1 tablespoon tomato paste + 1 teaspoon dried thyme + 1 bay leave + 1 pinch of sugar + fine sea salt and pepper
- Heat the meatballs: If you are using leftover meatballs, add them to the sauce during the last 10 minutes or so and heat them through. If the meatballs are freshly cooked and still hot, add them to the sauce and toss well. Sprinkle the dish with parsley and serve immediately or reheated. 1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley
A comforting dish everyone loves! Ingredients: 13 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour | Servings: 4 servings | Difficulty: Easy
These pork meatballs in tomato sauce are a very quick meal to put on your table, especially when you are using leftover meatballs. If you want to be really quick, then grab a jar of previously made marinara sauce as well.
Or a bought tomato sauce jar, of course. Check out these Spanish Meatballs, too; they are amazing.
Recipe ingredients
Ingredients for the tomato sauce: Passata or crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Ingredients for the pork meatballs: Ground pork, white bread, onion, garlic, egg, flour, seasoning, herbs, and oil.
Try Romanian Pork and Beef Meatballs, Pork Meatball Soup, or Turkish beef kofta, too. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities. How to make pork meatballs in tomato sauce?
Super quick version
Leftover meatballs + a jar of marinara sauce. Heat the meatballs in the sauce.
Serve.
Pork meatballs from scratch
Step #1: Cook the chopped onions in a small pan and soak the bread. Step #2: Mix all the meatball ingredients in a bowl.
Step #3: Shape small meatballs. Step #4: Coat them with flour.
Step #5: Place the pork meatballs on a baking sheet. Step #6: Bake them until cooked through. Tip: You can also cook them in a frying pan on the stovetop.
Cook them on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are deeply browned on the outside. Check one to make sure that they are cooked through.
Tomato sauce from scratch
Step #7: Sauté the onions. Step #8: Add the sauce ingredients and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Step #9: Add the meatballs. Step #10: Toss them with the tomato sauce and reheat them in the sauce.
Storage
Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat the meatballs in tomato sauce in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave.
How to serve? Serve the pork meatballs in tomato sauce over garlic parmesan mashed potatoes (my favorite way), over spaghetti or other types of noodles (even zucchini noodles), over rice, or eat simply with a slice of yogurt flaxseed bread. Any type of green salad is a good side dish; our favorite is the one with yogurt dressing.
Notes
- Quick version: Use as much sauce as needed; it depends on how many leftover meatballs you have.
- Ground meat: You can also make the recipe with ground beef, a mixture of ground pork and ground beef, or with ground turkey.
