Meatballs in tomato sauce: Grandma's recipe for super tender meatballs
Meatballs in tomato sauce are a traditional meat dish, one of those dishes that evoke memories of childhood and immediately bring to mind Sunday lunches and grandmother's recipes, made with love.
- polpa di manzo macinata, 600 gr
- Mollica di pane raffermo, 150 gr
- Parmigiano grattugiato, 80 gr
- uovo, 1
- Aglio, 1 spicchio
- Prezzemolo, q.b.
- Latte, q.b.
- Sale, q.b.
- pepe, q.b.
- Passata di pomodoro, 400 gr
- Cipolla, 1
- Olio extravergine di oliva, q.b.
- Sale, q.b.
- Olio extravergine di oliva, q.b.
- Per preparare le polpette al sugo, lascia ammorbidire per prima cosa la mollica di pane raffermo tagliata a pezzetti con un goccino di latte (1).
- Raccogli quindi in una ciotola la polpa di manzo macinata, aggiungi l'uovo (2) e aggiusta di sale e di pepe.
- Profuma con un ciuffo di prezzemolo tritato, quindi unisci il parmigiano e l'aglio grattugiato (3).
- Termina con la mollica di pane, ammollata e ben strizzata (4).
- Amalgama bene il tutto con le mani fino a ottenere un composto morbido ma malleabile (5).
- Preleva piccole porzioni d'impasto e modella tante polpette regolari di medie dimensioni (6).
- Man mano che sono pronte, sistemale su un piatto (7).
- Prepara il sugo: scalda un giro d'olio in un tegame capiente, aggiungi la cipolla, tagliata a metà (8), e fai insaporire per qualche istante.
- Versa quindi la passata di pomodoro (9), aggiusta di sale, socchiudi con un coperchio e lascia cuocere per una decina di minuti.
- Nel frattempo, scalda un filo generoso d'olio in un tegame antiaderente, quindi disponi le polpette (10) e lasciale rosolare per bene su tuttti i lati.
- Quando si sarà formata una crosticina dorata, preleva le polpette di carne (11).
- Elimina dal sugo ormai pronto la cipolla e immergi le polpette rosolate (12).
- Ricoprile interamente con la salsa (13).
- Chiudi con un coperchio (14), abbassa la fiamma e lasciale cuocere per circa 20 minuti
- Quando il sughetto sarà denso e ristretto e le polpette morbide e succose, leva dal fuoco (15).
- Distribuisci le polpette al sugo sui piatti individuali (16), porta in tavola e servi.
Our Julia made them with a mixture of ground beef, stale breadcrumbs soaked in milk, egg, grated parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt, and ground pepper. Once formed into small round meatballs, they are gently cooked in tomato sauce without frying, for a lighter but equally delicious end result.
To obtain soft and juicy meatballs, we chose beef that wasn't too lean, but if you prefer, you can also use a portion of pork pulp.
Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to cooking meatballs in sauce: some people brown them first with a drizzle of oil, while others simply toss them directly into the sauce while still raw. Julia opted for the former, as it yields compact bites that hold their shape without falling apart. Directly dipping the meatballs into the sauce, especially when the mixture is very soft, can cause them to open or break during cooking. A quick browning or frying, besides making them tastier and more flavorful, creates a crust that adds texture and helps preserve their integrity.
Simple and filling, these delicious meatballs will be a real hit with kids too, and no one will be able to resist mopping them up with a nice slice of homemade bread.
Here's how to make meatballs with grandma's sauce, following our Julia Gulisano's recipe. If you like meatballs, also try lemon meatballs in white sauce, turkey meatballs, and baked meatballs for a lighter version. Or, for a vegetarian option, try ricotta meatballs with sauce, bean meatballs, and eggplant meatballs.
How to prepare meatballs in sauce
To prepare the meatballs in sauce, first soften the stale bread crumbs cut into small pieces with a drop of milk 1.
Then collect the minced beef pulp in a bowl, add the egg 2 and season with salt and pepper.
Flavour with a sprig of chopped parsley, then add the parmesan and grated garlic 3.
Finish with the breadcrumbs, soaked and well squeezed 4.
Mix everything well with your hands until you obtain a soft but malleable mixture 5.
Take small portions of dough and shape them into regular, medium-sized meatballs 6.
As they are ready, arrange them on a plate 7.
Prepare the sauce: heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan, add the onion, cut in half 8, and sauté for a few moments.
Then pour in the tomato puree 9, season with salt, cover with a lid and leave to cook for about ten minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a generous drizzle of oil in a non-stick pan, then arrange the 10 meatballs and brown them well on all sides.
Once a golden crust has formed, remove the meatballs 11.
Remove the onion from the now ready sauce and immerse the browned meatballs 12.
Cover them completely with the sauce 13.
Cover them completely with the sauce 13.
Cover with a lid 14, lower the heat and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
When the sauce is thick and reduced and the meatballs are soft and juicy, remove from the heat 15.
Distribute the meatballs with the sauce on individual plates 16, bring to the table and serve.
Tips and storage
If you have any leftovers, you can use the meatballs in sauce to make baked ziti, a delicious Neapolitan lasagna, or spaghetti with meatballs, an Italian-American specialty. Or, you can use the sauce to season tagliatelle or another favorite pasta shape. Our suggestion is to toss the pasta with the sauce and then serve the meatballs as a second course, for a complete and nutritious meal.
If you don't have stale bread available, you can opt for sandwich bread or breadcrumbs, even if the latter will tend to absorb the liquids and make the meatballs drier, or you can add potato flakes or a mashed boiled potato, so as to obtain even softer meat morsels.
Before dipping them in the sauce, you can bake the meatballs in the oven or fry them in boiling oil. If you prefer, you can try your hand at Neapolitan meatballs in sauce by simply enriching the minced meat mixture with raisins and pine nuts.
If the dough is too hard, you can adjust the consistency with 1 egg or 1 yolk, otherwise, if it is too soft, you can incorporate a little breadcrumbs.
The meatballs in sauce can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 2-3 days. If you used very fresh ingredients, you can also freeze the meatballs raw or cooked.
