Sunday Sauce with Meatballs
Sunday Sauce with Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon red pepper paste, (or tomato paste)
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 1 large can
- 1/2 cup water
For the Meatballs
- 3 slices sandwich bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 pound ground veal
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, (or Pecorino Romano)
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for browning
For Serving
- 1 pound spaghetti, or other long pasta
- 1 loaf semolina bread, sliced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for topping, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic (4 cloves) and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 2
Stir in the red pepper paste (or tomato paste) and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
⏱️ 1 min
- 3
Pour in the 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes. Rinse the empty tomato can with 1/2 cup of water and add the water to the sauce. Stir well to combine. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it cook while you prepare the meatballs.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
In a medium bowl, combine the cubed bread and milk. Let the bread soak for 5 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, ground veal, ground beef, minced garlic (2 cloves), chopped parsley, the squeezed milk-soaked bread, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and the large egg. Mix thoroughly by hand until all ingredients are well combined, but do not overmix.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Form the meat mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs. You should get approximately 18-20 meatballs. Place them on a baking sheet.
⏱️ 15 min
- 7
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Carefully place the meatballs into the hot oil and brown them on all sides. Do this in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Once browned, carefully transfer the meatballs from the frying pan into the simmering tomato sauce. Stir gently to ensure the meatballs are submerged. Cover the pot and let the meatballs cook in the sauce for at least 1 1/2 hours, or up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 90 min
- 9
About 15 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente.
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Once the pasta is cooked, use tongs to transfer it directly into the pot with the simmering sauce and meatballs. Stir everything together until the pasta is fully coated with the sauce.
⏱️ 3 min
- 11
Serve the pasta and meatballs immediately, topped with extra grated Parmesan cheese and accompanied by slices of semolina bread.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Sunday Sauce with Meatballs
For the Sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon red pepper paste, (or tomato paste)
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 1 large can
- 1/2 cup water
For the Meatballs
- 3 slices sandwich bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 pound ground veal
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, (or Pecorino Romano)
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for browning
For Serving
- 1 pound spaghetti, or other long pasta
- 1 loaf semolina bread, sliced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for topping, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic (4 cloves) and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 2
Stir in the red pepper paste (or tomato paste) and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
⏱️ 1 min - 3
Pour in the 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes. Rinse the empty tomato can with 1/2 cup of water and add the water to the sauce. Stir well to combine. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it cook while you prepare the meatballs.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
In a medium bowl, combine the cubed bread and milk. Let the bread soak for 5 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, ground veal, ground beef, minced garlic (2 cloves), chopped parsley, the squeezed milk-soaked bread, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and the large egg. Mix thoroughly by hand until all ingredients are well combined, but do not overmix.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Form the meat mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs. You should get approximately 18-20 meatballs. Place them on a baking sheet.
⏱️ 15 min - 7
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Carefully place the meatballs into the hot oil and brown them on all sides. Do this in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Once browned, carefully transfer the meatballs from the frying pan into the simmering tomato sauce. Stir gently to ensure the meatballs are submerged. Cover the pot and let the meatballs cook in the sauce for at least 1 1/2 hours, or up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 90 min - 9
About 15 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Once the pasta is cooked, use tongs to transfer it directly into the pot with the simmering sauce and meatballs. Stir everything together until the pasta is fully coated with the sauce.
⏱️ 3 min - 11
Serve the pasta and meatballs immediately, topped with extra grated Parmesan cheese and accompanied by slices of semolina bread.
⏱️ 3 min