My Nonna’s Red Wine Meatballs
My Nonna’s Red Wine Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 500 grams ground meat, a mix of beef and pork is recommended
- 100 grams Parmesan cheese, grated
- 100 grams breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 250 grams crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and black pepper. Mix well with your hands until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. You should get approximately 18-20 meatballs.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 5-7 minutes per batch. They don't need to be cooked through at this stage.
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
Remove the browned meatballs from the skillet and set aside. If there's excessive fat in the pan, carefully drain some of it, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the chopped onion and sauté over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 6
Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Carefully return the browned meatballs to the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for at least 20-25 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender, and the sauce has thickened slightly.
⏱️ 25 min
- 10
Serve hot, garnished with fresh chopped basil. These meatballs are excellent with pasta, polenta, or crusty bread.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
My Nonna’s Red Wine Meatballs
For the Meatballs
- 500 grams ground meat, a mix of beef and pork is recommended
- 100 grams Parmesan cheese, grated
- 100 grams breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 250 grams crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and black pepper. Mix well with your hands until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. You should get approximately 18-20 meatballs.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 5-7 minutes per batch. They don't need to be cooked through at this stage.
⏱️ 15 min - 4
Remove the browned meatballs from the skillet and set aside. If there's excessive fat in the pan, carefully drain some of it, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the chopped onion and sauté over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 6
Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Carefully return the browned meatballs to the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for at least 20-25 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender, and the sauce has thickened slightly.
⏱️ 25 min - 10
Serve hot, garnished with fresh chopped basil. These meatballs are excellent with pasta, polenta, or crusty bread.
⏱️ 2 min