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Italian meatballs in tomato sauce

Traditional Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Silvana Nava
Meatballs in tomato sauce are soft, succulent balls of ground meat cooked in tomato passata. Parmigiano, eggs, breadcrumbs, milk and parsley are the other main ingredients.
Italian meatballs in tomato sauce are a genuine comfort food. They are a meaty sensational main course loved throughout Italy by adults and children alike.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Meat
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Calories 169 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g beef or veal or veal (1.1 lb), ground
  • 1 egg
  • 100 g Parmigiano Reggiano 1 cup, grated
  • 60 ml milk ¼ cup
  • 80 g breadcrumbs ¾ cup
  • 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 onion small
  • 50 ml dry white wine ⅕ cup
  • 450 g tomato passata, 1 ¾ cup
  • ½ tablespoon tomato paste
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl pour the ground meat and add the egg, Parmigiano cheese, chopped parsley and a little salt. Mix well until the mixture is smooth.
  • Add the milk and mix. Finally add the breadcrumbs a little at a time. Incorporate into the mixture while keeping on stirring. You should get a firm but soft mixture.
  • You can start forming the meatballs. Round some of the mixture with your hands and place it on a plate. Take care to create meatballs of the same size: about 5 cm in diameter (2 inch) - about 40 g each (1.4 oz). With the given quantities you will make about 20 meatballs.
  • Now pour the extra virgin olive oil into a frying pan. Sauté the chopped onion over low heat until golden brown.
  • Add the meatballs one at a time and let them brown for a few minutes. Turn them gently so that they are well browned on all sides.
  • Deglaze with white wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate.
  • Add the tomato passata and the tomato paste, dissolved in a little hot water. Stir gently being careful not to break up the meatballs.
  • Cover with a lid and simmer for about 20 minutes. Before serving, taste and add a little bit of salt if necessary.
  • Enjoy Italian meatballs in tomato sauce hot or at room temperature, depending on the season. Serve with homemade bread or steaming polenta!

Nutrition

Serving: 100gCalories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 7gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 288mgPotassium: 213mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 659IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 189mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Italian meatballs in tomato sauce, meatballs in tomato sauce, traditional Italian meatballs in tomato sauce
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