Meatballs in tomato sauce is a delicious dish made from ground meat shaped into small balls. Recipes for this dish typically call for ground beef, pork, or chicken, and the tomato sauce can be made with fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes in their own juice, or tomato juice. You can also use homemade tomato purée or tomato paste. These meat balls are often compared to what some call "teftelki" (larger Eastern European-style meatballs). Regular meatballs typically contain only herbs and spices, while teftelki include rice, vegetables, or grains. Meatballs are a more purely meat-forward dish than teftelki, though the line between them is pretty blurry. I made these meatballs with ground pork and canned tomatoes in their own juice. I added a few spices — feel free to use whatever you like, though fresh basil is especially great here. I baked the meatballs in the oven. I added a little sugar to the sauce to balance out the acidity. By the way, chicken meatballs or even fish meatballs would be wonderful in this tasty tomato sauce too. Ground fish tends to be quite moist, so mix in some white bread to help bind it. It'll be just as delicious. Making meatballs is pretty easy, especially with a good step-by-step recipe like this one!) With the amounts listed, I got 35 meatballs. Also check out this similar recipe — Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Pumpkin, which uses ground beef and pan-fried meatballs.
Ingredients:
- Meatballs:
- 800 g ground meat
- 50 g cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs or semolina
- spices to taste (I use oregano, basil, rosemary, garlic)
- salt, pepper
- Tomato Sauce:
- 400 g canned tomatoes in their own juice
- 150 g water
- 100 g onion
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
- spices to taste (I use basil and garlic)
- vegetable or clarified butter (for frying)
- salt, pepper
How to cook meatballs in tomato sauce
Add the egg, spices, and semolina (or breadcrumbs or dried bread). If you're using fresh garlic, mince it finely.
Shape the mixture into small meatballs, roughly the size of a walnut. You can also make them a bit larger to speed up the process. Arrange the meatballs on a baking sheet.
Place in an oven preheated to 200°C and bake for 15–20 minutes until cooked through. Alternatively, pan-fry the meatballs over medium heat on each side until golden brown. Fry them in batches rather than all at once — this ensures they brown properly instead of steaming. Once fried, transfer the meatballs into the tomato sauce the same way you would with the baked ones.
Press the canned tomatoes with their juice through a colander to remove the seeds. If using fresh tomatoes, blanch them in boiling water, peel off the skins, and finely chop or blend them. Fresh, in-season tomatoes work best; at other times of year, canned tomatoes in their own juice or ready-made tomato juice are a better choice. Tomato juice requires no prep. If using tomato paste (the least preferred option), dissolve it in a cup of water.
Finely dice the onion. Heat a skillet with butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil. Sauté the onion uncovered over medium heat until translucent. If you prefer, you can use dried onion instead of fresh — just add it directly to the tomato sauce along with the other spices. Make sure to use a large, deep skillet so that all the meatballs fit in a single layer during cooking. If you don't have one, a large saucepan or deep sauté pan will work just as well.
Pour the tomato purée into the skillet. Add finely chopped fresh parsley or basil, or use dried spices — I use dried basil. Italian herbs or a bay leaf also work great here. Add sugar, salt, and pepper.
Spoon the sauce over each meatball. Cover the skillet with a lid and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. The tomato sauce will thicken as it cooks. If it gets too thick, add a small amount of hot water or broth to get a generous, flavorful tomato gravy. Stir in the balsamic vinegar at the end of simmering.
Serve the dish hot, topped with fresh herbs and a dollop of sour cream if desired. These appetizing meatballs in tomato sauce pair beautifully with any side dish you like — rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta, for example. The dish comes out flavorful, juicy, and tender. This delicious, homey, and easy meatball recipe in tomato sauce makes a wonderful dinner for the whole family!
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