Do you have a certain food that you could eat every week and never get tired of it? Or maybe it's that one thing on the menu that you can't resist ordering at a restaurant..regardless whatever it is for you, you need to learn to make it at home! For me, it's all about that meatball! You guys I love ALL the meatballs in the world, but my favorite is hands down the classic Italian meatball swimming in homemade marinara sauce. That's why I am sharing with you my easy homemade meatballs in marinara so that you can make them for your family and all be blissfully happy too!
My husband was convinced that he wasn't a marinara guy when it came to his pasta sauce, but I have since converted him with the help of my beloved meatballs that make my marinara sauce that much tastier. Seriously I have never met a meatball I didn't like...or that I can think of anyway. Meatballs are basically little tender balls of deliciousness that to me have the best texture and these pork and beef meatballs are no different!
There is something so comforting about not only the taste of a meatball, but also the smell of them cooking in your house. There is just nothing better in my opinion. You can scoop them over pasta with this recipe or make a meatball sub or heck I would eat them as the main dish with a side of veggies! Whatever you decide to do with your meatballs, just promise me that you will make them and you will drink a glass of red wine while you do it.
Ingredients:
For the Meatballs-
1 Lb. Lean Ground Beef
1/2 Lb. Ground Pork (alternatively can use all beef or all pork)
2 Finely Minced Garlic Cloves
2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/8 Cup of Milk
1 Egg
1 Tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 Tsp. Cracked Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
For the Sauce-
1 28 Oz. Can of San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes
2 Finely Minced Garlic Cloves
1/2 Cup Diced Onion
1/4 Cup Red Wine
1 Tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Fresh Basil
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley
Directions:
Mix all meatball ingredients together incorporating all of the ingredients. A tip is to use a fork when mixing which allows the meatballs to not get too dense in the mixing process.
Heat oil in a cast iron or large skillet over medium high heat.
Form meatballs into 1-1.5 inch balls and carefully place into the skillet.
Brown on each side of the meatball for 3-5 minutes until a caramelized crust has formed on the meatball.
Remove the meatballs from the pan and let rest.
Add onion and garlic to the pan in the meatball drippings and deglaze with red wine scraping up all of the brown bits from the meatballs.
Sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions start to become tender and wine has reduced slightly.
Add in crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Add chopped fresh basil and parsley and stir in the marinara sauce.
Add the meatballs back into the sauce making sure to coat them on all sides.
Reduce to the sauce to a simmer and cover.
Let the meatballs and the sauce cook for at least 1 hour but up to 4 hours.
Serve over pasta or serve with a salad and enjoy!
I mean does it get any better than this? I'm telling ya, make this recipe ASAP friends!
