Making your own delicious homemade meatballs is easy! Once you make this Authentic Homemade Italian Meatballs & Tomato Sauce recipe, you’ll never go back to processed frozen meatballs again. This is an old family recipe that came directly from Italy!
Grandma’s Authentic Italian Meatballs
You’ve searched high and low but, you can’t find a good meatball recipe anywhere that’s as good as your grandma’s meatballs.
You just can’t stand the taste of processed meatballs either. I mean… is that even meat? But, you don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen like your nonna either!
Well, I gotcha covered! Look no further because IT’S RIGHT HERE!!! It’s an Authentic Homemade Italian Meatballs & Tomato Sauce NO BAKE recipe! Yes, I said NO BAKE! Slow cooker instructions too!
These meatballs are made with all beef but, do try my Italian Sausage Meatballs and Tomato Sauce!
These meatballs are FANTASTIC served with my famous Baked Ziti with Ricotta Cheese!!!
This recipe is not only easy-to-make, the meatballs are moist, flavorful and you won’t be able to get enough of the sauce in every bite! YES, THEY’RE THAT GOOD!
This tried and true recipe was passed down from my maternal grandmother from Naples area in Italy! I’m sharing this great recipe with YOU and your family! The secret is out!!
I’ve been asked for this recipe over and over again.
I’m about to tell you nearly everything you’ve ever wanted to know about how to make, store and serve homemade meatballs and sauce!
These homemade meatballs are the perfect party food for baby showers, game day parties, potlucks and work parties!
They make absolutely delicious meatball sandwiches. Plus, this recipe can be easily made as gluten free by using gluten free breadcrumbs. Alternatively, you can use ground turkey instead of beef or even a meatloaf mix of beef, pork and veal.
What to serve with meatballs?
Some of these suggestions are American but, popular in America.
Italian Baked Ziti with Ricotta Cheese
pasta-penne, spaghetti, etc.
garden or Caesar Salad
What do Italian have meatballs with?
A common misconception is that Italian eat meatballs with spaghetti. As far as I know, that isn’t true in Italy. Meatballs are eaten after the pasta course and not with it. Meatballs are served with roasted vegetables, salad and possibly other meats.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links which means, if you make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission however, the price you pay is the same.
Homemade Italian Meatballs & Tomato Sauce
But, why serve frozen processed, filler-filled meatballs that taste like something from a manufacturing plant to your guests when you can make these moist, flavorful, authentic, homemade meatballs with homemade sauce? WHY? Convenience? Let me show you how easy it is to make homemade Italian meatballs that your guests will leave your guests pleading for the recipe!
By the way, this recipe doesn’t use pork because the beef seasons the sauce quite perfectly. But, if you want to mix in some ground pork in place of some of the beef, go ahead. It’ll also be delicious!
One of my favorite pictures of my from the 60s
The Nostalgia of Italian Sunday Dinners
I’d love walking down the steps on a Sunday morning and smelling the aroma of meatballs and sauce simmering on the stove! You don’t have to be Italian to enjoy that but, when you come from a family of excellent (gourmet level) cooks, you know you will get something to great to look forward to eat! You’re going to love these meatballs! They’re juicy, beefy and flavored to perfection in a spectacular tomato sauce that will make you say “Mmmm!” There’s just enough egg and breadcrumbs to hold them together.
Obviously, my mom is where I get my talents, good looks and “women can do nearly anything men can do!” attitude and the most important things men can’t do like give birth! LOL!
I’d found out at an early age, that my mom and aunt’s cooking set the bar really high! Well, they were Italian immigrants and they brought their know how from Italy with them! I’m one very lucky lady to have had the opportunity to learn from such excellence. I’ve been making this authentic, homemade Italian meatballs and tomato sauce recipe for many, many years.
Hence, I’ve brought it to work, baby showers, game day parties and just about any gatherings where food is present and everyone always loves it. I’ve been asked for this recipe time and time again. People can’t get enough. Fifteen years later, people remember how good this recipe is and that’s no exaggeration!
So, why is it so good? As the saying goes, the secret is in the sauce! Simply put, the amount of extra virgin olive oil is what makes this sauce SPECTACULAR! Don’t question the amount of EVOO, just use a good quality, dark green extra virgin olive oil in the quantity I state below in the recipe card and you’ll have an absolutely delicious sauce!
Family Vineyard in Italy
The Origin of this Authentic Meatball Recipe
This recipe process originated from my maternal grandmother I suppose but, I’ve come up with the exact measurements, tested them thoroughly and this homemade Italian tomato sauce with homemade Italian meatballs, in my humble opinion, could’t be better. It has the right amount of garlic, onions, oil, beef, fat and acidity.
When I was young, my mother made sauce every other week or so. I have memories of her sitting at the kitchen table crocheting and telling me to stir the sauce every time I walked in the kitchen.
One time, I didn’t stir the bottom of the pot each time she told me to and it became burnt and stuck to the bottom of the pot.
I was scolded for that but, I never did it again! Cooking is serious in Italian households. Now, we have tools like a heat diffuser to prevent the sauce from scorching at the bottom of the pot! There’s more about this great cooking tool below in the instructions.
When it comes to “gravy” as she called it, it’s important to get it right every time. Italians take great pride in their cuisine. It’s a big part of the Italian culture and quite possibly why I’m such as foodie! It’s in my genes and I simply LOVE eating gourmet food! Why bother eating anything else?
Consequently, I still remember how many times my mom would say “You’re not watching me cook! You’re not going to learn.” I was watching, she just didn’t know it. She’d say it especially when making my Italian Rum Cake birthday cake. I was watching mom, I was watching!
Authentic Homemade Italian Meatballs & Tomato Sauce
How to Make Homemade Italian Meatballs
*The printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Homemade Italian Meatballs a.k.a. Polpette Ricetta (in Italian)
This recipe is easy and full of flavor!
First, put the onions and garlic in the food processor and turn it on for 30 seconds to get the onions diced and the garlic minced. If you don’t own a food processor, just do it by hand.
Next, in a large mixing bowl, add the 85% lean ground beef, seasoned bread crumbs, seasonings, whisked eggs, and Parmesan cheese. In this recipe, I use both grated Parmesan cheese and some shredded Parmesan cheese because the shredded gives it a boost of Parmesan flavor but, you can use all grated. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese will be even better!
Then, mix all of the ingredients by hand. Really get in there and mix it until the seasonings are well incorporated. I had my strong husband do this part because my arms get tired and my hand get really cold from the ground beef. Can you use a meatloaf mix of ground meat (beef, pork and veal) Yes, you can but, the flavor will not be as beefy obviously. Try that variation some time as it is good too!
Then, start rolling the balls as big or small as you’d like. I think 2 inches in diameter is a good size to fit in club size bread rolls.
Next, set the rolled meatballs aside in the fridge until you get the sauce started. It’s at this point you can bake them on 375F for 10-15 min or fry them in oil if you want the crispy brown edges. But, either steps is not necessary and gives you much more clean up! Who wants to clean oils splatters off of their stove and kitchen back splash? Not me!
How to Make Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce (Gravy)
Believe or not, this recipe is really easy-to-make. It has few ingredients but, it has some really important measurements!
If you think there will be too much oil in this tomato sauce, it won’t be too much. For example, my friend didn’t follow my instructions when I gave her the recipe and it didn’t come out the same, not nearly the same. She regretted not following my instructions. This recipe is tried and true!!! Trust me!
*Full recipe instructions are in the Recipe Card.
Instructions:
First, prep chop your onions and garlic for both the sauce and the meatballs. Using an affordable food processor makes it really quick and easy.
Then, start making the sauce by adding the EVOO, onions and garlic in a large stock pot with lid (non-stick is best) on med/high heat for a couple minutes until the onions become translucent. This is where some of the cooking magic begins! The onions and garlic season the oil and vice versa.
Next, add the canned tomato sauce. I typically use Hunt’s or Contadina from Costco. It’s basically tomato puree flavored with basil which is how tomatoes are canned/jarred when making them from scratch. Use a good quality canned tomato sauce! If you like chunks of tomatoes in your sauce, substitute a can or two of diced tomatoes for the puree.
Then, add the fresh parsley and black pepper. I don’t add salt because there’s already salt in the canned tomatoes. Add it at the end if you think it needs more salt. This sauce is going to reduce and transform into a glorious, tomato gravy!
Then, cover the sauce and let it come to a boil. Stir it. Always stir it every 10-15 minutes so it doesn’t stick! However, this HEAT DIFFUSER is very helpful to distribute the heat and prevent scorching! It’s highly rated on Amazon! Check it out!
Next, When the sauce comes to boil, lower the heat to very low and start adding the meatballs, a few at a time. Let this sauce cook about another 2 3/4 hours. Little pools of EVOO will form and that’s what’s it’s supposed to do. DON’T REMOVE THE POOLS OF OIL. Instead, stir them in. The oil is what makes this sauce beyond tasty!
Also, be sure to let your sauce cool before moving it to the refrigerator and/or freezer. Otherwise, it can spoil.
How Do I Store Homemade Tomato Sauce?
After the sauce has cooled on your stove, away from heat, which will take hours, you may begin to put the leftovers in plastic containers to freeze or refrigerate.
Don’t put sauce that is still hot directly in the refrigerator or freezer.
This homemade sauce will keep in your refrigerator for up to one week and several months in the freezer. If you plan on not using it within that time, freeze it but, remember, if you freeze it on day 5, when you thaw it, it may not last another 5 days in your fridge. Freeze it while it’s still fresh for maximum flavor and longevity.
Making the sauce is so simple. A good homemade tomato sauce has little prep time and it freezes so well. I just put small batches into 16 oz. plastic containers or 32 oz plastic containers (which you can order from Amazon) and freeze them. I pull them out when I want to make pasta and serve tomato sauce with it.
Homemade Italian Meatballs & Tomato Sauce
Common Homemade Sauce and Meatballs Questions
Should I Put Sugar in My Tomato Sauce?
NO. I never add sugar to my sauce…NEVER! If the acidity in the tomatoes is too high, I mince some carrots 1/2 cup or so, and put them in the sauce. I also, don’t add salt to the sauce. There’s enough in the canned tomatoes.
Is it Called Gravy or Sauce?
Well, I call it “tomato sauce” but, it has a few names such as, pasta sauce, spaghetti sauce, or gravy. My mom, who immigrated to America from Italy, called it “gravy” as do many Italians. I don’t know why because the literal translation in Italian is “juice” which is closer to sauce than gravy but, who am I to point out these things?
However, I call it sauce as to make a distinction between brown gravy and tomato sauce. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. If you have a origin for the word “gravy” in reference to “tomato sauce,” please add it in the comments below as I’m sure people would like to know.
Can you cook raw meatballs in tomato sauce?
YES! This recipe does exactly that. It saves you time in baking them first, dirtying more pans and saves time. The raw meatballs will cook IN THE SAUCE and come out moist and delicious. They will flavor the tomato sauce and the tomato sauce will flavor the meatballs. This sauce will cook over two hours and that’s plenty of time for the meatballs to fully cook.
Can I use a meatloaf mix of ground meat to make the meatballs?
Meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork and veal) can be used but, the flavor will be altered and you may or may not like it. Pork is great seasoning to tomato sauce.
My tomato sauce didn’t turn out that tasty but, I followed the directions. Why?
The only time this fool-proof recipe doesn’t come out right is if the tomato crop wasn’t great. That happens once in a blue moon but, it has happened to me a couple times.
Homemade Italian Meatballs Recipe Notes:
This tomato sauce (gravy) needs to cook for about 3 hours total. The meatballs will flavor the sauce and vice versa as the sauce and meatballs cook. There is no need to bake these meatballs first, unless you want the crispy brown edges.
Alternatively, you can fry the meatballs in EVOO or vegetable oil but, that will make a big mess of your stove however, they taste really good.
Remember, you must stir this sauce every 10-15 min or it will stick to the pot. If the sauce sticks, don’t scratch the burnt sauce off of the bottom of the pot with a long spoon or it will mix in with your sauce and won’t taste as good.
How Do I Serve Homemade Italian Meatballs?
Serve the meatballs and sauce in a programmable Crock Pot on low heat with or without bread rolls at:
- Baby showers, bridal showers, engagement parties
- Game day parties and Super Bowl parties
- Work/corporate parties
- Holiday parties or any celebration
Or at Home Serve with:
However, you can use gluten free bread crumbs and this dish becomes gluten free!
Side Dishes for Meatballs
- Italian Baked Ziti with Ricotta Cheese Recipe +VIDEO
- Easy Italian Roasted Red Peppers
- The Best Creamy Red-Skin Dill Potato Salad
- Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
- garden salad
How to Make Meatballs in the Slow Cooker:
- First, add all of the tomato sauce ingredients into the slow cooker and set to high.
- Next, make the meatballs using the meatball ingredients and roll them.
- Then, add the meatballs to the sauce, cover and cook on high for a total of 6 hours.
You may also like:
Italian Sausage Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
Authentic Homemade Tomato Sauce with canned tomatoes
Italian Tomato Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
See more Italian recipes!
I took this recipe to Weekend Potluck.
Authentic Homemade Italian Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 lb ground beef, 85% lean
- 1/2 large onion, chopped you may use a food processor
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup Italian style bread crumbs I use Progresso
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese you may use grated Parmesan cheese
- 10 cloves garlic, minced you may use a food processor
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder yes, more garlic
- 1/3 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Tomato Sauce (Gravy)
- 145 oz canned tomato sauce (Hunts or Contadina) or (5) 29 oz cans
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (good quality, dark green in color)
- 1/2 large onion
- 7 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
Tomato Sauce (gravy)
- First, in a large stock pot (with lid), add extra virgin olive oil, onions and garlic for sauce and simmer on med/high heat for two minutes or until it begins to simmer.
- Then, slowly add tomato sauce followed by parsley. Stir well while always stirring the bottom so it doesn't stick or use a heat diffuser. Cover and cook on med/high heat until it begins to boil. Lower heat to very low.
Meatballs
- Then, in a large bowl, add all of the meatball ingredients. Using your hands, mix the ingredients until well combined.
- Next, roll into 2 inch diameter balls and gently plop into the cooking sauce until all of them are in the pot.
- Cover the pot and leave heat on very low for 2 3/4 hours for a total cooking time of about 3 hours. Stir to the bottom every 10-15 minutes to avoid sticking. If it sticks, DON'T scratch the burnt sauce off of the bottom of the pot with a long spoon or it will mix in with your sauce and won't taste as good.
How to Store the Homemade Italian Meatballs and Sauce
- After the sauce has cooled on your stove, away from heat, which will take hours, you may begin to put the leftovers in plastic containers to freeze or refrigerate.Don't put hot sauce directly in the refrigerator or freezer!This homemade tomato sauce will keep in your refrigerator for up to one week and several months in the freezer. If you plan on not using it within that time, freeze it but, remember, if you freeze it on day 5, when you thaw it, it may not last another 5 days in your fridge. Freeze it while it's still fresh for maximum flavor and longevity.Put small batches into 16 oz. plastic containers or 32 oz plastic containers (which you can order from Amazon) and freeze them. Simply pull them out when you want to make pasta and serve tomato sauce with it.
Video
Notes
How to Make Meatballs in the Slow Cooker:
- First, add all of the tomato sauce ingredients into the slow cooker and set to high.
- Next, make the meatballs using the meatball ingredients and roll them.
- Then, add the meatballs to the sauce, cover and cook on high for a total of 6 hours.
Yes, there’ll be plenty for the baked ziti and to freeze as well. It makes about 4 1/2 quarts of sauce which is over one gallon. It thickens as it sits and you’ll need some of it for the meatballs but, there will definitely be a good bit leftover if you follow the instructions. Good luck. Do come back and let me know how it turns out.
Thank you forgetting back to me so quickly! I am making this today. I just got the regular tomato sauce. I am super excited to make this. Will there be enough leftover sauce to do your baked ziti as well? I guess my question is how much sauce does this make?
Hi Kelly. Hunts has one that is Basil, Garlic and Oregano: https://www.hunts.com/tomato-sauce-and-paste/tomato-sauce-basil-garlic-and-oregano
and Cento San Marzano tomatoes (pricy, but good quality tomatoes imported form Italy.)
I don’t put basil in my sauce while I’m cooking it. Fresh basil is put in tomatoes when jarring them but, not at the time of cooking. However, I know many Italian Americans will put basil (usually dried) into their sauce as it’s cooking and it’s o.k. as far as it’s not a crime. LOL But, that’s not how it’s typically done in Italy, as far as I know. Fresh basil is added at the end of the cooking. For example, when they make Margherita pizza, they’ll put two basil leaves on top of the pizza after it comes out of the oven and then serve it that way. They don’t put it on before or while cooking.
prior to the printable recipe, you mentioned tomato sauce that has basil in it. where do I find this? All the tomato sauces I come across are just plain. And if they are playing how much basil should I add in to compensate?
this recipe looks amazing and I cannot wait to make it.
Thank you so much for the 5-star rating Kari. I’m glad you’re family enjoyed them. Look out for my new Meatball Soup recipe too!
WONDERFUL ! We made this past Sunday for our family
dinner. So Delicious! This was my first time making homemade meatballs. So easy! Our boys enjoyed them so much they made sure to take the leftovers for school lunch Monday and Tuesday too! Thank you so much for sharing. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes, Joanne!
That’s great to hear Linda. Thanks for the 5-star rating!
Love this recipe. 2nd time to make it. Fantastic
Hi Sarah. After the sauce has cooled on your stove, away from heat, which will take hours, you may begin to put the leftovers in plastic containers to freeze. I use take out containers that I save from restaurants and delis.
Don’t put sauce that is still hot directly in the refrigerator or freezer.
This homemade sauce will keep for several months in the freezer. Freeze it while it’s still fresh (within 2 days of making) for maximum flavor and longevity.
Can I make ahead the meatballs and freeze?
If so, how do recommend going about that ?
Thanks Lisa.
Thanks Irena. Glad you liked them.
Great recipe with easy steps.
Delicocus and flavorful.
Thank you for the sweet and very appreciated comment! To answer your question, you may use crushed tomatoes to make the tomato sauce. The consistency will be a thicker, if that’s how you like it. I use Hunts because I find the quality and taste to be very good but I do use other brands from time to time. Specifically, I’ve used Tuttorusso crushed tomatoes and liked it. I hope this answers your question. Please feel free to ask me questions any time.
Hi Joanne: I really love your recipes.. thank you for sharing. I hope you can answer my question… have you ever tried Tuttorusso Crushed Tomatoes with Basil? These are the brand I purchase and they are excellent, but I was wondering if I should be using cans labeled Tomato Sauce specifically & not Crushed Tomato? My recipe comes out quite delicious, but I am very much looking forward to recreating yours and I’m sorry I am confused about the type of canned tomato to use. Thanks so much!!
Hi Juliet. You’re welcome. I’m happy I can share my recipes with you. I’m glad you liked this recipe.
I wanted to make homemade Italian meatballs and spaghetti. I ran across this recipe and decided to use it. For the meat, I used one pound of ground chicken and one pound or ground beef. The finished product was flavorful. I paired it with a Caesar salad which went well together. I can’t thank you enough for sharing. I plan to use it again for dinners when I start hosting friends and family. Thanks
Hi Cortney. I’d stir it only a couple of times. Make sure your slow cooker is big enough. You’ll need a 7 or 8 qt size. The sauce cooks down some. Hope you enjoy it.
Hi Joanne! I’m planning to make this sauce and meatballs this Friday for a dinner. I want to make it in the slow cooker though – so I don’t have to worry about stirring it every 10-15 minutes. If I cook it in the slow cooker, how often should I stir it?
You can use this recipe in lasagna however, I make a meat sauce for my lasagna which is thicker. Here’s the link for that recipe: Spinach & Beef No Boil Lasagna.
You can add Italian sausage to this recipe instead of or addition to the meatballs. I do that too. I use it for nearly all pasta dishes I want to use a red sauce. I’m glad you liked it.
Do you use this recipe for lasagna as well? And if so do you ever add Italian sausage to it? Thank you your recipe was amazing 🙂
Hi. Keep the sauce and meatballs together but, if you need to separate them, that’s o.k. to do. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Do you freeze the sauce with the meatballs or separate them?
Thank you Teresa. I’m happy you liked it and thanks for the 5 star rating too!
Made this yesterday and it was delicious!
Hi Dwight! I’ve seen a lot of engagement from you on Facebook and am pleased that you like my recipes so much. We ate this meatball recipe this weekend too. Thanks for the 5 star rating and Happy Easter! Stay safe.
You are the best! Awesome recipe! Love it!!!
Glad it turned out to your liking. Hope you’ll try our other authentic Italian recipes.
Glad you liked it Diana. I’ve been asked for this recipe for years and years. Enjoy!
Hi Mary. Michelle Hendricks loves this recipe and told me she makes hers in the slow cooker. I’m glad you like this recipe. It’s so much better than those processed frozen meatballs.
This recipe is the best! First time ever my meatballs didn’t fall apart! Tasty, delicious and easy to make. Plenty to freeze and have another time!
Thanks for sharing Joanne! Nothing beats homemade.
Thanks Diana! I’m glad you liked it so much.
I made this authentic recipe and they turned out AMAZING!
I made this authentic recipe and they turned out amazing!
Yes. Use the flat leaf Italian parsley but, if you just have the curly parsley, that’ll work too.
Can you use Italian parsley on this recipe
Hi Debbie. I totally understand. Yes, you can halve the recipe. The sauce should not get watery in the Crock Pot because you’re not adding any water. You’ll have to wait until the meatballs are almost fully cooked in order to stir the sauce or the meatballs can fall apart. I think if you halve the recipe for both the meatballs and sauce and use a big Crock Pot, you should be o.k. Maybe halve the recipe and try it on the stove top first to see if you like it.
Hi Joanne! Your recipe looks really good and simple to make. My question is can this recipe be cut by half? We’re a family of two and I don’t need 34 meatballs and that much sauce. Especially making it the first time. If we really like it, then I’d make the full sauce recipe but still only half of the meatball recipe. Also I’d like to know if making this in a Crock-Pot, doesn’t the sauce get watery? There is no way to reduce the sauce with the lid on the crock. Thank you for sharing your families recipe
Very close to my mother’s sauce, I am going to try it! But I have to say my favorite line in the whole post is” who am I to point out these things”!!! Reminds me of being in the kitchen on a Sunday morning with my mom and and aunts, talking while the sauce simmered! Thank you for making me smile!
Hi Robin! If you don’t stir every 10-15 minutes to the bottom of the pot in this recipe, the sauce will burn in that spot for sure. However, you can buy a heat diffuser that I show in the post for about $7-8 on Amazon that avoids this problem. I’d still suggest stirring it with the diffuser but not nearly as much. But, I assure you that stirring this sauce is totally worth it! You could also make this recipe in the slow cooker if you don’t want to stir. I’ve included those instructions in the post as well. Please come back and let us know how you liked the recipe!
Hi Joanne, I’m excited to try this recipe, however I’m unclear about the stirring it every 10 minutes. Is that every 10 min. for the entire cooking time? Or 10 min. only in the beginning while you are getting it up to the boiling point? (I hope it’s only in the beginning! LOL). Thank you so much!
Hi Sarah. Don’t worry about the meatballs being overcooked. I used to bake them first and let them sit for hours in the sauce. It sounds like you did a great job making them and it will only get easier each time. Glad you liked the sauce too. I LOVE it!
I took them out of the sauce and let them cool down. But I didn’t realized til the end that it says cooking them in the sauce raw.
I cooked them in the oven the 15mins and than stuck them in the sauce for 205mins which I realized prob wasn’t what I was suppose to do since now they are over cooked. The sauce it self did come out really good . I also didn’t used 85% . It was a mix of pork and beef 80% and 2.25lbs and not 3lb. It will be amazing after I make some more lol I could see my self being the old grandma rolling the meat balls in my retired days .
Hi Sarah. I’m happy that you liked the recipe. This comment came in at 1:00 a.m. ET and I’m just now seeing it. The meatballs should cool down before putting them in the refrigerator. I will put them in containers with the sauce and let them cool a bit on the counter before I put them in the refrigerator and freezer. They freeze really well!
I Might have boo booed on the meatballs. I made them in the oven and than added them to the sauce while it cooked :/ . They were amazing before going in . But I’ve been searching for years for a good recipe . Always end up not happy . Thank you and your family for passing on a amazing recipe that I myself will share with my family ♥️.
Also other problem is it’s 10pm at night and not sure if I could take the meatballs out to cool so they can be refrigerated or if it’s a ok idea to let them sit until I wake up :/ .
Thanks Julie. This recipe is close to my heart!
Love this recipe. Looks so flavorful! And I love the stories about your mom. Sounds like she was an amazing cook.
Hi Dexter!
I really don’t know where that “68 oz” came from. It was certainly an error. I changed it to 140 oz which is what 28 x 5 equals. LOL!
It’s definitely 5 of the 28 oz cans. That particular day, I made a double batch and then had to half the recipe for this blog post and I probably mixed up some of the numbers.
Also, I added in the 1/4 tsp of ground black pepper for the sauce. It’s really to taste though as some people don’t like pepper but, I put it on nearly everything. Also, I purposely don’t add salt to this sauce because of using canned tomatoes that are already high in sodium. But, this is your sauce and if you feel it needs it, add it but, do it at the end of the cooking time as the sauce will condense.
I hope your meatballs and sauce come out great this weekend. Please come back and tell me how this recipe went and what’s the feedback from your family or friends.
Thanks for commenting and catching that error.
-Joanne
Hi Mimi, yes. That is my mother. RIP. I miss her so much and I really, really miss her cooking!
In viewing your recipe I’m confused in reference to the amount of canned tomato sauce called for which is 68 ounces; followed by a substitution of (5) 28 oz. cans which equals 140 ounces, which is quite a difference. Which is correct?
Also, no quantity is shown for the amount of black pepper used in the tomato sauce.
Please let me know since I would like to make the recipe this weekend (8/25/18).
Thank you……….Dexter Patterson
I really want to make these. Usually I just make up a recipe as I go along. But I want to taste the meatballs and your sauce. Great photo. Is that your mother?