Authentic Italian Meatballs and Tomato Sauce + VIDEO

This is an old family recipe that came directly from Italy! 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. 

 

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! And because you like beef, you must try my mom’s (R.I.P.) Beef Braciole!

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

Homemade Pasta

Authentic Italian Beef Braciole Recipe with Sauce

Arugula Salad

Red Skin Dill Potato Salad

Deviled Egg Macaroni 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.

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!

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!

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 two 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:

1. First, add all of the tomato sauce ingredients into the slow cooker and set to high.
2. Next, make the meatballs using the meatball ingredients and roll them.
3. Then, add the meatballs to the sauce, cover and cook on high for a total of 6 hours.

 

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