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Homemade Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

February 18, 2015 by Keri 14 Comments

Tender and flavorful homemade meatballs are cooked in a simple marinara sauce. Serve these meatballs over zucchini noodles, pasta, in a hoagie, or as is! This classic comfort food meal will be a hit among kids and adults!

Homemade Meatballs in MarinaraAsk any kid or adult out there what their favorite food is and I guarantee you’ll hear spaghetti and meatballs. What’s not to love? Rich, sweet, and savory tomato sauce covers tender and flavorful meatballs… then add all of that over pasta and you’ve got the ultimate comfort food meal!

These meatballs, my friends, will be the best you’ll ever have. Heck, I even surprised myself with these. Who says you have to be Italian to make great Italian food? I know the ketchup is a controversial ingredient as a “real” Italian would never use it. However, I love the sweetness it adds!  Plus the whole spaghetti and meatballs thing is an Italian-American creation anyway. 

I decided to keep things as healthy as I could and serve my homemade meatballs over zucchini noodles, but you can serve them however you like. Over wheat pasta, gluten-free pasta, in a hoagie, or as is with a salad. These also freeze well and can be made ahead – they just get better and better as they sit in the fridge!

Homemade MeatballsMaking meatballs is super easy. You can make them in big batches and freeze them so that you always have some on hand for quick, easy meals. Whatever you do, don’t buy frozen meatballs! Making your own lets you control the quality of the meat and ingredients. Plus, they taste way better than any pre-packaged frozen meatball ever could. 

I always start my meatballs by combining a flavorful mix of eggs, grated onion, fresh garlic, garlic powder, fresh parsley, pecorino romano cheese, ketchup, and almond meal. It’s best to mix all of this together before you add the meat so that you end up with soft and tender meatballs. If you try and mix it all with the meat you’ll end up with tough meatballs that aren’t evenly seasoned. 

So, mix all the “stuff” together and then fold in the meat with your hands until just combined. Speaking of the meat, I use what’s called “meatball mix”. It’s a mixture of ground pork, beef, and veal and it makes the best meatballs. You can get this mixture at your local butcher or I’ve seen it at some grocery stores – whole foods will even put it together for you at the meat counter. 

Meatball IngredientsOnce you have your meatball mixture ready, you can form them into balls. I like to do larger ones, but you can easily do any size you want. I use a large ice cream scoop to make sure I get uniform meatballs. Then, place them on a baking sheet and bake them in a hot oven for 10 minutes. 

This does 2 things – it allows the meatballs to cook just enough so they set up and won’t fall apart in the sauce. It also allows for some of the extra fat to render out. The result is firm, but tender and soft meatballs!

Add them into my simple marinara sauce and let them cook away!

My regular marinara sauce usually consists of onions, garlic and other flavors perfect for topping pasta or using in lasagna. However, for the meatballs I like to go really simple. Since the meatballs cook in the sauce, they are what flavor the sauce. No need for anything but tomatoes, some seasoning, and a parmesan cheese rind. See – it’s easy!

Meatballs over Zucchini NoodlesIf you’re looking for a go-to meatball and marinara recipe, look no further! This comforting meal will warm you up and take you back to one of your childhood favorites. 

I think we all enjoyed “pasketti” as a kid – I know it was one of my favorites…. as you can see by this photo! πŸ˜‰

Photo Feb 17, 3 19 32 PM


Homemade Meatballs and Marinara Sauce
2015-02-17 15:08:51
Yields 22
Tender and flavorful homemade meatballs are cooked in a simple marinara sauce. Serve these meatballs over zucchini noodles, pasta, in a hoagie, or as is! This classic comfort food meal will be a hit among kids and adults!
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 5 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 5 min
For the Meatballs
  1. 2 Eggs
  2. 1 Tablespoon Water
  3. 1 Small Onion, grated
  4. 3 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
  5. ΒΌ Cup Ketchup
  6. ΒΌ Cup Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
  7. ΒΎ Cup Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
  8. Β½ Cup Almond Meal* (see notes)
  9. 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
  10. Β½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
  11. Β½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  12. 2 Pounds Meatball Mix (a mixture of ground beef, pork, and veal)*
For the Sauce
  1. 2 (28-ounce) Cans Whole San Marzano Tomatoes
  2. 1 (6-ounce) Can Tomato Paste
  3. Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  4. 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
  5. 1 Parmesan Cheese Rind, optional
For Serving
  1. Zucchini Noodles or Spaghetti (or an pasta shape)
  2. Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
  3. Fresh Basil Leaves, torn
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 500ΒΊ.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, water, grated onion, garlic, ketchup, parsley, cheese, almond meal, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well.
  3. Add in the meatball mix and combine the mixture with your hands. Don’t over mix the meatballs, or they will be tough!
  4. Form the meat mixture into balls – I use a large ice cream scoop to form uniform meatballs. You can make them any size you like (just adjust the bake time!)
  5. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet and bake them for 10 minutes, or until they set and are very lightly browned.
  6. Meanwhile, combine the whole tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and oregano in a blender. Blend on low-medium speed just until the mixture is smooth.
  7. Pour the tomatoes in a large pot or dutch oven and add in the meatballs and parmesan cheese rind. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat.
  8. Simmer the meatballs, partially covered, for 30-45 minutes or until the sauce is nice and thick and the meatballs are tender.
  9. Serve the meatballs however you like – over zucchini noodles, pasta, on a hoagie, or enjoy them as is! Top each serving with fresh parmesan cheese and basil leaves.
Notes
  1. *I use almond meal in my meatballs, but you can easily substitute 1 cup of regular breadcrumb or gluten-free breadcrumbs if you wish.
  2. *Meatball mix will give you the best result, but if you can't find it and don't want to make your own you can use all ground beef. If you do this, get it with at least 20% fat.
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Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Comfort Food, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Make Ahead, Meat & Poultry

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Lovely comments

  1. Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says

    February 18, 2015 at 12:51 pm

    Your meatballs sound delicious! So smart to use almond meal to make this gluten free. I need to try that. Your pictures are just gorgeous Keri! Would love to twirl my fork in those zucchini noodles and take a big bite!

    (PS – we are about to be total recipe twins, just wait until you see mine tomorrow. Too funny!)
    Natalie @ Tastes Lovely recently posted…Bacon Wrapped DatesMy Profile

    Reply
    • identiconKeri says

      February 18, 2015 at 1:05 pm

      You definitely have to try the almond meal – I’ve been obsessed with it lately. I love using it in place of breadcrumbs! Thank you for the compliment πŸ™‚ Oh boy, I can’t wait to see yours!

      Reply
  2. Kelley Simmons says

    February 18, 2015 at 3:46 pm

    What a cute picture of you! These meatballs look amazing! Love that your serving them with zoodles (my favorite)!
    Kelley Simmons recently posted…Super Sticky Asian Chicken BitesMy Profile

    Reply
    • identiconKeri says

      February 18, 2015 at 7:40 pm

      Thanks, Kelley! I’m so obsessed with zoodles!

      Reply
  3. Andrea @ Chocolate & Sea Salt says

    February 18, 2015 at 7:53 pm

    YUM! We just finished dinner yet I’m wanting this now… HA! Also, gorgeous photos πŸ™‚
    Andrea @ Chocolate & Sea Salt recently posted…{No Bake} Cinnamon Butterscotch Energy BitesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Keri says

      February 18, 2015 at 9:17 pm

      I wish I still had some in my fridge – Im wanting some now too! Thank you for the compliment Andrea! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  4. Mariah @ Mariah's Pleasing Plates says

    February 19, 2015 at 1:06 am

    I love san marzano tomatoes!! This looks so yummy! I haven’t gotten around to using a spiralizer for making noodles. Is it easy?

    Reply
    • identiconKeri says

      February 19, 2015 at 7:16 am

      Thanks Mariah! Yes, it SO easy to use a spiralizer! It’s fun, too πŸ˜‰

      Reply
  5. Jessica | A Happy Food Dance says

    February 19, 2015 at 11:01 am

    Yum! These look great – meatballs are one of my favorite things! I think I’ve shared a couple variations in the past couple months on my blog. And you use almond meal too – I really love it! Great recipe!
    Jessica | A Happy Food Dance recently posted…garlic herb turkey meatballsMy Profile

    Reply
    • identiconKeri says

      February 21, 2015 at 3:53 pm

      Thanks, Jessica! πŸ™‚ I’ve been obsessed with almond meal lately!

      Reply
  6. Annie @ The Garlic Diaries says

    February 21, 2015 at 11:48 am

    These look SO delicious, Keri! Meatballs are a huge go-to meal for me. I make them ALL the time. This will definitely be on my list of must-try meatball recipes!
    Annie @ The Garlic Diaries recently posted…Pimento Cheese Turkey SlidersMy Profile

    Reply
    • identiconKeri says

      February 21, 2015 at 3:55 pm

      Thanks, Annie! I love these meatballs so much that I’m already thinking about make them again. They are so versatile! I know you’ll love them if you try them! πŸ™‚

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs - Tastes Lovely says:
    February 19, 2015 at 7:15 am

    […] Homemade Meatballs and Marinara Sauce by Fashionable Foods Creamy Chipotle and Italian Sausage Lasagna by The Recipe Rebel Slow Cooker Sausage Pasta Sauce by Savory Nothings […]

    Reply
  2. Green Beans with Almonds - Fashionable Foods says:
    March 1, 2015 at 5:04 am

    […] served these green beans with my meatballs and lemon dill salmon. You can really serve these with anything! They definitely paired well […]

    Reply

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I'm Keri: the passionate foodie behind the blog. I created Fashionable Foods to share fresh, homemade food with a creative twist. I live in Delaware with my husband Kyle, our son Nolan, and cat Basil. Favorite things include beach days, wine, and popcorn.
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