Description
Oven-roasted meatballs in sauce
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups bread, diced
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 pounds lean, grass-fed ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 tsp fennel, crushed
- 2 Tbsp oil from the sun dried tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 cup basil leaves, chopped
- Additional freshly grated parmesan for topping
Instructions
- Soak the break cubes in the milk
- Heat olive oil in a very large oven-safe frying pan over medium heat, then melt the butter in the hot oil
- Add the diced onions, cover, and allow them to “sweat” for a couple minutes, then add the garlic, and cook for another minute or two
- Stir in the tomato paste, giving it a couple minutes to melt into the oils, become fragrant and slightly caramelized
- Dump in the tomatoes, wine, sun dried tomatoes, and chopped basil, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes
- In a large bowl, combine meat, eggs, 1 cup parmesan, garlic, crushed fennel, parsley, salt and pepper, and some oil from the sun dried tomatoes, and soggy bread cubes (drain away any excess milk), and mix with hands until combined, but don’t over-handle the meat
- With damp hands, roll meat into large balls – somewhere around 20-24 balls – then gently sink the meatballs into the hot sauce, right in the frying pan (it will be crowded, and the tops of the meatballs should be uncovered)
- Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes
- Sprinkle with additional grated parmesan, approximately 1/2 cup, and return to oven for 5 minutes
Notes
Serve over pasta, zucchini noodles, crusty garlic bread, or steamed vegetables
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-5 meatballs each
