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Grandma’s Italian meatball recipe is the ultimate comfort food to share with the family! Tender and juicy meatballs simmered in a simple yet rich tomato sauce and placed over spaghetti noodles or the pasta of your liking. For this recipe, a Panade is used to make ground meat extra moist and tender. A panade is a mixture of starch and liquid; any combination of starch (bread, panko, crackers) and liquids (milk, buttermilk, yogurt, stock, water) can be used. Varying the combination of ingredients can add more or less flavor depending on your taste preference.
Grandma’s Rose advised to always broil the meatballs before simmering them in the sauce. This was an integral step to enhancing the flavor and texture of the meatballs. Grandma sure is a smart woman! Without realizing it, she was telling me to make
To enhance the meaty flavor of the sauce, the ingredients are carefully selected. Foods that are rich in glutamates like onions, garlic and tomatoes serve to boost the savory flavors of the meatballs. The minced garlic and onion are sauteed with tomato paste to add a hint of sweetness and depth to the sauce. This builds layers of flavor!
High quality crushed tomatoes are stirred in to create just the right sauce consistency. Slowly simmering the meatballs in the sauce for a long period of time allows the sauce to coax the appetizing browned flavors from the meat. The braising process also helps to soften the tougher connective tissue in the beef, so that each bite breaks down with little resistance. Let’s face it, nobody like tough, chewy, and flavorless meatballs. Good thing we know how to cook them right.
GRANDMA'S ITALIAN MEATBALL RECIPE
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Grandma's Italian meatball recipe is the ultimate comfort food to share with the family! Tender and juicy meatballs simmered in a simple yet rich tomato sauce and placed over spaghetti noodles or the pasta of your liking.
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 14 meatballs
Calories: 216 kcal
INGREDIENTS
Tomato Sauce-
1/4 cup olive oil , (60ml)
1/2 cup yellow onions , (66g) minced
4 garlic cloves , (2 teaspoons, 6 g) minced
7 cups crushed canned tomatoes , (56 ounces) Cento Brand or San Marzano tomatoes
6 ounces tomato paste , use less if a thinner consistency is desired
2 teaspoons kosher salt , add more to taste
Grandma’s Meatballs-
2 pounds ground beef , (908g) 80% lean meat to 20% fat
2 large eggs
2 cloves garlic , (1 teaspoon, 3g) finely minced
1/2 cup yellow onion , (72g) finely minced
1 teaspoon ground pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt , (16g)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese , (20g) freshly grated
1 cup breadcrumbs , (127g) grandma recommends Italian style, but plain okay
fresh basil , (for garnish if desired)
INSTRUCTIONS
Tomato Sauce-
- Heat olive oil over medium-low heat and sauté onion and garlic until onions are translucent, 3 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and stir well. Add tomatoes and simmer 30 minutes.
- Season tomato sauce with salt to taste.
- Read Full Recipes HERE >> jessicagavin.com/grandmas-italian-meatball-recipe/