- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 350 kcal
Quick summary
“The meatball in sauce recipe combines ground beef seasoned with onion, garlic, parsley, egg, and breadcrumbs, shaped into spheres previously baked in the oven. Cooking at 180°C for 25 minutes firms the meatballs without falling apart and without needing deep frying. Finished the roast, the meatballs refine for ten minutes in the tomato sauce heated over low heat. The meat absorbs the moisture of the sauce while enriching the broth with toasted notes in four portions.”
What you need to know
- Shape the meatballs uniformly to ensure identical cooking time in the oven and pan.
- Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes in a greased pan to seal the meat and maintain a tender texture without frying.
- Simmer the meatballs in the tomato sauce for 10 minutes over low heat to integrate the flavors without breaking them.
Ingredients
Main
- 500g of ground beef
- 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 400g of tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
Principal
- In a bowl, mix the ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Shape small balls with the resulting dough, the size of a golf ball.
- Place the meatballs in a greased pan and bake for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a pot, mix the tomato sauce with the water and heat it up.
- After the meatballs are baked, transfer them to the pan with the sauce.
- Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring gently.
- Correct the salt and add additional seasonings, if necessary.
- Serve hot, accompanied by white rice.
Chef's tips
- Do not compact the meat with excessive force when rolling so that the center of the meatball remains soft after baking.
- Moisten your hands with a little cold water or oil to facilitate shaping the spheres without sticking to your palm.
- Stir the meatballs gently in the pan with a silicone spoon to preserve the round shape in the sauce.
Variations
- Meatball stuffed with cheese: insert a small cube of mozzarella cheese into the center of each sphere while rolling.
- Meatball with fine herbs: add chopped fresh basil leaves and dried oregano to the meat mixture.
- Chicken meatballs: use ground chicken breast following the same oven and sauce reduction times.
Substitutions
- Ground beef can be mixed in equal parts with ground pork loin to obtain moister meatballs.
- Breadcrumbs can be replaced with fine oat flour or finely grated stale French bread.
- Worcestershire sauce can be substituted with a teaspoon of traditional soy sauce in the meat seasoning.
How to store
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the pan over low heat with two tablespoons of water for 8 minutes to return moisture to the tomato sauce.
Can it be frozen?
Freeze with the sauce in a sealed container for up to 90 days at 18°C below zero. Thaw in the refrigerator for 12 hours and bring to low heat in the pot until it boils gently.
What to serve with
Serve accompanied by fluffy white rice, al dente spaghetti, or creamy mashed potatoes. Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Can I freeze the raw meatballs before baking?
Yes, mold the spheres and freeze on a baking sheet for 2 hours. After firm, transfer to plastic bags for up to 90 days. To prepare, bake directly frozen at 180°C for 30 to 35 minutes.
How to prevent ground meat from drying out on the inside?
Do not use excessively lean meat; cuts with about 15% to 20% fat (like chuck or shoulder) maintain moisture. Also, respect the 25-minute oven time without exceeding it.
Why were the meatballs baked instead of fried in oil?
Oven cooking seals the meatballs evenly without the need for immersion in oil, resulting in a lighter preparation and ensuring that the spheres do not fall apart when entering the sauce.
What is the function of the egg and breadcrumbs in the dough?
The egg acts as a protein binding agent, while the breadcrumbs retain the juices and natural fat of the ground meat during cooking, preventing the meatballs from becoming dry or hard.
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