Meatballs are one of those things that sounds like a weekend project but really isn't once you've done them a few times. The key is working quickly with cold hands, not overhandling the mince, and resisting the urge to make them perfectly round — slightly irregular meatballs have more surface area and therefore more flavour. Nobody is coming to inspect your spheres.
The sauce is very simple, which is exactly how it should be. A little onion, a little garlic, good crushed tomatoes, and time. Simmering the meatballs in the sauce rather than baking them separately means they stay moist and the sauce gets all the flavour from the meat. Don't bother with the oven approach.
Serve over pasta or with crusty bread for scooping. This is one of the most reliably crowd-pleasing meals in my rotation — I have not yet met a child who will refuse meatballs in tomato sauce. The dog is also extremely interested whenever I make these.
"Nobody is coming to inspect your spheres. Irregular meatballs taste better anyway."
Ingredients
- 600g beef mince
- ½ cup (50g) parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve
- ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 700g passata
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, extra, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Method
Step 1
Combine the mince, parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, parsley and oregano in a bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined — don't overwork it. Roll into golf-ball-sized portions (about 30g each). You should get around 18–20.
Step 2
Heat the olive oil in a large deep frypan over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning carefully, until golden on most sides. They don't need to be cooked through. Remove to a plate.
Step 3
In the same pan, cook the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes until soft. Add the extra garlic and cook 1 minute. Pour in the passata, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.
Step 4
Return the meatballs to the sauce, nestling them in. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20–25 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Serve over spaghetti or with crusty bread and extra parmesan.
