Description
Delicious meatballs in a savory tomato sauce served over fluffy rice, this Italian-inspired dish is a comforting and satisfying meal that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork)
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying)
Tomato Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh basil or parsley (chopped, optional)
For Serving:
- 3 cups cooked white or brown rice
- extra Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Make the Meatballs In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk, letting them soak for 2 minutes. Add ground meat, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, and Parmesan. Mix gently until combined—do not overmix. Roll into 1½-inch balls.
- Cook the Meatballs Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry meatballs in batches for 5–6 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Prepare the Tomato Sauce In the same skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Combine Meatballs and Sauce Return meatballs to the sauce and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through. Stir in fresh basil or parsley if desired.
- Serve Spoon meatballs and sauce over a bed of rice. Garnish with extra Parmesan.
Notes
- You can bake the meatballs at 400°F (200°C) for 15–18 minutes instead of pan-frying.
- For a richer sauce, add a splash of red wine before simmering the tomatoes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 4 meatballs with sauce over ¾ cup rice
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 880 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
