Italian Meatballs with Sunday Gravy
Whether you grew up eating Sunday sauce or gravy, your family will love these traditional Italian meatballs in red sauce - the ultimate comfort food!
- Prep time
- 45 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (grated)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 8 cups whole peeled tomatoes (two 32-ounce cans)
- 4 cups tomato sauce (low sodium)
- 2 pounds sliced mushrooms (optional)
- 1 cup red wine (optional)
- fresh basil and parsley (to serve)
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground chuck (or veal)
- 3 cloves garlic (grated)
- 2 eggs (lightly whisked)
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1/2 cup minced parsley
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- cooked pasta of choice (we use DeLallo whole wheat pasta)
Instructions
- 1
To make the sauce, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large stock pot and stir in diced onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and saute onions until translucent, stirring frequently, about 8-9 minutes.
- 2
Stir in whole peeled tomatoes and tomato sauce carefully breaking apart tomatoes with a wooden spoon. (Alternatively, I like to break them apart with scissors in the can before adding.) Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer while you begin working on the meatballs. (You can add red wine and mushrooms at this time if using.)
- 3
For the meatballs, start by pre-heating oven to 350 degrees and lining two or three baking sheets with foil.
- 4
Place all meatball ingredients (sirloin through pepper) in a large bowl and use your hands to mix together until everything is thoroughly combined.
- 5
Using a cookie scoop, start forming mixture into meatballs and line into a single layer on the baking sheet.
- 6
Bake meatballs for 15 minutes then remove from oven and carefully add to the sauce simmering on the stove. Continue simmering sauce with the meatballs for 30 minutes or longer.
- 7
Serve over pasta of choice.