Creators
Diane Davidson
Description
This meatball recipe combines ground beef, lamb, and Italian sausage with fresh herbs and spices, resulting in flavorful and tender meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce, perfect for any meal.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4 people
Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
Olive Oil | 1/2 tsp | |
Onion | 1/4 | |
Marjoram | 1/2 tbsp | fresh, or fresh oregano, chopped |
Basil | 1 1/2 tbsp | fresh, chopped |
Parsley | 1 1/2 tbsp | fresh, chopped |
Garlic | 1 1/2 clove | finely minced |
Fennel | 1/4 tsp | seeds |
Herbs de Provence | 1 tsp | |
Egg | 1/2 | |
Salt | 1/2 | really big pinch |
Black Pepper | freshly ground | |
Ground Beef | 1/2 lb | grassfed, choose the option with the most fat 80% lean if available |
Ground Lamb | 1/4 lb | optional, can use more beef instead |
Italian Sausage | 1 lb | casing removed |
Fat/Oil | 3/8 cup | high heat cooking fat, bacon fat, duck fat, ghee, tallow, schmaltz, or combination |
Tomato Sauce | 1/2 | 24 oz jar of your favorite store-bought tomato sauce |
PREPARATION
- Dice ½ onion. Set aside 1 Tablespoon of the onion and mince very finely.
- Place the diced onion into a hot pan with olive oil and salt, and saute on medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Place finely minced onion into large bowl with herbs, garlic, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Add beef and sausage and gently squish all ingredients together- not too much squishing! It will make the meat tough.
- Gently pat the meat into balls.
- Heat the ¾ cup cooking fat into a medium skillet on medium high heat. Once the fat is shimmering and hot, add meatballs, about an inch apart. You will probably need to do a few separate batches. Don’t crowd the pan or the temperature will drop too low and you’ll end up with soggy meatballs.
- Allow meatballs to cook for 5 minutes on each side, until very browned. While they brown: in another large skillet, warm the jarred tomato sauce. Transfer browned meatballs into sauce.
- Let the meatballs simmer very gently in the tomato sauce (we’re talking just a couple bubbles here, not boiling) with a lid on for 15- 20 minutes.