Meatballs in Marinara

Name: Meatballs in Marinara
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb lean ground beef 80/20 or 85/15; 0.5 lb sweet Italian sausage casings removed; 0.5 cup breadcrumbs plain or Italian-seasoned; 0.25 cup whole milk; 2 eggs lightly beaten; 0.5 cup yellow onion finely minced; 3 cloves garlic minced, divided; 3 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped; 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated; 1 tsp Italian seasoning; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground; 28 can crushed tomatoes; 1 can tomato sauce; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 3 cloves garlic minced; 2 tbsp olive oil extra-virgin; 1 tsp white sugar to balance acidity; 1 tsp dried basil; 0.5 tsp fennel seeds lightly crushed; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.25 cup fresh basil torn; Parmesan cheese freshly grated, to serve

Tender, juicy homemade meatballs simmered low and slow in a rich, garlicky marinara sauce. This classic Italian-American comfort dish is weeknight-easy, crowd-pleasing, and freezes beautifully — serve over spaghetti, stuffed into a hoagie roll, or straight from the pot with crusty bread.

6 servings · Prep 20 min · Cook 45 min · Total 65 min

Italian · Main Course · Dinner

Ingredients

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Main

1 lb lean ground beef 80/20 or 85/15
0.5 lb sweet Italian sausage casings removed
0.5 cup breadcrumbs plain or Italian-seasoned
0.25 cup whole milk
2 eggs lightly beaten
0.5 cup yellow onion finely minced
3 cloves garlic minced, divided
3 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
0.5 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground

Marinara Sauce

28 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp olive oil extra-virgin
1 tsp white sugar to balance acidity
1 tsp dried basil
0.5 tsp fennel seeds lightly crushed
0.5 tsp salt

Garnish

0.25 cup fresh basil torn
Parmesan cheese freshly grated, to serve

Equipment

Oven
Stovetop
Dutch Oven
Baking Sheet
Mixing Bowl
Skillet
Pot
Wooden Spoon
Pan
Jelly Roll (10x15)
Mixing Bowl (4 Quarts)

Instructions

Preheat your #[Oven] to ![400°F]. In a large #[Mixing Bowl], combine the @[Italian Breadcrumb] and @[Milk]; let sit for ~[2 minutes] so the @[Italian Breadcrumb] absorb the @[Milk]. Add the @[Lean Ground Beef], @[Sweet Italian Sausage], @[Eggs], minced @[Yellow Onion], 3 cloves minced @[Garlic], @[Parsley], @[Parmesan Cheese], @[Italian Seasoning], @[Salt], and @[Black Pepper]. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — do not overwork the meat or the meatballs will be tough.
Roll the mixture into balls about 1½ inches in diameter (roughly the size of a golf ball) and place them on a lightly oiled rimmed #[Baking Sheet], spacing them about 1 inch apart. You should get about 24 meatballs. Bake for ~[18–20 minutes], until browned on the outside and cooked through (%[internal temp 165°F]). They don't need to be flipped.
While the meatballs bake, heat @[Olive Oil] in a large, deep #[Skillet] or #[Dutch Oven] over ^[medium heat]. Add the 3 cloves of minced @[Garlic] and @[Fennel Seeds] (if using) and sauté for ~[60–90 seconds] until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the @[Tomato Paste] and cook for ~[1 minute]. Pour in the @[Tomatoes] and @[Tomato Sauce], then add @[Basil], @[White Sugar] (if using), and @[Salt]. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
Reduce heat to ^[low] and let the sauce simmer uncovered for ~[15 minutes], stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and the flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with @[Salt] and @[Black Pepper] as needed.
Gently nestle the baked meatballs into the simmering marinara sauce. Spoon sauce over the tops of the meatballs, cover the pan partially, and let everything simmer together over ^[low heat] for ~[10–15 minutes]. This allows the meatballs to absorb the sauce and become even more tender and flavorful.
Serve the meatballs and marinara over spaghetti, in hoagie rolls, or on their own. Garnish with torn fresh @[Basil] and a generous shower of freshly grated @[Parmesan Cheese]. Enjoy immediately.