Meatballs in Marinara
Main
Italian1h 5m6 servingsEasyAbout this recipe
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.
Instructions
- 1
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.
- 2
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.
- 3
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.
- 4
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.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
