Note: This post is sponsored by Moyer Beef. All opinions are mine alone.
Sunday night in my house is pasta night, which almost always means pasta with a meaty tomato sauce. I tend to make Meatballs in Tomato Sauce in batches about once a month and freeze it for future Sundays.
It’s funny, I make this recipe all the time and yet
- I had no clue what measurements I was putting into my sauce, and
- never posted the recipe to my blog!
Continuing my partnership with Moyer Beef, I decided it was about darn time I actually figured out what exactly I make every month and to share it on here.
These meatballs are half ground beef and half hot Italian sausage. It adds a touch of heat to the overall sauce without being actually spicy.
Ingredients:
Meatballs:
- 1 lb 80% lean ground beef (I used Moyer Beef’s 81% lean ground beef chuck)
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage removed from its casing
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Tomato Sauce:
- 1 lb beef short ribs (1-2 pieces)
- 1 lb 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- 2 (28 oz) cans strained tomatoes (can substitute tomato puree)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste