Classic Meatballs Marinara

Meatballs Marinara is one of my favorite Sunday suppers. Really, any day! It is super simple and a great recipe to double and have on hand for those days you can’t bother to cook. Serve with spaghetti or crusty bread.

INGREDIENTS
Meatballs:
1/2 bunch of chopped parsley (optional)
2 pounds of ground beef, you could sub ground turkey, or make a mix of beef and pork, whatever you’d like
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese (optional)
2 eggs

Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon of oregano, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
28 oz of whole peeled tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients for the meatball mix and mix well. Grab about 2 tablespoons of meat at a time and begin rolling the mixture into golf ball size meatballs and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the meatballs for about 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, you can pan fry the meatballs on all sides until golden. I prefer baking because it’s less messy and less effort for the person cooking (usually me)!

While the meatballs are cooking, start working on the sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil saucepan on medium heat and begin sautéing the 4 cloves of garlic until it becomes aromatic, about a minute. Then, add the 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 30 seconds.

Pour the 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes into the saucepan with the spices - you can crush them with your hands or break them apart with a fork slightly. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Bring the sauce to a low simmer and then cover and cook for about 20 minutes. I usually freeze half of the cooked meatballs for another day and I add the other half directly to sauce. Cook the meatballs in the sauce until you’re ready to eat. I usually keep them on for an additional 30 minutes.

Serve with pasta or crusty bread. Top with basil and more parmesan.

Frozen meatballs and sauce will keep in the freezer up to 6 months, but usually best within 3 months!