These tomato-sauced meatballs are the ultimate comfort dish. Meatballs prepared from scratch are simmered in a thick tomato sauce and served as desired. It’s a straightforward recipe with simple ingredients ready in just forty minutes! So, how long is cooking raw meatballs in sauce?
Try our roasted cherry tomato sauce, simple homemade spaghetti sauce, and easy everyday pesto for additional comforting spices. These meatballs in tomato sauce are ideal for cold-weather evenings when you desire a simple home-cooked meal. They are flavorful and hearty, and they are exceptionally delicious when served over your preferred pasta noodles.
How Long Is Cooking Raw Meatballs In Sauce?
We also use uncomplicated methods and ingredients to prepare them. Are they served fresh in the sauce, fried in a pan, or baked in the oven? Let’s discover.
Time
- Preparation time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 25 minutes
- Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs 80/20 Ground Beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped finely
- 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs, Plain or seasoned
- 1 cup Parmesan or Italian Blend Cheese
- 1 Large Scrambled Egg
- 5 Fresh Garlic Cloves, Peeled and Minced
- 1,4 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup of parsley, fresh (optional)
Directions
1. Making and Rolling Meatballs
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and minced pork with your hands.
Next, incorporate the garlic, onion, egg, and olive oil.
Add the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs to help dry the meatball mixture until it is tacky but not excessively dry.
Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Using a spoon, scoop out enough meat mixture to make a ball slightly more significant than a golf ball. Roll the meatball in your palms until smooth, then place it on the prepared sheet pan.
Continue this process with the remaining mixture, arranging it on the baking tray.
2. Cooking Meatballs in sauce
It is the most uncomplicated cooking procedure by a wide margin. In a large saucepan, prepare your tomato sauce or use your preferred jarred sauce. Reduce the sauce to a simmer, put the meatballs in the sauce, and simmer for thirty minutes. This popular method of cooking meatballs yields tender, flavorful meatballs and enhances the sauce.
3. Baking Meatballs in the Oven
Additionally, baking meatballs is a simple procedure. Using my Breville Smart oven, preheat your oven to 400°F with a sheet pan lined with foil made of aluminum and parchment paper placed on top.
20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the meatballs are prepared, add them to the sauce or save the remainder. Meatballs are freezable!
This method produced meatballs with a nice, uniform exterior and a soft, tender interior while leaving any excess fat on the baking tray. Because you can cook many meatballs at once and use them for various purposes, including pizza toppings, dinners, sandwiches, etc., this is how most Italian restaurants and local pizza stores prepare meatballs.
4. Frying Meatballs in a Pan
My mother would cook the meatballs in stages in a hot skillet and then move them to a baking sheet before adding them to the sauce.
Bring your preferred cooking vessel to medium-high heat. For this, I prefer to use my trusted cast iron pan, which produces the finest “crust.”
Once the pan is heated, add a few drops of olive or grapeseed oil and swirl to saturate the bottom.
If you have a canopy vent, I strongly suggest turning it to its highest setting, as this process tends to produce smoke.
Using a clockwise motion, place meatballs around the pan’s perimeter and one or two in the center, and let them sear for two to three minutes. If you overcrowd the pan, the meatballs will simmer rather than burn. In a pot, you can add seven to eight meatballs at a time.
After 3 minutes, turn the meatballs with tongs and sear the opposite side for 2 to 3 minutes.
You can keep turning the meatballs to brown each side, but two should be sufficient to transfer to a sheet pan to drain before adding to the tomato sauce.
Add meatballs to the cooking tomato sauce in the container and cook for approximately 20 minutes.
The best-tasting meatballs have a crusty, flavorful exterior with a tender interior. This method of preparing meatballs requires additional steps and your full attention. If you have the time, pan-frying meatballs is the best method.
5. Final Thoughts On The Best Way to Cook Meatballs
Meatballs are among my best dishes to prepare. You have numerous options for what to include in your meatballs. All three of these culinary methods resulted in tender, flavorful meatballs. If you have the time to pan-fry your meatballs, do it so. Cooking meatballs in the oven or by dropping them directly into the sauce to cook is a much simpler method that also makes cleanup a breeze.
With these methods, you can simmer your meatballs on low for several hours while stirring occasionally, and they will still be delicious.
How To Serve Meatballs In Tomato Sauce?
These meatballs in tomato sauce naturally pair well with pasta. If you prefer, you can substitute shorter noodles such as fusilli or penne for the spaghetti shown in the photographs. Serve them over zucchini noodles or baked spaghetti squash for a low-carb entrée.
Or, arrange the meatballs on a banquette to create a homemade meatball sub.
These can also be formed into bite-sized meatballs and served on a platter with toothpicks as an easy appetizer for a gathering.
They complement any Italian-inspired supper menu perfectly. Just pay attention to washing them down with a glass of red wine!
Can I Freeze My Meatballs In Sauce?
Yes. You can double the meatball recipe and preserve the extras. Please place them in a secure container and freeze the container. You’ll appreciate having them when you’re craving a meatball sub.
Typically, cook uncooked meatballs in sauce for 35 to 40 minutes. Attain an internal temperature of no less than 160°F (71 degrees Celsius) by simmering the meatballs in the sauce over low to medium heat. Cooking times can vary depending on the quantity of the meatballs and the recipe.
Thank you for reading….
