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grandmas sunday sauce meatballs
matthewcutolo

Grandma’s Meatballs

These classic Italian Sunday sauce meatballs are made the way my grandmother always cooked them — fried first to create a golden crust, then simmered low and slow in tomato sauce until tender and packed with flavor. A true Italian-American family recipe perfect for Sunday dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 12 meatballs
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs
  • 2 lbs Ground Beef (80/20)
  • 4 slices white bread soaked in water and squeezed dry
  • 1½ cups Pecorino Romano cheese finely grated
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
  • Salt & pepper q.b.
  • Olive oil for frying
For the Sauce
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 jars passata 24.5 oz each
  • Salt & pepper q.b.
  • A handful fresh basil

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, soaked bread, Pecorino Romano, eggs, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overwork the meat — this helps keep the meatballs tender.
  2. Roll the mixture into meatballs slightly smaller than a baseball and place them on a tray.
  3. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat a generous layer of olive oil over medium heat.
  4. Working in batches, fry the meatballs until golden brown on all sides. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.
  5. In the same pot, add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat until soft and lightly golden, about 8–10 minutes.
  6. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
  7. Pour in the red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer for 1–2 minutes.
  8. Add the passata and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
  9. Gently return the meatballs to the sauce and add the fresh basil.
  10. Partially cover the pot and let everything simmer on low heat for about 2½ hours, stirring occasionally.
  11. Serve the meatballs with pasta or on their own, finished with extra Pecorino Romano.