Creamy Tomato Basil Meatballs (Printable Version)
Tender meatballs in velvety tomato basil cream sauce, ready in under an hour.
# Ingredient List:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1.1 lb ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork)
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/4 cup milk
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried basil)
→ Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
11 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
12 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
14 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
15 - 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
16 - 1 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
17 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
18 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
19 - 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
20 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ For Serving
21 - Cooked pasta, rice, or crusty bread (optional)
22 - Extra fresh basil leaves
# How to Make:
01 - In a large bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, milk, salt, pepper, and basil. Mix until just combined — do not overmix.
02 - Shape mixture into golf ball–sized meatballs, yielding approximately 16 pieces.
03 - Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook, turning often, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove and set aside — they will finish cooking in the sauce.
04 - In the same skillet, add chopped onion. Sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth. Stir in salt, pepper, and sugar if using. Simmer for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Stir in heavy cream and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Mix in chopped basil. Return meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce.
07 - Simmer uncovered on low heat, gently turning meatballs occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with extra fresh basil and serve over pasta, rice, or with crusty bread.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in one skillet, which means you get maximum flavor with surprisingly little cleanup.
- That heavy cream stirred into the tomatoes creates a blush colored sauce that tastes like something you would pay good money for at a trattoria.
02 -
- Resist the urge to stir the meatballs aggressively once they are in the sauce, because they are delicate and breaking them apart turns the dish into a ragu instead of meatballs.
- The meatballs will look slightly pink inside when you first brown them and that is perfectly fine, since they finish cooking gently in the simmering sauce and come out incredibly tender.
03 -
- Let the shaped meatballs rest in the fridge for 15 minutes before browning, because chilled meatballs hold their shape much better in the hot skillet.
- Scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the pan when you start the sauce, because that fond is concentrated flavor that no ingredient can replicate.