Sunday Stovetop Meatballs

These Sunday stovetop meatballs are simmered in a rich, deeply flavored homemade marinara — the kind of sauce that makes your whole kitchen smell incredible and tastes like it’s been cooking all day. This is a true Sunday night family dinner recipe, and the leftovers (if you have any) are arguably better the next day!

You’ll want to make these meatballs every week.

• This recipe comes together with straightforward pantry ingredients. You don’t need to use any special equipment or complicated techniques. Just good mise en place and a hot pan.
• The combination of ricotta and Parmesan gives you the most flavorful, tender meatballs, and a splash of red wine adds an earthy richness to the homemade marinara sauce. I can almost guarantee that everyone will be back for seconds!

Here’s what you’ll need.

Here’s how it all comes together.

MAKE THE PANADE. Combine breadcrumbs, ricotta, and milk in a medium bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. This keeps the meatballs tender.

MIX THE MEATBALLS. Add ground beef, Parmesan, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, egg yolk, salt, and pepper to the panade. Use your hands to mix just until combined. Don’t overmix or your meatballs might end up tough.

FORM THE MEATBALLS. Use a cookie scoop to portion and use lightly oiled hands to roll them into round balls.

SEAR THE MEATBALLS. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Work in batches and sear on all sides until a deep golden brown crust forms. Don’t worry about cooking them through at this point; they’ll finish in the sauce. Set aside on a plate and don’t wipe out the pan.

SAUTÉ THE AROMATICS. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion with a couple pinches of salt and pepper, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir constantly for 1 minute.

BUILD THE SAUCE. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for another couple minutes.

FINISH SAUCE. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, Worcestershire, bay leaves, and a few large pinches of salt and pepper.

ADD THE MEATBALLS. Nestle seared meatballs (and any drippings) into the sauce. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover, reduce heat to low or medium-low, and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Stir in fresh basil and red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

SERVE + ENJOY. Serve over spaghetti, garnished with fresh basil and a generous amount of Parmesan. Dig in!

Things I learned while testing this recipe.

• Don’t rush the sear. That dark golden-brown crust adds more flavor to the meatballs and sauce. That crust also ensures that the meatballs will release from the pan when you’re ready to flip them. If your meatballs are sticking, they don’t have quite enough crust yet, and they’re not ready to be moved. They will release naturally and easily once the crust has formed.
• Squeeze the liquid out of your grated onion before adding it to the meatball mixture. Extra moisture will affect the texture of the meatballs.
• Don’t skip the panade. Letting the breadcrumbs hydrate in the ricotta and milk before mixing in the meat creates an incredibly tender meatball.
• The sauce is intentionally generous. This is a thick, rich marinara, and it makes plenty. I’m a sauce-obsessed gal, and this recipe is the perfect amount for at least a full pound of pasta, if not more.

The best excuse to cook on a Sunday.

• Meatballs can be meal prep too! I love to make a big batch of this over the weekend and then enjoy easy lunches or dinners all week.
• And the best part is that the meatballs and sauce actually taste better after sitting overnight.
• The flavors meld, the sauce deepens, and reheating is SO easy!

Here’s what I’d serve with this.

• crispy garlic bread
• cheesy sliced garlic bread (Texas Toast)
• simple house salad with homemade ranch
• air fryer green beans
• cheesy olive garlic bread

Just in case you have leftovers.

• STORING: Transfer cooled meatballs and sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Store the pasta separately to prevent it from soaking up all the sauce.
• FREEZING: Let the meatballs and sauce cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• REHEATING: Warm meatballs and sauce in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much. You can also microwave in a covered dish in 30-60 second intervals, stirring between each, until warmed through.

More easy meatball recipes for your eating pleasure.