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Sunday Stovetop Meatballs

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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!

  • Author: Kylie
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings (22-24 meatballs) 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale

Meatballs

  • 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1.5 cups) + more for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons grated onion, liquid squeezed out
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely grated or finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely grated or finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 6 ounce can tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 29 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil + more for garnish
  • pinch red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

  1. MAKE THE PANADE. In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, ricotta cheese, and milk. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  2. MIX MEATBALLS. Add ground beef, Parmesan, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, egg yolk, salt, and pepper. Use hands to mix thoroughly just until combined.
  3. FORM MEATBALLS. Use a cookie scoop to scoop meatballs. Use lightly oiled hands to roll them into round balls.
  4. SAUTE MEATBALLS. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook on all sides until a dark golden brown crust forms. Cook in batches and add more oil as needed. Don’t worry about cooking them through; they’ll simmer in the sauce to finish cooking. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Don’t wipe out the pan.
  5. SAUTE AROMATICS. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Add garlic, butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
  6. START THE SAUCE. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Stir in the red wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping all the brown bits off the bottom. Simmer gently for 2 minutes. 
  7. FINISH SAUCE. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, Worcestershire, bay leaves, a few large pinches of salt, a couple pinches of pepper. 
  8. SIMMER MEATBALLS. Add seared meatballs (and any drippings) and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low or medium-low and simmer gently for 30 minutes or so. Stir in chopped basil and red pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  9. SERVE + ENJOY. Serve meatballs over spaghetti, garnish with basil and Parmesan. Enjoy!
  10. SHARE THE LOVE. If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating and review below.

Notes

  • 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.

Find it online: https://midwestfoodieblog.com/sunday-stovetop-meatballs/