These baked Italian meatballs are made with a mix of ground beef, pork, cheese and herbs for incredibly fork-tender texture bathed in a chunky slow-cooked tomato sauce.
Contents
Can’t seem to find your Nonna’s recipe, but still want to make delicious polpette? You’ve come to the right place. This Polpette recipe consists of Italian meatballs cooked to golden brown perfection and nestled in a rich tomato sauce. It’s an easy Italian-American dish the entire family will love.
Ingredients
For the polpette
- ▢ 1 lbs Ground pork
- ▢ 1 lbs Ground beef
- ▢ ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ▢ 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ▢ 1 tsp Oregano
- ▢ 1 tsp Basil
- ▢ 1/2 tsp Parsley
- ▢ ½ tsp Fennel seeds
- ▢ ½ tsp Red pepper flakes
- ▢ 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- ▢ ½ tsp Black pepper
For the sauce:
- ▢ 1 onion diced
- ▢ 7 to 10 cloves of garlic minced
- ▢ Red pepper flakes
- ▢ Tomato paste
- ▢ (2) 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
- ▢ 1 tsp erythritol or sugar
- ▢ Balsamic vinegar
- ▢ Salt and pepper
- ▢ Bay leaves
- ▢ Basil
- ▢ Parsley
Instructions
Shape the polpette
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Combine all ingredients in a bowl
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Roll into 8 tennis ball-sized meatballs
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Refrigerate overnight
Cook the polpette
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
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Heat oil in a large cast iron or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until simmering.
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Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes, working in batches if needed to not overcrowd the pan.
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Once all the polpettes are browned, transfer the braising dish to the oven and bake them until cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, another 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the meatballs. Always use a digital meat thermomter for the most accrate results.
Make the sauce
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Meanwhile, heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
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Add the onion and saute until softened 5 minutes.
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Add the garlic and red pepper flakes cook 30 seconds longer.
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Add the tomato paste and stir to coat.
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Add the diced tomatoes, erythritol (or sugar) and vinegar and stir to combine.
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Season with a liberal pinch of salt and pepper.
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Add the bay leaves and bring to a gentle simmer.
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Remove from the heat and add in the chopped parsley and basil, stirring to combine.
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When the meatballs have cooked, remove them from the oven.
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Nestle the meatballs into the sauce and drizzle olive oil over top and a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese and basil if desired.
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If you want a little more cheese, plate the meatballs over slices of mozzarella cheese
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 403mg | Potassium: 453mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 217IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 2mg
