Big Braised Meatballs

My family loved these big meatballs that were braised in a tasty tomato sauce. These big braised meatballs consist of very simple and basic ingredients; no fancy herbs or spices, just parsley onion and garlic. I am a fan of pasta and noodles and get excited every time I find a new and different way to prepare it. In this recipe, the meatballs, which consists of a mixture of lean ground beef, milk, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese were browned first and then slowly simmered in a tomato sauce for 50 minutes. The grated Parmesan cheese, which was added at the end of cooking time, added a different layer of texture and taste to the tomato sauce. The moist, robust meatballs in a savory tomato sauce was so good served with spaghetti noodles. Enjoy!

Big Braised Meatballs

Liza Agbanlog

3 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cans (28 oz/796ml) plum tomatoes, with juices, broken up

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, combine together milk, breadcrumbs, beef, egg, 2 tablespoons parsley, salt, pepper and ½ cup cheese. Mix until all ingredients are well-blended. Use an ice cream scoop to form 12 big meatballs.
• Heat oil in a large deep non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs; cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
• Add onion and garlic to skillet; cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes with juices and bring to a boil.
• Return meatballs to the skillet. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook for additional 15 minutes, or until thickened and meatballs are cooked though. Stir in remaining ¼ cup cheese.
• Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Serve with spaghetti or crusty bread. Sprinkle top with chopped parsley.

Notes

Recipe adapted: HeartSmart: The Best of HeartSmart Cooking by Bonnie Stern

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