Meatballs in Marinara – juicy, tender meatballs simmered in homemade marinara sauce. Serve with your favorite pasta. Easy, delicious, comforting!
This is a basic recipe for classic Italian meatballs flavored with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. Use ground beef, turkey or chicken.
The meatballs are seared then simmered in an easy, delicious homemade marinara sauce that makes the meatballs tender, juicy and loaded with flavor.
I’m sharing step by step photos for a perfect Italian meal every time. Let’s go.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
- Easy, make-ahead recipe for the best meatballs in an easy marinara sauce.
- Simple ingredients – readily available in grocery stores.
- Classic Italian meatballs cooked in the sauce absorbs the flavor and my favorite way!
- Quick enough for weeknights – restaurant quality for company too.
- Budget friendly – it’s the perfect family dinner even your picky eater will love.
- Leftovers reheat well the next day for lunch.
TIPS FOR THE BEST MEATBALLS:
- Sear the meat. It adds flavor to the meatballs and the sauce.
- Simmer meatballs in the sauce keeps them juicy and absorbs the flavor of marinara.
- Don’t overmix the meat – blend just until combined to avoid tough meatballs.
SUBS AND VARIATIONS TO THIS RECIPE:
- Try a combination of ground beef and ground pork.
- Use the same recipe using lean ground turkey for turkey meatballs.
- Ground chicken meatballs are also delicious in this recipe.
- Enjoy with zucchini noodles instead of pasta.
WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE HOMEMADE MEATBALLS IN MARINARA:
Meatballs Ingredients:
- lean ground beef, turkey or chicken
- fresh parsley
- onion
- fresh garlic cloves
- egg
- Italian bread crumbs
- grated parmesan cheese
- Worcestershire sauce
- salt and black pepper
- olive oil
Marinara Sauce Ingredients:
- canned crushed tomatoes
- olive oil
- garlic cloves
- diced onion
- salt and pepper
- crushed red pepper (optional)
- tomato paste
- dry Italian seasoning
- dry red wine (chianti, cabernet, merlot)
- fresh parsley
HOW TO MAKE MEATBALLS IN MARINARA:
To a large bowl add the ground meat, chopped parsley and onion, grated garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
Use your hands to blend the meat mixture just until combined.
Use a cookie scoop to make golf ball size meatballs then gently roll smooth in your palms.
Note: if you don’t have a scooper, make the meatballs as close in size as possible.
Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil into a large skillet with deep sides, pot or dutch oven over medium heat to medium-high heat.
Add raw meatballs to hot oil in a single layer. Brown meatballs then remove from the pot to a bowl and set aside. The meatballs will not be cooked through at this point!.
Work in batches, adding the remaining tablespoon of oil as needed until all the meatballs are seared.
Note: You’ll be using the same pot to make the sauce so don’t wash it.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE QUICK MARINARA SAUCE:
To the same pan you seared the meatballs over medium-low heat, add another tablespoon of olive oil then drop in diced onion, grated garlic and (optional) a very small pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste then cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until the onions are tender (stir often so garlic doesn’t burn).
Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute then pour in the wine. Simmer 3-4 minutes or until the wine reduces by about half.
Add the can of crushed tomatoes, dry Italian seasoning and chopped parsley. Lightly season with salt and pepper then transfer the seared meatballs to the sauce.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
Enjoy alone (as an appetizer) or with your favorite pasta, top with freshly grated parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese or even fresh basil then serve right away.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH MEATBALLS IN MARINARA:
Antipasto Salad or side salad
HOW TO SAFELY STORE LEFTOVER MEATBALLS IN MARINARA:
Cool completely then store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 edays.
This meal also freezes well too in a freezer-safe container up to 3 months.
MORE EASY ITALIAN RECIPES:
Lasagna Soup – slow cooker and 30 minute stove to table options. The taste of classic lasagna in easy soup form.
20 Minute Italian Sausage Tortellini – cooks completely in ONE POT in just 20 minutes. Italian sausage, tortellini and spinach in a delicious creamy sauce.
Enjoy!
Tried this classic recipe for authentic Italian Meatballs in Marinara? Leave a comment, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and TAG ME with a photo of yours on social media! @agoudalife or #agoudalife
Meatballs in Marinara
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef can sub ground turkey or chicken
- 2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
MARINARA SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small pinch crushed red pepper optional
- 1 small onion diced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry red wine chianti, cabernet or merlot
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes canned
- 3 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
Instructions
Turkey Meatballs:
- To a medium bowl add the ground beef, parsley, onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Blend using your hands (don’t overmix) then scoop into golf ball size meatballs. Use scooper if you have one.
- Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil into a large deep skillet, pot or dutch oven (large enough to hold the sauce as well) medium to medium-high heat,
- Add the meatballs in a single layer. Sear to brown them then remove to a bowl and set aside. Work in batches, adding the remaining tablespoon of oil as needed. The meatballs will not be cooked through at this point!
- You’ll be using the same pot to make the sauce so don’t wash it!
The Sauce:
- Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet then drop in diced onion garlic, a very small and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste then cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until the onions are tender. Stir often so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute then pour in the wine. Simmer 3-4 minutes or until the wine reduces by about half.
- Add crushed tomatoes, dry Italian seasoning and chopped parsley. Lightly season with salt and pepper then transfer the seared meatballs to the sauce. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Serve with your favorite pasta or with toothpicks as an appetizer.
4 Comments