They are so good, and one of the best things about them is that the leftovers are excellent too, so feel free to double the recipe - I often do, using two saucepans. I adore meatballs. They are one of the best and easiest ways to utilize ground beef, a convenient and affordable ingredient. I always have a vacuum-sealed package or two of ground beef in the fridge or freezer, and shaping it into meatballs is the best way to get the kids to eat it. When I made these meatballs the first time, my family immediately declared them “your best ever!” and demanded that I only make these from now on. I took that as a compliment. 🙂
Instructions
Recipe Card
For the meatballs:
Ground beef: I prefer to use lean ground beef (85/15). I find that extra-lean produces dry meatballs. Sour cream and egg: These ingredients help the meatballs stay soft and juicy. Grated Parmesan: Make sure you use finely grated and not coarsely shredded parmesan. The cheese acts much like breadcrumbs and helps keep the juices inside the meatballs. Kosher salt and black pepper: I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
For the tomato sauce:
Olive oil: This delicious oil adds great flavor to the sauce. Minced garlic: You can mince it yourself or use the stuff that comes in a jar. But freshly minced tastes better. Canned tomato sauce: Pick one with no salt or sugar added. Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper. Garnish: chopped fresh parsley.
Mix the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and shape the mixture into 12 meatballs. Make the sauce: Cook the garlic in olive oil, then add the canned tomato sauce and spices. Remove the lid and turn the cooked meatballs in the sauce to coat. Garnish with parsley and serve. I also like to add an easy veggie side dish such as microwave broccoli, sauteed spinach, or creamy cucumber salad.
