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–+ servings

Grandma’s Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs: A Family Favorite Recipe

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An authentic Italian family recipe that's huge on flavor!
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 659
Author Kim

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

  • 1 large onion finely diced
  • 2-3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 4.5 cups tomato juice I pureed about 5 of my garden tomatoes in a high-speed blender.
  • 2 cans tomato paste
  • 4 cans water use the tomato paste cans to measure out your water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1.5 teaspoons oregano

For the Meatballs:

  • 2 lbs. ground pork I used 1 lb. lean ground turkey and 1 lb. bison.
  • 1.5 cups soft bread crumbs 4 slices of bread ground in food processor
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for pan frying meatballs
  • 1 box or desired amount of your favorite type of pasta noodles, alternatively you can also enjoy this sauce over zucchini noodles (about 1 medium zucchini per serving)

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a very large pot or dutch oven. Saute onion for about 5 minutes and until soft. Add garlic and saute an additional 2-3 minutes.
  • Add tomato juice, tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, sugar, basil and oregano. Simmer 3 hours with loose lid and stir occasionally.
  • While sauce is simmering; combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. I used my hands to thoroughly combine ingredients together.
  • Roll meat mixture into meatballs and pan fry in a large skillet with olive oil. You will most likely have to do this in several batches, depending on the size of your skillet. You will not want meatballs to be completely cooked, just browned around the outside.
  • Add meatballs to simmering sauce for the last hour of sauce cooking time.
  • Enjoy sauce and meatballs served over your favorite pasta noodles, zucchini noodles or make meatball subs.

Notes

Nutrition is for sauce and meatballs only. Serve with your choice of pasta or zoodles.

Nutrition

Calories: 659kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 1829mg | Potassium: 1007mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1000IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 195mg | Iron: 4mg