Global CucinaGlobal Cucina
About
Global CucinaGlobal Cucina
HomeAbout
  1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. Main Course
  4. Meatballs in Sauce
ItalianMedium

Meatballs in Sauce

AT

By

Ago Tanfossi

Chef and recipe curator at Global Cucina

Published on March 14, 2026

Available in

EnglishItalianoDeutschEspañolFrançaisRomână

You can change language anytime.

A classic recipe loved by both adults and children, these are meatballs in sauce. A very tasty main course, served with a sauce perfect for soaking up with bread!

Capolavoro Score 4.4/5 · 20 votes
Meatballs in Sauce

Ingredients

  • 7.3 oz Ground Beef
  • 5.5 oz Sausage
  • 1 oz Stale bread crust removed
  • 0.8 oz Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 tbsp Parsley
  • 1 pinch Dried Oregano
  • 1 pinch Nutmeg
  • to taste Salt
  • to taste black pepper
  • 1.7 oz Water
  • 11.7 oz Tomato Paste
  • Basil
  • 1.3 oz oil

Instructions

  1. 1

    To prepare the meatballs in sauce, first chop the parsley and set aside. Then, tear the bread into pieces and place them in a bowl with the water.

  2. 2

    Let the bread soak while you remove the casing from the Italian sausage. In a bowl, combine the ground beef and the sausage meat.

  3. 3

    Add the herbs: parsley, oregano, and nutmeg.

  4. 4

    Also add the grated Parmesan cheese, the well-drained bread, and the beaten egg.

  5. 5

    Add salt and pepper. Mix briefly 14 until a homogeneous mixture is formed. Then, form the meatballs by taking about 20 g of the mixture with wet hands and shaping them into balls.

  6. 6

    You should get about 24 meatballs. Place the meatballs in a skillet with a drizzle of hot olive oil and brown them on all sides over medium-high heat, turning the pan to prevent them from breaking.

  7. 7

    Pour in the tomato puree, rinse out the tomato puree can with water and add the water to the pan. Stir gently.

  8. 8

    Season with salt and pepper to taste, then cook the meatballs for about 20 minutes over medium-low heat. Serve garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Ago's Notes

  • Adjust the salt according to the salt content of the canned tomatoes.

The meatballs should be tender but not too soft, and the sauce should be harmonious in flavor with the Parmesan and sausage: this is the secret to a good cooking method, one that respects the ingredients and traditional techniques.

Ago Tanfossi signatureAgo Tanfossi signature
Main Course

How much of a capolavoro is this?

Share your opinion. Ago will say it the Italian way.

Pick a hand and tell Ago what you think.

Related Recipes

Rice Arancini
Italian

Rice Arancini

Rice arancini, a pride of Sicilian cuisine: discover the recipe to make this typical street food at home, with a filling of meat sauce and ham!

Medium
Supplì al Telefono
Italian

Supplì al Telefono

Supplì al telefono, also known as supplì alla romana, get their name from the mozzarella inside, which, when melted, forms strands.

Medium
Polenta with Sausage and Cheese
Italian

Polenta with Sausage and Cheese

Polenta with sausage and cheese is a hearty, traditional dish from the mountain regions. Perfect for enjoying during the winter season.

Medium

Browse by Dish Type

Main Course

227 recipes

The main course, or secondo, holds a central place in the structure of an Italian meal.

Pasta

74 recipes

Pasta is a fundamental category within Italian cuisine, serving as the primo piatto or first course in a traditional meal structure.

Dessert

39 recipes

Dessert, or dolce in Italian, occupies a distinct and deliberate place within the traditional Italian meal.

Soup

35 recipes

Soup, as a category within culinary taxonomy, represents a fundamental component of the Italian dining experience.

Salad

15 recipes

The category of salad occupies a distinct and purposeful role within the Italian meal framework.

Browse by Cuisine

Italian212International118American29Thai12
Global Cucina

Cooking the world, the Italian way

AboutContactPrivacyCookie settings

© 2026 Global Cucina by Ago Tanfossi. All rights reserved.