Authentic Italian Meatballs in Red Pasta Sauce

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These Authentic Italian Meatballs are full of flavor and infused with red wine for some extra zing. Braising is the key. This quick and simple recipe will give you amazingly tender meatballs and a beautifully full flavored Red Pasta Sauce in a little over an hour.

Two Italian Braised meatballs sitting in red sauce over spaghetti in a white bowl.

Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic Italian-American dish and an all American dinner staple. Every home cook needs to have a great meatball recipe. This recipe delivers perfect meatballs and great sauce every time.

If you love pasta, but are short on time; try Slow Cooker Pork Ragu. This is another budget and time friendly Italian Recipe that your whole family will love.

Make this recipe tonight!

This recipe is super budget friendly!

The sauce is the perfect thickness and sticks to the pasta making sure each bite is perfect.

Using chicken broth and simmering the meatballs in the red sauce create a rich, full flavored sauce in less time.

Serve over pasta and have dinner, just like Nonna made, in a snap.

Ingredients

Ground Beef– First, start by choosing higher fat ground beef. Don’t try to get calorie conscience; use 80/20 ground beef. The extra fat is going to help get a smooth texture and retain moisture.
Italian Sausage– I use one pound of ground beef and ¼ pound of Italian sausage. Choose your favorite sausage.

Butter– Butter Clarifies the sauce and cuts acidity of the canned tomatoes
Sugar– A small amount balances the acidity of the tomatoes.

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, sausage, Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, red wine, and dry spices. Mix together thoroughly.

meatball ingredients in a large glass bowl

Heat a large saucepan on medium high.
Form the meat into 12 balls. Roll the meatballs between your palms until they are smooth and round.

Add olive oil to your saucepan.
Brown the meatballs on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Start making the sauce in the same pan using the drippings from the meatballs.
Add diced yellow onion to the pan. Cook until softened. Then add minced garlic.

Add red wine and deglaze the pan using. Use a wooden or silicone spoon to scrape up all of the stuck on bits from frying.
Let the wine reduce by half.
Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, butter, and sugar to the pan.
Season with dry spices.
Bring the sauce to a low simmer.

Place the browned meatballs into the sauce and let simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, turn the meatballs. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes.

Place the browned meatballs into the sauce and let simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, turn the meatballs. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes.
Serve the meatballs in sauce over spaghetti or your favorite pasta.

FAQs

Can I use link sausage in place of ground?

Absolutely! You can use link sausage for this recipe. Simply remove the casings from 1-2 links.

Can I substitute bouillon cubes for chicken broth?

You can a substitute bouillon cube for chicken broth. Be sure to add one cup of water as well.

How do I stop the meatballs from sticking to my hands as I roll them?

Wet your hands with some water to keep the meat from sticking to your palms while you roll the meatballs.

Tips

When you buy dry spices, switch from powdered to granulated. Powdered products lack the intensity of granulated products and can clump. If you only have powdered, you can still make the recipe, but you may need more to get the full flavor.

Choose a saucepan with a heavy and wide bottom to prevent burning.

Choose a higher fat 80/20 ground beef. The extra fat is going to help get a smooth texture and retain moisture.

Adding Seasoned Italian Sausage instead of plain ground pork is a cost conscious way to add unique Italian flavors like anise and rubbed sage to this recipe without adding clutter to your spice cabinet.