Description
Tender, juicy meatballs braised in a rich red wine tomato sauce—perfect for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner or cozy comfort food any night. This one-pot recipe is packed with flavor and easy to make ahead.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 preferred, or half beef/half pork)
- 1/2 cup panko or regular breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk (any type)
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup dry red wine (Cabernet, Merlot, or Chianti)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Extra Parmesan and parsley for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk. Let soak until the mixture looks like wet sand (about 5 minutes).
- In a large bowl, gently mix ground beef, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, parsley, half the garlic, salt, and pepper until just combined.
- Form mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches). Place on a plate or tray; makes about 16 meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown meatballs in batches on all sides (2-3 minutes per side). Remove to a plate.
- Lower heat to medium. Add onion and remaining garlic; sauté until soft (about 3 minutes). Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
- Pour in red wine, scraping up brown bits. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, oregano, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
- Nestle meatballs into sauce. Cover and simmer gently on low for 45 minutes. Flip halfway if desired. If sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water.
- Remove bay leaf. Sprinkle extra Parmesan and parsley on top. Serve with bread, pasta, or polenta.
Notes
For extra tenderness, don’t overmix the meat. Use a good-quality dry red wine for best flavor. You can substitute ground turkey or chicken, use gluten-free breadcrumbs, or add mushrooms for variation. Let the meatballs rest 10 minutes off heat before serving for a thicker sauce. Meatballs freeze well and taste even better the next day.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 4 meatballs pl
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 22
Keywords: meatballs, red wine, braised, Italian, Valentine’s Day, comfort food, one-pot, dinner, beef, tomato sauce