Tenderest Beef Meatballs (universal recipe)
Juicy, mealt-in-your-mouth beef meatballs in a hearty tomato sauce.
Equipment
- 1 Large non-stick casserole
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 large cutting board for lining up meatballs
- 1 plate for flour dredging
Ingredients
Basic mixture:
- 500 g ground beef
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp bread crumbs
- 100 ml milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Additional ingredients:
- Flour for drenching
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce:
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp granulated onion
- A few fresh basil leaves
- 400 ml strained tomatoes
- 100 ml chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Ingredients (for both beef mixture and/or sauce):
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp grated parmesan for garnish
Instructions
- Make the meatballs mixture by thoroughly mixing all the ingredients together. Take your time and mix for at least 5 minutes.
- Let rest at room temperature for 30-60mins.
- Give it another mix and form meatballs about 4cm in diameter.
- Add 3-4 tbsp of flour to a large plate. Drench the meatballs and shake off excess flour.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil to medium. Fry the meatballs in batches for 5-7 minutes, turning around to seal from all sides. Transfer to a cutting board or a large plate.
- Deglaze the frying pan with chicken stock. Scrape off the brown bits from the sides of the pan and stir them in.
- Add strained tomatoes, garlic and onion powder and optional spices, if using. Taste and adjust for salt.
- Pop in the meatballs and cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes. Stir in fresh basil leaves for the last minute of cooking.
- Generously sprinkle with grated parmesan and serve over pasta or rice.