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Italian Tomato Sauce with Meatballs and Sausage

Italian Tomato Sauce with Meatballs and Sausage prepared dish

Tender beef-and-pork meatballs and browned italian sausage simmer slowly in a rich tomato sauce with garlic, basil, and parmesan. This hearty italian-american dinner is ideal for serving over pasta or with crusty bread.

This recipe is italian style, dinner, scaled for 6 servings, with 30 min prep and 90 min cook.

Prep: 30 min · Cook: 90 min · Total: 120 min · Serves: 6

Quick cooking notes

  • Core ingredients include dried oregano, fresh basil leaves, olive oil, italian sausage links.
  • Follow all 14 steps in order for the intended texture and doneness.
  • Ingredient quantities listed below are for 6 servings.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves (torn)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb italian sausage links (sweet or hot)
  • 0.75 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • 0.75 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 lb ground beef (80 to 85 percent lean)
  • 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt (divided)
  • 0.5 cup water
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese (finely grated)
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 0.25 cup flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped)
  • 0.33 cup whole milk
  • 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
  • 56 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 15 oz tomato puree
  • 0.5 lb ground pork
  • 6 cloves garlic (minced)

Instructions

  1. Clear a large work area, place a clean cutting board beside a large mixing bowl, and keep the raw ground beef, ground pork, and sausage separate from ready-to-eat ingredients; wash your hands, knife, board, and any surfaces with hot soapy water after handling raw meat.
  2. Combine 0.75 cup fresh breadcrumbs and 0.33 cup whole milk in the large mixing bowl, then let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 minutes until the crumbs are evenly moistened and soft.
  3. Add 1 lb ground beef, 0.5 lb ground pork, 1 lightly beaten large egg, 0.5 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, 0.25 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, 2 cloves minced garlic, 0.75 tsp kosher salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper to the soaked breadcrumbs, then mix gently with clean hands for about 1 minute until just combined without compacting the meat.
  4. Shape the mixture into 18 meatballs, each about 2 tbsp, and arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet; refrigerate the meatballs for 10 minutes so they firm slightly and hold their shape during browning.
  5. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a 6- to 7-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes, then add the Italian sausage links in a single layer and brown them for 8 to 10 minutes, turning with tongs until all sides are deep golden but the centers are not necessarily fully cooked.
  6. Transfer the browned sausage links to a clean plate, reduce the heat to medium, and add the meatballs to the Dutch oven in two batches; cook each batch for 5 to 6 minutes, turning gently with tongs until browned on several sides, then transfer the browned meatballs to the plate with the sausage.
  7. Pour off all but about 2 tbsp of fat from the Dutch oven, add 1 finely chopped medium yellow onion, and cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the onion is translucent and lightly golden at the edges.
  8. Add the remaining 4 cloves minced garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1.5 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes if using, the remaining 0.75 tsp kosher salt, and the remaining 0.25 tsp black pepper to the Dutch oven; cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the garlic smells fragrant.
  9. Stir in 56 oz crushed tomatoes, 15 oz tomato puree, and 0.5 cup water, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven with the wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits, then bring the sauce to a gentle boil over medium-high heat in 6 to 8 minutes.
  10. Reduce the heat to low, return the browned sausage links and meatballs with any accumulated juices to the sauce, and nestle them in so they are mostly submerged; cover the Dutch oven with the lid slightly ajar and simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring carefully every 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the meatballs stay intact.
  11. Remove one sausage link and one meatball with clean tongs and check them with an instant-read thermometer; the sausage and meatballs must each register at least 160°F (71°C) in the center, and the meat should be firm with no raw pink center before serving.
  12. If the sauce is thinner than desired, uncover the Dutch oven and simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon; if it becomes too thick, stir in 2 to 3 tbsp water.
  13. Turn off the heat, stir in 0.25 cup torn fresh basil leaves, and let the sauce, meatballs, and sausage rest in the covered Dutch oven for 5 minutes so the juices settle and the flavors round out.
  14. Slice the sausage links into large pieces if desired, then ladle the tomato sauce, meatballs, and sausage into warm shallow bowls or over cooked pasta, making sure each serving includes sauce, meatballs, and sausage.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories: 626
  • Protein: 35 g
  • Fat: 42 g
  • Carbohydrates: 29 g
  • Fiber: 7 g
  • Sugar: 15 g
  • Sodium: 1235 mg

Nutrition values are estimates based on stored ingredient totals and serving size.

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