Nancy's Meatball Sauce Mix
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A hearty sauce with meatballs and sausage, simmered long for deep flavor. Fresh basil, slow-cooked tomatoes, and a mix of beef and veal in the meatballs, soaked bread for moisture. Olive oil and garlic start the sauce and brown the balls. Sliced sausage joins the sauce midway. Time for simmering adjusted slightly. A touch of oregano replaces bay leaf. White wine added for acidity. Serves around 6-8. Perfect for long pasta strands.
Prep:
55 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
6-8 servings
#Italian
#meatballs
#slow cooking
#tomato sauce
#sausage
#basil
#pasta sauce
Garlic and oil sizzle in the pot. Tomatoes crushed roughly by hand. Long wait for the sauce to deepen. Sausages blanched, sliced thin and tucked in later. Bread soaks tight. Meatballs mix beef and veal, with a touch of extra garlic. Eggs hold all together. Cheese and parsley add punch. Brown balls in gooey olive oil. Simmer sauce slow, little by little. Basil hits last, bright and fresh. Pasta waits. This mix isn’t fancy but strong in flavor. Watch the sauce bubble, smell rising. Time is key, patience better than hurry. Sauce thick, meat tender, layered taste.
Ingredients
SAUCE
- 5 gousses d'ail, finement hachées
- 25 ml (1 1/2 c. à soupe) huile d'olive
- 2 boîtes de 680 ml (24 oz) tomates italiennes entières
- 3 boîtes de 142 ml (5 oz) pâte de tomate
- 1,1 litre (4 1/3 tasses) eau
- 15 ml (1 c. à soupe) vinaigre de vin blanc
- 1 branche de thym frais
- 1 feuille d'origan frais
- 3 saucisses italiennes douces
- 100 ml (1/3 tasse) basilic frais, ciselé
- Sel et poivre noir moulu
BOULETTES
- 600 ml (2 1/2 tasses) cubes de mie de pain
- 200 ml (3/4 tasse + 1 c. à soupe) eau très chaude
- 800 g (1 3/4 lb) boeuf haché
- 650 g (1 1/2 lb) veau haché
- 4 gousses d'ail, hachées
- 4 oeufs
- 140 ml (2/3 tasse) parmigiano reggiano, râpé
- 80 ml (1/3 tasse) persil frais, ciselé
- 12 ml (2 1/2 c. à thé) sel
- Poivre noir fraîchement moulu
- 70 ml (1/3 tasse) huile d'olive
About the ingredients
Adjust water slightly depending on tomato juice. Bread cubes soaked longer trap more moisture but be careful not to get soggy. Oregano replaces bay leaf to add herbal depth, fresh if possible. White wine vinegar swaps for laurel for subtle acidity, balancing rich tomatoes. Use sweet Italian sausages, but spiced fine if preferred. Fresh basil folded in last keeps flavor sharp and green. Parmigiano grated fresh makes bigger difference. More persil gives bold, fresh green note. Olive oil divided between sauce start and meatball frying keeps flavor joined. Garlic quantities reduced in sauce to avoid bitterness but bumped for meatballs to keep pungent notes present.
Method
SAUCE
- 1. Chauffer l'huile d'olive dans une grande casserole. Y faire frire l'ail 1 minute, juste assez pour libérer l'arôme sans brûler.
- 2. Ajouter les tomates italiennes. Casser les tomates avec une cuillère en bois ou les mains, grossièrement.
- 3. Mettre la pâte de tomate, l'eau, le vinaigre blanc, la feuille d'origan et la branche de thym. Saler, poivrer.
- 4. Porter à ébullition, puis diminuer le feu et laisser mijoter doucement pendant environ 50 minutes, à découvert.
- 5. Pendant ce temps, plonger les saucisses dans de l'eau frémissante 6 minutes. Égoutter, laisser tiédir et découper en tranches fines (1 cm). Réserver.
BOULETTES
- 6. Mettre la mie de pain dans l'eau très chaude pour 3 minutes. Presser pour enlever l'excès d'eau.
- 7. Dans un grand bol, mélanger la mie de pain égouttée, le boeuf, le veau, ail, oeufs, fromage, persil, sel et poivre.
- 8. Former des boulettes avec environ 40 ml (2 1/2 c. à soupe) de pâte chacune. Déposer sur un plateau.
- 9. Dans une poêle, chauffer 15 ml (1 c. à soupe) d'huile d'olive. Faire dorer les boulettes par lot, 10 à 12 minutes, en tournant pour une saisie uniforme.
- 10. Transférer les boulettes dorées dans la sauce. Ajouter les tranches de saucisse.
- 11. Laisser mijoter doucement 1 h 10, couper le feu et retirer la branche de thym et la feuille d'origan.
- 12. Ajouter le basilic frais. Remettre à mijoter 15 minutes.
- 13. Goûter. Ajuster sel, poivre. Servir sur pâtes longues (spaghetti, linguine).
Cooking tips
Start with sauce base, garlic softened but never browned to prevent bitterness. Crushed whole tomatoes give texture and slow cook into deeper flavor than puree. Blend pasta sauce ingredients and simmer uncovered for better reduction, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. Sausages precooked for safety and flavor, sliced carefully to keep neat pieces. Meatball mix requires quick hands for gentle blending, enough to bind without compacting meat excessively. Let balls sit briefly before frying so shape stays firm during cooking. Pan-fry in small batches, oil refreshed, to ensure even browning and crisp exterior. Add balls and sausage slices together into sauce for layered flavors; long gentle simmer to tenderize meatballs and meld tastes. Basil added close to end preserves freshness and color. Final seasoning check mandatory. Serve immediately on hot pasta strands for best mouthfeel.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start garlic in oil super low heat. Avoid browning or burning. Releases aroma but no bitterness. Crucial for deep flavor without harshness. Stir constantly, one minute max. Use fresh garlic chopped fine for best result. Sauté only till fragrant. Timing matter a lot here. Then add whole tomatoes quickly.
- 💡 Blanch sausages first. Water just below boiling. Exactly six minutes. Removes excess fat surfaces, firms texture. Cool before slicing. Thin slices, about 1 cm. Keeps shape when cooking longer in sauce. Skip this step, slice raw sausages, meat may fall apart or get greasy layers inside sauce.
- 💡 Bread soak critical step. Cubes immersed in very hot water. Three minutes max. Then press firmly to remove too much water. Moist but not soggy. Bread moisture key for meatball tenderness inside. Longer soak traps more liquid but leads to dense balls. Balance moist vs compact for best meatball texture.
- 💡 Brown meatballs in olive oil over medium heat. Use fresh oil for each batch. Avoid overcrowding pan, keep temp steady so crust forms well. Ten to twelve minutes total, turn often for even color. Don't overwork meat or mix too long to keep texture light. Let rest briefly after forming before frying to retain shape.
- 💡 Add basil last, after simmer is mostly done. Keeps bright green color and fresh herb aroma. Stir in gently, low heat only, about 15 minutes. Oregano and thyme simmer long for deep herbal notes. White wine vinegar added early instead of bay leaf to balance tomato richness with subtle acidity. Adjust salt and pepper after.
- 💡 Simmer uncovered for better reduction. Water amount flexible depending on juice from tomatoes. Adjust during cooking by watching consistency, stir to prevent sticking bottom. Long simmer tenderizes meatballs, infuses sauce with layered flavors. Check seasoning near end. Sauce thickens noticeably after almost 3 hours total cooking.
Common questions
Why blanch sausages first?
Removes excess fat. Firms meat. Prevents break apart during simmering. Makes slices neater. Skipping leads to greasy sauce or crumbled sausage bits. Six minutes water less than boiling. Cool before slicing for best shape.
Can I substitute white wine vinegar?
Yes. Use apple cider vinegar or mild red wine vinegar. Keep acidity balanced. Avoid harsh tastes. Vinegar added early to cut tomato sweetness. Don’t skip completely or sauce lacks brightness. Adjust to taste after simmer.
What if meatballs fall apart?
Possible reasons: meat too loose, bread too wet or dry, not enough eggs or cheese. Mix gently but thoroughly. Form balls and let sit before frying to set shape. Brown well on all sides. Avoid overcrowding pan or high heat fluctuations.
How to store leftovers?
Cool sauce quickly then fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze in airtight container 2-3 months max. Reheat slowly to avoid drying meatballs. Long pasta? Cook fresh; sauce reheats well but pasta can overcook. Stir occasionally while warming.
