Old-Fashioned Meatballs in Red Sauce

Name: Old-Fashioned Meatballs in Red Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 1 pound ground round (15 percent fat); ½ pound sweet Italian sausage; ⅓ cup plain dry bread crumbs; 2 whole eggs; 2 cloves garlic; ⅓ cup Pecorino Romano cheese; 1¾ cups crushed tomatoes

Classic Italian-style meatballs made with a combination of ground beef and sweet Italian sausage, seasoned with garlic and Pecorino Romano cheese, then baked in a simple crushed tomato sauce.

4 servings

1 hr 33 min

Published October 4, 2025

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Ingredients

•1 pound ground round (15 percent fat)
•½ pound sweet Italian sausage
•⅓ cup plain dry bread crumbs
•2 whole eggs
•2 cloves garlic
•⅓ cup Pecorino Romano cheese
•1¾ cups crushed tomatoes

Cooking Instructions

1.
Remove ground round and sausage from refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before cooking, if possible. Place bread crumbs in large bowl and stir in 1/3 cup water. When absorbed, blend together with eggs, garlic, 1/4 cup grated Romano, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
60 min
2.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Add meats to bread crumb mixture and combine well with fork. Form into 12 even balls. Lay in 1 layer in 8 x 14-inch baking dish so each is separated by about 1 inch.
15 min
3.
Stir 1/4 cup water into crushed tomatoes and season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Pour tomatoes over and around meatballs. Sprinkle tops with remaining 1 1/3 tablespoons grated Romano. Bake in center of oven until meatballs are just cooked through, about 18 minutes. Serve hot.
18 min