Here’s another delicious meatball recipe, and in this case, we have a beautiful mix of beef and pork which is an excellent combination for meatballs. This pairing creates an interesting blend of flavors and makes the meatballs meatier and more budget-friendly than using only beef, but also with a more intense flavor than using only pork, with a bit of a different texture and less of an overwhelming meaty flavor, if you know what I mean, of course, with a classic pairing with a nice and rustic tomato sauce.
This idea of mixing different meats is also great for making meatloaf or burgers, not necessarily pork and beef, but you can mix different cuts of beef, for example. The beauty of this recipe is that it’s forgiving and versatile, letting you play around with what you have on hand while still delivering tender, flavorful meatballs that practically melt in your mouth.
Whether you’re making this for a weeknight dinner or meal prepping for the week ahead, these meatballs are delicious and pair beautifully with rice, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up all that gorgeous sauce. Let’s check the recipe!
Homemade Rustic Pork and Beef Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
Nothing like some sweet meatballs with tomato sauce to warm any tummy 😀
Ingredients
- Beef – 300g
- Pork – 300g
- Onion – 1 Small
- Garlic – 4 Cloves
- Breadcrumbs – 50g (or more)
- Egg – 1
- Tomatoes – 3
- Worcestershire Sauce – A Dash
- Sweet Paprika – A Pinch
- Paprika – A Pinch
- Pepper – A Pinch
- Salt – A Pinch
Directions
- Start by combining the beef and pork with 1 small chopped onion, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 egg, 50g breadcrumbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Mix everything together until you have a solid, sticky dough. If it is too runny, add a little more breadcrumbs.
- Then form balls of the same size and place them in a frying pan. Drizzle a little olive oil and a pinch of salt over the meatballs and fry them until they are golden brown.
- Once they are all golden brown, add the chopped tomatoes (I removed the skin from the tomatoes, but this is optional, or you can use canned peeled tomatoes), followed by 3 cloves of minced garlic. Season everything with a pinch of salt, sweet paprika, and pepper, followed by a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes until it is to your liking.
- Finally, taste the meatball sauce and adjust the seasoning, then serve with rice or whatever you like. Bon appétit!
Make sure to properly brown the meatballs before adding the sauce. This creates a beautiful crust and locks in the juices.
Fresh tomatoes are wonderful, but canned peeled tomatoes work just as well (sometimes better!) and save you time. If using canned, one 14.5 oz (411g) can should do the trick.
This sauce is forgiving. Want more garlic? Go for it. Prefer it spicier? Add some red pepper flakes. Love herbs? Fresh basil or oregano would be amazing here.
Mix the meatball mixture just until combined. Overworking it can make the meatballs tough instead of tender, you dont want it overly packed.
Keep your meatballs uniform in size, i like to make them slighly larger than golf balls, so they cook evenly.
If you have time, let the meat mixture rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before forming the balls, this helps them hold together better.
These meatballs freeze beautifully! You can freeze them after shapping them and still raw, or after browning (before adding sauce) or freeze the complete dish. They’ll keep for up to 3 months, easy meal!
While i did serve with some carrot rice, these meatballs are also fantastic with mashed potatoes, polenta, crusty bread, or your favorite pasta.
This recipe for Homemade Rustic Pork and Beef Meatballs with Tomato Sauce was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Almôndegas de Vaca e Porco Tenras foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com
Nutrition
Per Serving: 163 calories; 8.8 g fat; 5.2 g carbohydrates; 13 g protein.Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below ;D
