This is a hearty sauce with both meatballs and Italian sausage. It's the perfect sauce to make if you have to feed a crowd.
Make this for a game day gathering, family or guests, or a potluck event. It's also an excellent recipe to make and freeze.
Ingredients
- For the Meatballs:
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (fine)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon parsley dried flakes (2 to 3 teaspoons if it's freshly chopped)
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 pounds ground beef (lean, preferably around 90% because they are cooked in the sauce)
- For the Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 pound sausage (sweet Italian)
- 1 pound sausage (hot Italian)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
- 3 (28 oz) cans peeled tomatoes (Italian, cut-up, or crushed tomatoes)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon basil (dried leaf)
- 2 teaspoons sugar (granulated, or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon parsley (fresh chopped)
- 1 tablespoon oregano (dried leaf)
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (grated, plus more for serving)
Steps to Make It
For Meatballs
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Beat the egg in large bowl.
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Stir in the 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon parsley, and 1/2 cup of water.
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Add the ground beef and mix to combine. Shape into small balls. Set aside.
For Sauce
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Heat the olive oil in Dutch oven. Remove sausages from casings and add to the Dutch oven with the garlic, Cook, stirring with a fork to break up sausage, until it loses its pink color and garlic is tender. Drain and discard excess fat.
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Stir in all of the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Add meatballs, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Stir frequently.
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This is an excellent sauce to use with just about any type pasta, or use it as a sauce for lasagna or a pasta casserole. Make it for a crowd, or freeze the sauce in batches.
Tips and Variations
If you prefer to cook the meatballs outside of the sauce, line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack in the pan. Arrange the raw meatballs on the rack and bake in a preheated 350° F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. Add them to the sauce and simmer in the sauce for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or more.
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Add 1 to 2 pounds of sliced sauteed mushrooms to the sauce.
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Chop 1 or 2 bell peppers and add to the sauce.
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Shredded carrot can add some natural sweetness to the sauce. I usually add one shredded carrot.