Meatballs Marinara

Start by making the sauce. Heat olive oil in a large, deep pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent and tender, 3-5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and their juices and the tomato paste. Stir until smooth. Add sugar, the basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and stir to combine. Taste and add additional sugar if desired. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat while you make the meatballs.

To make meatballs, break up ground beef in a large bowl. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs, parmesan, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper over the top. Beat egg in a small bowl and pour over ground meat/breadcrumb mixture. Use a fork or your hands to stir the mixture until just combined. (Try not to over-mix the meatball mixture, just make sure everything is pretty evenly distributed. If your mixture feels a little dry, you may add 1-2 Tablespoons milk.)

Make 1 – 1 1/2 inch diameter meatballs and drop them directly into the simmering sauce. I’ve gotten between 14-18 meatballs out of this recipe. You may get more or less depending on the size you make. Cover sauce and meatballs and simmer over medium-low heat for 45-50 minutes.

Serve with pasta or on buns for sandwiches.