The secret to perfectly tender and fluffy meatballs in tomato sauce: Add sour cream and Parmesan, and handle the meatballs lightly.
Meatballs are one of the easiest ways to use ground beef, a convenient and affordable ingredient. I always have a vacuum-sealed package in the fridge or freezer. I regularly make several meatball recipes, including Asian meatballs and cocktail meatballs, but these are the most often requested by my family. They are cooked in a flavorful tomato sauce to fluffy, tender perfection. Even the leftovers are good!
Ingredients and Substitutions
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
For the meatballs:
- Ground beef: Please use 85/15 or 80/20 ground beef. Leaner than that would result in dry, crumbly meatballs that fall apart. The fat is needed not just for flavor but also to hold the mixture together.
- Sour cream and egg: These ingredients help the meatballs stay soft and juicy. You can use whole-milk Greek yogurt instead of sour cream (but sour cream is better).
- Grated Parmesan: Use finely grated and not coarsely shredded Parmesan. The cheese acts much like breadcrumbs and helps keep the juices inside the meatballs.
For the tomato sauce:
- Olive oil: This delicious oil adds great flavor to the sauce.
- Minced garlic: You can mince it yourself or use the stuff that comes in a jar. But freshly minced tastes better.
- Canned tomato sauce: Pick one with no salt or sugar added.
- Garnish: chopped fresh parsley. Cilantro is a good substitute.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Mix the meatball ingredients and shape the mixture into 12 meatballs.
Make the sauce: Cook the garlic in olive oil, then add the canned tomato sauce and spices. Add the meatballs, spooning the sauce over them. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Remove the lid and turn the cooked meatballs in the sauce to coat. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Really easy to follow instructions and simple ingredients that can be interchanged, for example I used cottage cheese instead of sour cream and tasty cheese instead of Parmesan as that’s what I had. Very tasty. Thanks!
Jessica Patterson
Read more comments
Really easy to follow instructions and simple ingredients that can be interchanged, for example I used cottage cheese instead of sour cream and tasty cheese instead of Parmesan as that’s what I had. Very tasty. Thanks!Recipe Tips
- For tender and fluffy meatballs, handle the beef mixture lightly. Try not to overwork it, or the meatballs will turn out dense.
- If the ground beef you use has enough fat, there's no need for a binder like breadcrumbs or almond flour. In addition, the parmesan acts as a binder.
- These meatballs are mildly spicy. Depending on your personal preferences, you might consider using just ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. You can also omit the cayenne.
- Storage: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this saucy dish on top of cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or microwave spaghetti squash. Mashed cauliflower is another good choice that works well to absorb the flavorful sauce. You can use regular rice or pasta if you don't mind the carbs/gluten.
I also like to add an easy veggie side dish, such as microwave broccoli, sautéed spinach, or creamy cucumber salad.
Recipe Card
Tender and Fluffy Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Video
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground beef - 85/15, not leaner
- 2 tablespoons sour cream - full-fat
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup parmesan - grated, not shredded
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - see notes below
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Tomato Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic - minced
- 15 ounces canned tomato sauce - no salt or sugar added; 1 ¾ cup
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - see notes below
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons parsley - chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use your hands to mix the ground beef, sour cream, egg, parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper. Wet your hands and shape the mixture into 12 meatballs, each weighing about 2 ounces.
- In a large (12-inch) lidded saucepan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, about 1 minute, just until golden. Add the tomato sauce, kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne. Bring to a boil.
- Add the meatballs, spooning the sauce on top. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the meatballs until they are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Start checking on them after 20 minutes - depending on your stove, they might be ready faster.
- Remove the lid and turn the cooked meatballs in the sauce to coat. Garnish them with parsley and serve.
Notes
- If using any salt other than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, including Morton kosher salt, use half the amount listed.
- For tender and fluffy meatballs, handle the beef mixture lightly. Try not to overwork it, or the meatballs will turn out dense.
- Please use 85/15 or 80/20 ground beef. Leaner than that would result in dry, crumbly meatballs that fall apart. The fat is needed not just for flavor but also to hold the mixture together.
- The sauce is mildly spicy. Depending on your personal preferences, you might consider using just ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. You can also omit the cayenne.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Jessica Patterson says
Really easy to follow instructions and simple ingredients that can be interchanged, for example I used cottage cheese instead of sour cream and tasty cheese instead of Parmesan as that’s what I had. V tasty. Thanks
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Jessica! Thank you for sharing your delicious tweaks.
Paulina says
They turned out very tasty! Used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
I added 1/2 zucchini and 4 mushrooms finely shredded (gotta get my kids to eat veggies) and added 1 tbsp flax seed meal Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Paulina! Thank you for sharing your delicious tweaks.