You will make these easy pork meatballs in tomato sauce recipe over and over again for dinner. The pork meatballs and tomato sauce are made with just a few ingredients, you can cook up an amazing meal that everyone will love under 40 minutes! Serve over a bed of pasta or mop up with your favorite crusty bread.
Related recipe: baked cheesy meatballs in air fryer.
Easy pork meatballs in tomato sauce
You will love these easy pork meatballs in tomato sauce recipe, it is easy and quick to make and doesn't require any expertise. It is an effortless yet delicious weeknight dinner, my family enjoys this very much.
Enjoy the succulent taste of these tender and juicy baked pork meatballs simmered in a mouth-watering yet simple tomato sauce. Not only is this recipe healthy but it will certainly leave you feeling full and satisfied!
To make this recipe you start by making the pork meatballs, it is so simple, basically adding all the ingredients into a large bowl. Then, you carefully combine them together then roll them into small morsels and then bake until golden brown.
If you're pressed for time, a more efficient option is to cook the meatballs directly in the rich tomato sauce. This allows them to absorb all of its delicious savory flavors while cooking simultaneously with the sauce. A win-win! That aside, however, you choose to cook them, make sure the meat is cooked to an internal temperature of 160F/71F.
The tomato sauce only requires 6 pantry staples ingredients and it is super quick to make. Just mix the ingredients together in a saucepan over medium-low heat and let it simmer away on low heat until bubbly and thickened.
When serving these delicious pork meatballs in tomato sauce, you can pair them with anything from potatoes, pasta, crusty bread, bread rolls, or even some steamed vegetables for a complete meal. Let's get cooking!
What you will need
To make this recipe you will need the following handful of ingredients
Pork meatballs: I have a separate recipe for this, however, I will share the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Chopped tomatoes: for a smoother sauce, you can substitute with passata.
Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated from a block is always best.
Italian seasoning: substitute with Herbs de Provence or a combination of dried thyme and oregano.
Shallot: substitute with yellow onions
Garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Pork meatballs ingredients
How to make pork meatballs in tomato sauce
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F, alternatively, use an air fryer or simmer the meatballs in the sauce without baking them first.
Make the pork meatballs: In a large bowl, add ground pork (pork mince), panko bread crumbs, garlic granules, onion powder, egg, smoked paprika, sage, salt, and black pepper and gently mix to combine. Form into small 1-inch - 1 ½-inch balls and bake them in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
While the meatballs are cooking, proceed the make the tomato sauce
Make the tomato sauce: heat up the olive in a skillet over medium-high heat, add shallot, and saute until soft and translucent. Add chopped garlic and stir periodically for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, and black pepper, and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes until reduced in size, stirring occasionally. Add half of the grated parmesan cheese, and stir to combine until it's fully melted into the tomato sauce.
Add the baked pork meatballs to the tomato sauce, and spoon the sauce over the meatballs. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 3-5 minutes and just before you take it off the heat, add the remaining grated parmesan cheese on the meatballs. Take it off the heat, serve, and enjoy!
Is pork mince the same as ground pork
Yes, ground pork and pork mince are both used interchangeably as they refer to the same thing. Pork mince is used in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, and ground pork is used in the US. They both refer to small pieces of pork that have been run through a meat grinder, food processor, or blender to create finely chopped and spreadable pork meat.
How to store and reheat
The pork meatballs in tomato sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
To reheat, thaw if frozen in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or over the stovetop on medium-low heat until heated through.
More quick dinner recipes you should try next
Pork Meatballs In Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
Pork meatballs ingredients
- 500 g ground pork pork mince (12% fat)
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 medium egg about 55g
- ½ Tablespoon garlic granules
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Teaspoons dried sage or as needed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Tomato sauce ingredients
- 2 400 g chopped tomatoes for a smoother sauce substitute with passata.
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup shallot substitute with yellow onions
- 1 Tablespoon garlic chopped
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F, alternatively, use an air fryer or simmer the meatballs in the sauce without baking them first.
- Make the pork meatballs: In a large bowl, add ground pork (pork mince), panko bread crumbs, garlic granules, onion powder, egg, smoked paprika, sage, salt, and black pepper and gently mix to combine. Form into small 1-inch - 1 ½-inch balls and bake them in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
- While the meatballs are cooking, proceed the make the tomato sauce
- Make the tomato sauce: heat up the olive in a skillet over medium-high heat, add shallot, and saute until soft and translucent. Add chopped garlic and stir periodically for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Carefully, pour in the chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, sugar (if using), salt, and black pepper, stir to combine and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes until reduced in size, stirring occasionally. Add half of the grated parmesan cheese, and stir to combine until it's fully melted into the tomato sauce.
- Add the baked pork meatballs to the tomato sauce, and spoon the sauce over the meatballs. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 3-5 minutes and just before you take it off the heat, add the remaining grated parmesan cheese on the meatballs. Take it off the heat, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
There you have it, simple meatballs in tomato sauce recipe for dinner that you can make at home in 5 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox
Leave a Reply