Mouthwatering Italian Meatballs in Pasta Sauce

Indulge your taste buds by rolling up a batch of my incredible and savory  Italian meatballs. This recipe is bursting with aromatic herbs and perfectly seasoned ground meat.These meatballs are sure to become a fan favorite. Whether served as an appetizer with thick crusty bread or added to your favorite pasta dish, these delicious meatballs will transport you straight to the heart of Italy. 

Key Ingredients for Flavorful Meatballs

 Ground Meat: One of the keys to delicious meatballs is quality meat.  I used  100% grass-fed and pasture raised ground beef from meat subscription service, ButcherBox. I tend to always use ground beef but there are many variations and creative twists to making meatballs including using ground turkey, ground veal, ground lamb, or even half and half of your favorite ground meat. Feel free to use the protein of your choice. 

Greek Yogurt: Plain greek yogurt is one of my secret ingredients to having moist and juicy  meatballs. Traditional meatball recipes use milk or cream but I find that plain greek yogurt adds an unbeatable smooth and rich taste. The greek yogurt also serves as a thick binder to help keep the meatballs together. 

Herbs: The fresh and dried herbs in this recipe really bring the flavor in every bite. 

Tips for Rolling the Perfect Meatballs

Have you ever made meatballs that lost their shape as they cooked and turned into a  ground meat mush? You were likely missing or didn’t have enough binder ingredients. Binders are ingredients that are necessary for your meatballs to retain their shape. Eggs, cheese, greek yogurt, and italian style breadcrumbs are the binders for this recipe. 

Once your ground meat, herbs, cheese, eggs, seasonings, and greek yogurt are combined, it is time to roll your balls. Start with uniform scoops of ground meat. I find that using a table spoon or a small ice cream scoop gets the job done. Place the scoop of meat mixture in your hands and gently roll into a tight ball. Repeat this process until all of the meat mixture is rolled into uniform round balls. It is important to have balls that are close to the same size for even cooking. 

Pairing Italian Meatballs with the Right Sauces

Pasta sauce really adds a little extra razzle dazzle to these meatballs. For this dish, I recommend using a tomato based pasta sauce, as opposed to a cream based sauce, like alfredo. An easy tomato pasta sauce recipe is the one I use for my Mussels in Marinara recipe.

 While your meatballs are made from scratch, your sauce does not have to be. If you are looking to cut down your cook time,you can certainly use store bought spaghetti or pasta sauce. To jazz up ready-made pasta sauce, try adding fresh herbs, garlic, spinach, and/or red crushed peppers. 

Wine Pairing Options for Italian Meatballs in Pasta Sauce

When searching for the perfect wine pairing, try to find wines that stand up to the acidity of this tomato-based sauce. 

Sangiovese – This medium-bodied Italian wine has enough acidity to balance out the richness of the sauce. Red Wine

Barbera – Another Italian wine, Barbera has enough acidity and fruitiness to pair well with tomato-based sauces. Red Wine

Zinfandel – If you prefer a red wine, a fruity and spicy Zinfandel can work well with the acidity and creaminess of the sauce.

These are just a few pairing recommendations. Don’t be afraid to experiment and find your own perfect pairing!

Tried this recipe? What meat did you decide to use? Leave your reviews in the comments below! Had an amazing spread and want to share that with the ChewingwithChu audience? I would love to see your masterpiece! Share your photos on IG/ IGStory and mention @ChewingwithChu! I will be sure to share them on my page.