Cashew Free Sunday Sauce with Herb-Spiced Meatballs
Few things hit harder than a slow-simmered tomato sauce that's been going low and low for the better part of an hour, filling the kitchen with garlic, fennel, and sweet San Marzano depth. The meatballs here are built from a blend of ground beef and pork, bound with almond flour and eggs instead of breadcrumbs, which keeps them tender and completely free of any tree nut cross-contamination concerns that come with cashew-heavy packaged products. Fennel seeds and a touch of turmeric give the meat mixture a warmth that plays beautifully against the long-cooked sauce, and roasting the meatballs first at high heat locks in that browned, savory crust before they ever hit the pot. The sauce itself is straightforward and honest — San Marzano tomatoes crushed by hand, tomato paste cooked down to a deep brick-red, and a low simmer that does most of the heavy lifting. After 45 to 60 minutes nestled together, the meatballs and sauce become something greater than the sum of their parts. Finish with torn fresh basil and a drizzle of good olive oil, then spoon the whole thing over pasta or whatever grain you have on hand. This is the kind of Sunday cooking that makes the whole week feel a little more manageable.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 cans (28 oz each) whole peeled san marzano tomatoes
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
For serving
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, almond flour, eggs, parsley, minced garlic, fennel seeds, turmeric, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined — stop as soon as no streaks remain.
- 2
Roll the meat mixture into balls about 1½ inches in diameter (roughly 24 meatballs) and arrange them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and roll to coat.
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