Emulsifier Free Sunday Sauce with Herb-Spiced Meatballs
Few things satisfy quite like a slow-simmered tomato sauce loaded with tender, herb-spiced meatballs — and this one delivers that Sunday-dinner magic without a single additive or processed shortcut in sight. The meatballs get their body from almond flour and eggs instead of breadcrumbs, which means you're working with whole, recognizable ingredients from start to finish. Fennel seeds, turmeric, and fresh parsley give the meat mixture a warmth and depth that goes well beyond a basic Italian-American blend. On the sauce side, crushed San Marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, and a long, low simmer do all the heavy lifting — no jarred sauce, no stabilizers, no mystery thickeners. Roasting the meatballs first at high heat locks in a gorgeous crust before they finish cooking right in the pot, soaking up all that brick-red, garlicky tomato goodness. The result is a rich, deeply flavored sauce that clings to every meatball and tastes like it took far more effort than it actually did. Serve it over pasta, a grain, or straight from the bowl with torn fresh basil and a drizzle of good olive oil.
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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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