Hazelnut Free Sunday Sauce with Herb-Spiced Meatballs
Few Sunday dinners hit quite like a slow-simmered tomato sauce loaded with tender, herb-spiced meatballs — the kind that fills the whole kitchen with the smell of garlic, fennel, and sweet San Marzano tomatoes. The meatballs are built from a blend of ground beef and pork, seasoned with fennel seeds, turmeric, and fresh parsley, then roasted at high heat before they ever touch the sauce, which gives them a beautifully browned exterior and locks in the flavor. Almond flour stands in as the binder here, keeping things light while still holding each meatball together through the long, gentle simmer. The sauce itself is the real labor of love — tomato paste cooked down to a deep brick-red, whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand, and a low-and-slow finish that lets everything meld into something rich and deeply savory. Because every ingredient is straightforward and whole, there's no need to second-guess labels or worry about hidden nut-based additives sneaking in through a packaged shortcut. Serve it over pasta, a hearty grain, or straight from the pot with torn fresh basil and a drizzle of good olive oil. This is the kind of recipe you make once and then find yourself craving every single week.
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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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