Macadamia Free Sunday Sauce with Herb-Spiced Meatballs
This is the kind of slow-simmered, deeply savory Sunday sauce that makes the whole house smell incredible from the moment the onions hit the pan. A blend of ground beef and ground pork keeps the meatballs rich and tender, while almond flour binds everything together without weighing them down. Fennel seeds, turmeric, and fresh parsley give the meatballs a fragrant, herb-forward character that sets them apart from the standard weeknight version. The sauce itself is built low and slow — tomato paste cooked down to a deep brick-red, crushed San Marzano tomatoes, and a long simmer that melds everything into something genuinely special. Roasting the meatballs first at high heat locks in the browning before they finish nestled in the sauce, so you get that satisfying crust without any extra fuss. If you're navigating tree nut concerns, this recipe is naturally free of macadamia nuts across every ingredient, and there's no need to swap or substitute a thing. Finish with torn fresh basil and a drizzle of good olive oil, and you've got a bowl that's as comforting as cooking gets.
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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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