Nutmeg Free Sunday Sauce with Herb-Spiced Meatballs
This is the kind of slow-simmered Sunday sauce that makes the whole house smell incredible — rich San Marzano tomatoes, deeply caramelized tomato paste, and tender meatballs that have been roasting in the oven and then finishing low and slow right in the pot. The meatball blend of beef and pork gets its character from fennel seeds, fresh parsley, and a touch of turmeric rather than the warm spice that shows up in so many traditional Italian-American recipes, making this a genuinely satisfying option for anyone avoiding nutmeg without sacrificing any depth of flavor. Almond flour steps in as the binder, keeping the texture light and cohesive without any of the usual fillers. The sauce itself builds in layers — softened onion, golden garlic, brick-red tomato paste — so every spoonful tastes like it has been cooking all day, because it has. Torn fresh basil and a drizzle of good olive oil at the end bring the whole thing to life. Serve it over pasta, a hearty grain, or just with crusty bread to catch every last drop.
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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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