Rich, slow-simmered tomato sauce loaded with herb-spiced meatballs is the kind of Sunday cooking that makes the whole house smell incredible — and this version is built entirely from whole, unprocessed ingredients. The meatballs combine ground beef and pork with almond flour in place of breadcrumbs, which keeps them grain-free without sacrificing that tender, satisfying bite. Fennel seeds, turmeric, and fresh parsley work together to give the meat a deeply savory, almost Italian-American depth that feels completely classic. The sauce starts with a proper soffritto of onion and garlic, gets a boost from tomato paste cooked down to brick-red, then simmers low and slow with San Marzano tomatoes until everything is thick, glossy, and clinging to every meatball. Roasting the meatballs in the oven first locks in the browning before they finish in the sauce — a small step that makes a huge difference in flavor and texture. Torn fresh basil and a drizzle of good olive oil at the end bring the whole pot to life. Serve it over roasted vegetables, cauliflower rice, or just eat it straight from the bowl with a big spoon.
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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.
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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