Seed Oil Free Sunday Sauce with Herb-Spiced Meatballs
This is the kind of slow-simmered Sunday sauce that fills the whole house with the smell of garlic, tomatoes, and herbs — the sort of meal that makes everyone wander into the kitchen asking when it'll be ready. The meatballs are built from a beef-and-pork blend, bound with almond flour and eggs instead of breadcrumbs, and seasoned with fennel seeds, turmeric, and fresh parsley for a depth of flavor that goes well beyond the usual. Every drop of fat in this recipe comes from extra virgin olive oil, which means there's no canola, soybean, or vegetable oil hiding anywhere in the pot — something that's genuinely hard to guarantee with jarred sauces or restaurant versions. The meatballs roast at high heat first, picking up a beautiful brown crust before they ever touch the sauce, then they finish low and slow in a Dutch oven with crushed San Marzano tomatoes and tomato paste that's been cooked down to a deep, brick-red richness. That long simmer — anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour — is what transforms good ingredients into something that tastes like it's been going since morning. Torn fresh basil and a final drizzle of olive oil at the end keep everything bright and alive. Serve it over pasta, a grain, or straight from the bowl with nothing to apologize for.
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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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