Sesame Free Sunday Sauce with Herb-Spiced Meatballs
Few Sunday rituals beat a pot of slow-simmered tomato sauce filling the kitchen with the kind of smell that makes everyone wander in asking when dinner will be ready. This version builds deep flavor from San Marzano tomatoes, tomato paste cooked down to a rich brick-red, and a long, lazy simmer that melds everything together beautifully. The meatballs themselves are a blend of 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 gorgeous crust and locks in the juices. Almond flour stands in for breadcrumbs as the binder, keeping the texture tender without any of the hidden additives that can sneak into store-bought alternatives. For anyone navigating sesame sensitivities, this recipe is naturally free of tahini, sesame oil, and any of the other sesame-derived ingredients that have a way of turning up in unexpected places. Every component is straightforward and easy to verify, so you can focus on the cooking rather than the label-reading. Serve it over pasta, a hearty grain, or straight from the bowl with torn fresh basil and a drizzle of good olive oil — it's the kind of meal that earns a permanent spot in the rotation.
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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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