Few things hit harder than a slow-simmered tomato sauce that's been going on the stove long enough to perfume the whole house. This one builds serious depth — caramelized tomato paste, San Marzano tomatoes crushed by hand, sweet onion, and a low-and-slow simmer that pulls everything together into something genuinely special. The meatballs are a blend of beef and pork, bound with almond flour and eggs instead of breadcrumbs, which keeps them tender and completely grain-free without sacrificing that satisfying, hearty texture. Fennel seeds and turmeric give them a subtle warmth that makes the whole dish feel a little more interesting than your average Sunday pot. Roasting the meatballs first at high heat gets them beautifully browned before they ever hit the sauce, so you're layering flavor at every step. It's the kind of recipe that rewards patience — the longer it simmers, the better it gets — and it works just as well over roasted vegetables or cauliflower rice as it does straight from the bowl with torn basil and a drizzle of good olive oil.
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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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