Braised Italian Meatballs are a family favorite. They’re meaty, saucy and totally delicious. These meatballs will please even the pickiest of eaters. A true comfort food!
This post is sponsored by Le Creuset. I was compensated with a Le Creuset Braiser for this review but as always, all opinions are my own.
I’ve always loved meatballs. But really, who doesn’t? They’re just so good. Meatballs were a favorite meal in our house when I was growing up.
Every week my parents would ask what we wanted for dinner and every week we would say “spaghetti and meatballs!” Every. Single. Time. My family’s meatball recipe was never actually a ‘recipe’. It was slightly different every time they were made.
We’re not Italian so there wasn’t a special family recipe that was handed down to each new generation of cooks. All of you out there with those 100-year-old family meatball recipes, you’re lucky.
I pretty much had to make up my own. I’d like to give myself a pat on the back though because I think I #nailedit.
Before I get into the Braised Italian Meatballs, lets talk a little about Le Creuset, shall we? I’ve been swooning over all of their cookware for ages. Every single piece is gorgeous and every single piece is a quality piece.
There are SO many pieces I’ve had my eye on so when Le Creuset offered to send me a piece of my choice, I was OVER THE MOON excited! I got to review the 5 qt. Braiser in Cassis (gorgeous!) and I absolutely love, love, LOVE it!
Not only did I use it to make these fabulous meatballs, but I’ve used it for pot roasts, chicken cacciatore, meat sauce and more. It is quickly becoming my go-to piece.
How gorgeous is this piece?!
One of the things that I love about this braiser is that it’s huge. But not too big where it’s a pain to pull it out to use. Yes it’s big, yes it’s heavy but it is awesome. It fits 12 (twelve!) chicken drumsticks plus sauce.
It is a great piece if you’re cooking for a crowd or if you’re cooking for your family. A family of 4-6 can easily polish off 12 chicken drumsticks. The great thing is you don’t need to whip out a second pan to cook them in!
I also love the cast iron enamel. Food doesn’t stick and the cast iron heats beautifully. I have some other large pans that I used to use but the metal didn’t heat evenly. There’d be hot spots and cold spots so I’d constantly be playing around with the food so it would cook correctly.
Since this braiser heats so evenly, I don’t have to mess around with the food much. I know I call it a braiser but it’s so versatile you can even use it for sauteing. I’ve even made stir fry in it.
It’s also very easy to clean. You can hand wash it or put it in the dishwasher. Yes, it’s true! I have only hand washed it but it really is dishwasher safe.
This is, hands down, my absolute favorite piece of cookware and I honestly can’t think of a single negative thing to say about it. Actually, there is one negative… I don’t have nearly enough Le Creuset pieces in my kitchen!
I seriously want to #buyallthelecreuset
Now lets get back to the meatballs! These braised Italian meatballs are so, so good. They’re full of flavor and they have such an amazing textrue.
They get slightly crisp on the outside from frying them and they’re unbelievably moist from cooking in the sauce. These are definitely a family favorite. I usually bake my meatballs (using the same ingredients) so these are a special treat. They also cook so well in the braiser.
Whether or not you have a tried and true meatball recipe already, you definitely want to try these at least once! They’re great with pasta/spaghetti, as meatball sliders or meatball grinders. You will fall in love with these meatballs, I guarantee it.
Enjoy!
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Braised Italian Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 2.5 lb. ground beef
- 2/3 C gluten-free bread crumbs
- 1/2 C grated parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp whole milk
- 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
For the Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 1 Tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 C freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add ground beef, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, basil and garlic and set aside.
- In a seperate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, worcestershire sauce, milk, salt and pepepr. Pour over the ground beef and gently mix until all ingredients are combined.
- Roll into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. Preheat a large, heavy bottom pan and add olive oil when hot. When the oil is hot, cook the meatballs in batches by browning on all sides. Remove meatballs from the pan and set aside. Drain all but 2 Tbsp grease from the pan.
- Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the hot pan. Sir in garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Stir in diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, salt pepper, basil, parsley and parmesan cheese. Mix well and bring to a simmer.
- Add in meatballs and turn to coat in the sauce. Cover and simmer on low, gently stirring occasionally, for one hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with spaghetti and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Disclaimers
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Facts are estimated and aren't always accurate. Please consult a doctor or nutritionist if you have special dietary needs.
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