The recipe that turns a Tuesday into something worth coming home for

A good meatball is one of the great comfort foods — and it is entirely dependent on the quality of the mince you start with. Grass-fed beef mince has a depth and complexity that means you don't need a long list of additives to make a flavourful meatball. Let the beef do the talking, and build everything else around it.

1 hr 40 mins 4 servings Prep 40 minsCook 1 hrMain CourseItalian

Ingredients

  • 480g Your Farmer grass-fed beef mince
  • 1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs, soaked in 3 tbsp milk for 5 minutes
  • 1 egg
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated
  • 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
  • 30g parmesan, finely grated
  • Salt and cracked pepper
  • 2 x 400g tins crushed tomatoes
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Pinch of sugar
  • Fresh basil to finish
  • Olive oil, salt and pepper
  • Spaghetti or polenta, to serve

Instructions

For the meatballs

Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — do not overwork.

480g beef mince1/3 cup breadcrumbs1 egg30g parmesan

Shape into balls roughly the size of a golf ball. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides — about 6–8 minutes total. Work in batches to avoid crowding. Remove and set aside.

olive oil

For the sauce

In the same pan, sauté the onion over medium heat for 8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and tomato paste, cook 2 minutes.

1 onion4 cloves garlic1 tbsp tomato paste

Add the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.

1/2 cup red wine

Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, sugar, and season well. Simmer for 15 minutes.

2 x 400g tins crushed tomatoes1 tsp dried oreganopinch of sugar

Return the meatballs to the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for a further 20 minutes.

Finish with torn fresh basil. Serve over spaghetti or polenta with extra parmesan.

fresh basilspaghetti or polenta

Appears in

In every beef share — Mince (480g)

Your Farmer CSA grass-fed beef share — vacuum-sealed steaks, roasts, mince and sausages, paddock-to-plate NSW & ACT delivery
CSA Grass Fed Beef Share
From $176.67
Grass-fed beef mince from Your Farmer — vacuum-sealed paddock-to-plate, NSW & ACT delivery
Grass-Fed Beef Mince (approx 480g)
$14.39

What Makes a Great Meatball

Two things ruin meatballs: overworking the mixture (which makes them dense and tough) and cooking them in too cool a pan (which means they steam rather than brown). Mix gently — just until combined — and sear them in a properly hot pan before they go into the sauce. That crust is where the flavour lives.

💡 Chill your shaped meatballs in the fridge for 20 minutes before cooking. This helps them hold their shape in the pan and stops them falling apart.

Leftover meatballs and sauce freeze beautifully — portion into containers and you have an effortless dinner on standby.

Mince in every pack. Meatballs in your repertoire. Join the Your Farmer community. 🍝

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