Grass-Fed Beef Meatballs in Rich Tomato Sauce

  📦 Cut: Mince (480g) — All Packs 

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.

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.

The Recipe: Grass-Fed Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Meatball 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

Sauce Ingredients:

•     2 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

Method — Meatballs:

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

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

3.   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.

Method — Sauce:

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

2.   Add the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.

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

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

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

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. 🍝