Delicious, homemade, Italian style pork meatballs served in a creamy, homemade tomato sauce. Serve your meatballs over pasta and you have an amazing dinner!
When you have the time, it's so satisfying to make your own Homemade Meatballs and Pasta Sauce. It's so much easier than you think. I used pork mince to make these tasty, Italian style meatballs. But you could also use pork, beef or even chicken mince. They are a quick, delicious, family-friendly option.
How to make Pork meatballs:
This recipe is super easy to make you just combine the meatball ingredients, roll them up, fry them, then put them to the side while you make the delicious tomato sauce. Add the pork meatballs back to the sauce, stir in some cream and serve on top of pasta. I served my meatballs with fresh Linguine and loads of Parmesan grated on top.
To give my pork meatballs an Italian flair I added garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian flat leaf parsley and some mixed herbs. You just combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl then roll it into small balls. This recipe makes about 30 meatballs and serves 4-6 people depending on how hungry you are.
I'm so happy with the way this recipe turned out! The flavours all go together so well. I hope your family enjoys eating this recipe as much as my family did.
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If you are looking for more meatball recipe ideas check out my Meatball Stroganoff or One-pot Baked Meatballs and Baked Mexican Meatballs and Rice
Recipe FAQs:
Yes of course, use any pasta type that your family loves. Penne, spaghetti, fusilli, pappardelle and fettuccine would work really well. These types of pasta are great for thick creamy sauces.
No, you can use beef mince, chicken mince or a combination of two different types of mince.
Ye, once the meatballs have cooled down to room temperature. Freeze the meatballs and sauce in an airtight container for up to three months and cook fresh pasta when you re-heat it.
Yes, that is a great idea. I often make a big double batch of meatballs, roll them all up then freeze half for later in an airtight container or snap-lock bag and cook the other half up for dinner. However, this can only be done with fresh mince. You can't refreeze raw mince that has already defrosted.
★★★★★
"Delicious, even the fussy eaters praised them. Definitely going to make again. Thanks for recipe."
June - VJ Cooks reader
Storage:
Store any leftover pork meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot all the way through.
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Italian style pork meatballs with creamy tomato sauce
These delicious meatballs are served in a creamy tomato sauce, pour them over pasta and you have one amazing family dinner!
Ingredients
Pork Meatballs
- 500 g pork mince
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 handful of Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 4 Tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp mixed herbs
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 egg
- ½ cup of grated parmesan
Tomato sauce
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 x 400g can crushed tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp mixed herbs
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup cream
To serve
- 400g pasta - cooked
- Parmesan
- Italian parsley
Instructions
- In a bowl combine together all of the ingredients for the pork meatballs and roll into small balls, chill in the fridge until ready to fry. I had about 30 small meatballs.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frypan brown pork meatballs on all sides then remove and cover with foil.
- To make the tomato sauce, sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, mixed herbs and sugar then simmer for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper
- Add the meatballs back to the hot tomato sauce and simmer for five minutes turning meatballs to coat all over in the sauce.
- Pour in the cream and then gently stir meatballs and sauce until mixed in.
- Serve your meatballs on top of cooked pasta (I used fresh linguine) with lots of freshly grated Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
Notes
- To save time in the evening you can prep the meatballs during the day and keep them in the fridge.
- You can use your preferred mince meat or a combination of pork, beef or chicken.
- This sauce also works well without the cream if you just want a rich tomato sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 549Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 749mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 32g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Cherie says
Super easy. Super yum. Cumin perfect. Thanks
Candra says
Can I use regular tasty cheese instead of parmesan cheese? Or would it not turn out?
VJ cooks says
Yes that would be fine.
AB says
If cooking and then freezing. Do I freeze meatballs and sauce together?
How to reheat after defrosting?
Thanks
VJ cooks says
Yes freeze together. Defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat in a pot or pan on the stovetop.
Tushar says
How large size of can of tomatoes crushed ?
VJ cooks says
400g cans of crushed tomatoes. Thanks for pointing this out I've updated the recipe to state this 🙂
Georgie says
Could you use coconut cream as a dairy free substitute for the cream?
VJ cooks says
Yes you could, but it would alter the taste.
Lesley Rothwell says
can this recipe be frozen?
VJ cooks says
Yes. Once it has cooled down to room temperature, freeze the meatballs and sauce in an airtight container for up to three months and cook fresh pasta when you re-heat it.
Penny says
Two tins of tomatoes? 400g tins make enough sauce for an army!
VJ cooks says
Hi Penny, the tomatoes reduce down while cooking and I find this is the perfect ratio of sauce to meatballs and pasta. Personally I like the sauce to coat the other components, but if you want to reduce the quantity that's totally fine.
Jeff says
What are “Mixed Herbs”?
VJ cooks says
Are you based in New Zealand? These are found in the spice section of most major supermarkets. Mixed herbs are dried herbs commonly made from a combination of Tarragon, Basil, Marjoram, Parsley & Chives.
Susan Karpy says
Italian blend herbs.
Reece Blair says
If i plan to simmer for an hour, should i still wait to add the meatballs for the last 5 minutes or add them as soon as its simmering and leave it to sit for an hour?
VJ cooks says
Either will work. I would probably add them at the start of the hour.
Carrie Williams says
Would “cream” be heavy cream?
VJ cooks says
Are you NZ based? I use regular pouring cream (as per the picture) but I think in other parts of the world this is referred to as heavy cream. In any case, they would both work.
Lightawake says
Thanks for a great recipe. I used pork mince and mixed in duxelled mushrooms and grated carrot to make it a bit lighter. Instead of cream i used soy milk, but i think it would be delicious with cream next time. I baked the meatballs and sauce with baby spinach in the oven. Will be making again 🙂
Dean says
Hi and thanks for the recipe. Can I use can of US style tomato sauce instead of can tomatoes? If yes, what changes need to make? Thanks
Gary says
Evil! I now have to make this regularly! I had a life before making this. Now it's consumed me as much as I consume it. Thank you. The Cumin was a twist I didn't see coming but those bites into the meatballs and the flavor of the sauce complements so well.
Nik says
Can beef mince be used?
VJ cooks says
Of course.
barbara says
what's the % of fat in the cream? would be helpful the write it for people in other countries
VJ cooks says
There is only one type of cream in New Zealand but it would be the equivalent to heavy pouring cream in other parts of the world. Which I believe is 36% fat.
Geraldine Wing says
I put in a teaspoon of fennel powder instead of cumin, much more Italian and very flavoursome.
VJ cooks says
Good to know!
June Wright says
Delicious, even the fussy eaters praised them. Definitely going to make again.
Thanks for recipe.
A says
Hi there,
Can I ad carrot and celery to the sauce? If so, when would you recommend doing so?
Thanks
VJ cooks says
Great idea. I would finely dice the carrot and celery and sauté with the onion and garlic.