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Fettuccine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce That Taste Even Better the Next Day
This Fettuccine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce is a comforting homemade pasta supper with tender herb meatballs, rich tomato sauce, and buttery parsley fettuccine perfect for family dinners.
Homemade Parmesan Herb Meatballs with Tomato Sauce and Fresh Herbs
Why You Will Love and Enjoy Fettuccine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
- The meatballs stay juicy and full of fresh herb flavour.
- The buttery parsley fettuccine balances the rich tomato sauce perfectly.
- It reheats beautifully, which makes leftovers extra good the next day.
Fettuccine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings depending on size 1x
- Category: Dinner Recipes
- Method: Easy Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
These Fettuccine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce are the kind of supper that fills the kitchen with the best smells before anyone’s even at the table. The meatballs stay juicy, the sauce turns rich and savoury, and that buttery parsley fettuccine pulls everything together beautifully.
Ingredients
Fettuccine
- Fettuccine according to family size
- 2 tbsp butter
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Meatballs
- 1.65 lb – 750 g beef mince
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1 small red pepper, grated
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 slices of bread, crusts removed
- Milk for soaking bread
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
Sauce
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat your oven to 340⁰F (170⁰C).
- Line a baking tray with foil and lightly spray with olive oil cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, add the 750 g beef mince, 1 grated small onion, 1 grated small red pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper.
- Soak the 2 slices of bread in a little milk for a minute or two, then squeeze out most of the excess milk with your hands.
- Add the soaked bread to the mince mixture along with the 1 egg, 3 tbsp parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, and 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander.
- Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Don’t overmix or the meatballs can turn dense.
- If the mixture feels too wet to roll, refrigerate it for 10 minutes first.
- Roll into medium-sized meatballs and place them on the prepared tray.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until lightly browned and roughly 70% cooked through. They’ll finish cooking in the sauce later, so don’t leave them in the oven too long or they’ll dry out.
Sauce
- While the meatballs bake, heat enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of a medium saucepan or wok.
- Add the 1 chopped onion and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the 2 tsp chopped garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the can of chopped tomatoes, 1/2 bottle tomato and basil pasta sauce, 1/4 bottle tomato passata, salt to taste, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp Italian herbs, and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low.
- Let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes so the flavours settle together properly.
- Add the partially cooked meatballs to the sauce and simmer uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes until the meatballs are fully cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly. Stir gently now and then so the meatballs don’t break apart.
- Taste the sauce before serving. Depending on your tomatoes, you might want another pinch of salt or even a tiny extra sprinkle of sugar.
Fettuccine
- Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions until just al dente.
- Drain well, but do not rinse.
- Add the 2 tbsp butter straight onto the hot pasta along with the chopped fresh parsley and toss gently until glossy.
- Serve the buttery fettuccine topped with the meatballs and plenty of sauce.
- A little extra parmesan on top never hurts.
Notes
Created, prepared, tried, and tested by Melanie
Additional Information
- Can This Be Frozen? Yes. The meatballs and sauce freeze very well together for up to 3 months. Freeze the pasta separately if possible so it doesn’t soften too much when reheated.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of water if the sauce thickens too much.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Beef mince: Use pork mince, chicken mince, or a beef and pork mix.
- Fresh herbs: Dried herbs work in a pinch, but reduce amounts slightly.
- Parmesan cheese: Pecorino works nicely too.
- Fettuccine: Spaghetti, tagliatelle, or penne all work well.
- Worcestershire sauce: Soy sauce plus a tiny splash of vinegar can substitute if needed.
Fresh herbs, Parmesan and buttered fettuccine make these meatballs special
Fettuccine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce brings together tender homemade meatballs, rich tomato sauce, and buttery parsley pasta in a way that feels comforting from the very first bite. The fresh herbs keep the dish from feeling too heavy, while the slow-simmered sauce makes the whole kitchen smell incredible long before supper is served.
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