If you want to know how to make the best Mediterranean meatballs, then look no further! A tender juicy meatball in tomato sauce, with some fresh crusty bread is one of life’s simple pleasures. So much so that meatballs are the speciality dish of many a restaurant and also a favourite comfort food in homes all over the Mediterranean.
The underlying concept is the same. Ground meat, with spices and herbs, bound together into a ball of meaty flavour.
The various flavours and ingredients in the meatball mixture have two very important purposes. Firstly, they add flavour. Secondly, and equally as important, they help retain moisture in the meatball.
Here is my version.
How to Make the Best Mediterranean Meatballs
If you want to know how to make the best Mediterranean meatballs, then look no further! A tender juicy meatball in tomato sauce, with some fresh crusty bread is one of life’s simple pleasures.
Ingredients
Mediterranean Meatballs
- 200 grams breadcrumbs (preferably from a stale white loaf)
- 1 small red onion (very finely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 4 tbsp mixed fresh herbs (parsley, coriander, thyme, basil) (finely chopped)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 400 grams minced pork
- 400 grams minced beef
- 1 large egg
- sea salt
- ground black pepper
Tomato Sauce
- 2-3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small red onion (very finely chopped)
- 2 – 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 250 ml red wine
- 800 grams tinned chopped tomatoes or pasta
- thyme (leaves picked)
- basil (leaves roughly torn)
Instructions
Mediterranean Meatballs
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
- Add the breadcrumbs, red onion, garlic, fresh herbs and the spices in large bowl and mix well to combine.
- Add the egg and the minced pork and beef to the bowl and mix until all ingredients are evenly combined.
- Season well with salt and pepper and then form the meat mixture into small golfball sized balls, and place on a roasting tray.
- Roast the meatballs for 25-30 minutes, turning once.
- When browned and slightly crispy, remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Tomato Sauce
- Heat the oil in a wide pan big enough to hold all the meatballs.
- Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes on a low heat, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and sauté for a minute.
- Add the wine to the pan and then cook on a medium heat until about half of the wine has evaporated.
- Add the chopped tomatoes or passata and the thyme and simmer gently for 15 mintues.
- Add the meatballs and any juices in the roasting tray and simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and garnish with the torn basil and serve immediately with some crusty bread or spaghetti.
