
While we absolutely love meatballs with BBQ sauce, garlic butter and zoodles, or glazed with cranberry sauce, juicy meatballs simmered in a tangy tomato sauce holds a special place in our hearts. And with all due respect to meatballs baked into a meatball sub casserole, stuffed into meatball sub egg rolls, or on a classic plate of spaghetti and meatballs, some days only a bowl of creamy polenta and meatballs will do. Making cozy comfort food can take some time, but it shouldn’t leave you feeling exhausted. Here’s how I get this hearty dinner onto the table in about 1 hour:
The tomato sauce:
Italian cooking legend Marcella Hazan taught so many of us about an easy buttery sauce that used just four ingredients: canned tomatoes, a yellow onion, butter, and salt. To start this version, open a can of tomatoes and crush them with your hands, then simmer them with a peeled, quartered yellow onion, butter, and a few basil sprigs while you make the meatballs. The butter balances the tomato’s acidity and the onion adds a gentle sweetness.
The meatballs:
While the tomato sauce cooks, we make the meatballs. These tender meatballs are infused with long-simmered flavor by using a combination of ground pork, sweet Italian sausage, Italian-style bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, and garlic along with an egg and some milk. Baking the meatballs instead of browning them on the stove top creates both juicy meatballs and less mess. The baked meatballs are added to the simmering tomato sauce, and now you're ready to make polenta.
The polenta:
I love the nutty flavor of coarse-ground polenta, but I don’t always want to stand over the stove, stirring. Here, I use quick-cooking polenta, simmered in milk and water, and get a pot full of creamy, cozy polenta in about 10 minutes. Feel free to sub in a coarse ground polenta instead. Stir in mascarpone or cream cheese, more Parmesan, and some black pepper, and dinner is served.
Did you make this recipe? Let us know in the comments!
Ingredients
Marinara Sauce
- 1
(28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1
small yellow onion, peeled, quartered
- 2
sprigs fresh basil
- 5 Tbsp.
unsalted butter
Meatballs
Cooking spray
- 1
large egg
- 1
clove garlic, grated
- 1/2 cup
Italian-style bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup
finely grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup
whole milk
- 1/4 cup
chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp.
kosher salt, plus more
- 1/4 tsp.
freshly ground black pepper, plus more
- 8 oz.
bulk sweet Italian sausage
- 8 oz.
ground pork
Polenta & Assembly
- 2 cups
whole milk
- 1 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1 cup
instant polenta
- 4 oz.
mascarpone or cream cheese
- 1/4 cup
finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves, for serving
Directions
Marinara Sauce
- Step 1Place tomatoes and their juices in a medium pot. Using your hands or a potato masher, break up tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Add onion, basil, and butter to pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft, about 40 minutes. Discard onions and basil.
- Step 2Make Ahead: Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool, then store in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Meatballs
- Step 1Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine egg, garlic, bread crumbs, Parmesan, milk, parsley, salt, and pepper. Crumble sausage and pork over egg mixture. Using clean hands, mix until just combined. Form pork mixture into 2" balls (about 3 Tbsp. each) and arrange on prepared sheet.
- Step 2Bake meatballs, stirring after 10 minutes, until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
- Step 3Transfer meatballs to sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat, turning occasionally, until flavors have melded and meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Step 4Season sauce with salt and pepper. Cover pot while polenta cooks.
Polenta
- Step 1Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium-high heat, combine milk, salt, and 2 c. water. While whisking, slowly add polenta in a steady stream. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and continue to cook, whisking vigorously, until polenta is thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in mascarpone and Parmesan; season with pepper.
- Step 2Spread polenta on a platter. Spoon meatballs and sauce over. Top with basil and Parmesan.