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A bowl of long pasta noodles topped with beef meatballs and rich red tomato sauce garnished with basil.

Noodles with Meatballs in Sugo Sauce

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 780
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g ground beef (80/20 blend)
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg , beaten
  • 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 800 g canned San Marzano crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup beef stock
  • 400 g spaghetti or tagliatelle noodles
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade

Method
 

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, half of the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix by hand until just combined.
  2. Roll the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs, yielding approximately 12 to 16 units.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear meatballs in batches until browned on all sides, then remove and set aside.
  4. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and sauté the onion until translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Deglaze the pan with beef stock, scraping up any browned bits. Add the crushed tomatoes and dried oregano. Stir to combine.
  6. Return the meatballs to the skillet. Cover and simmer on low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and meatballs to cook through.
  7. While the sauce simmers, cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente.
  8. Drain the noodles and add them directly to the skillet with the sugo and meatballs. Toss gently to coat. Garnish with fresh basil before serving.