Greek Cumin Beef Meatballs in Cinnamon Tomato Sauce

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Soft, cumin-scented beef meatballs simmered in a lightly spiced tomato sauce — the kind of big-batch dinner that actually tastes better after a spell in the freezer. There's no cream, cheese or egg-lemon sauce to split, so it reheats smooth and rich straight from frozen. Make it Sunday, eat it in three weeks over rice, potatoes or crusty bread.

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef (80/20)
• 1 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp salt, plus black pepper to taste

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp dried oregano

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, grated garlic, cumin, salt and plenty of black pepper with your hands until just combined — stop as soon as it holds together. Roll into 24 oval meatballs about 2 inches long and set on a tray.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in two batches, 4–5 minutes per batch, turning once or twice — they only need color, not to cook through. Move them back to the tray.
3. Lower the heat to medium, add the last tablespoon of oil and the chopped onion, and cook 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste, cinnamon and oregano and fry for 1 minute until the paste darkens.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes plus 1 cup of water, scrape up the browned bits, and bring to a simmer. Return the meatballs and any juices to the pan, cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes, turning them once halfway, until cooked through (165°F) and the sauce has thickened. Taste and season.
5. TO FREEZE: cool completely, uncovered, for 45 minutes — freezing anything warm is what makes sauce go watery. Divide meatballs and sauce between freezer bags or airtight containers in family-sized portions, making sure the sauce covers the meatballs. Press the bags flat, label, and freeze up to 3 months.
6. TO REHEAT FROM FROZEN: tip the frozen block into a covered saucepan with 2 tablespoons of water over low heat and warm for 20–25 minutes, stirring gently every 5 minutes as it loosens, until bubbling and hot through. Or thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat, covered, for 10 minutes over medium-low.
7. Stir well before serving — the sauce comes back together as it heats. Serve over rice, orzo, potatoes or bread, with crumbled feta or yogurt added at the table if you like.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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