Smyrna-Style Beef Meatballs in Cumin Tomato Sauce

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Soft, cumin-and-cinnamon-scented Greek beef meatballs simmered in a thick tomato sauce, made in one batch big enough to freeze. There's no dairy or flour in the sauce, so it thaws and reheats exactly as it went in — no splitting, no watery puddle. Spoon over rice, orzo or crusty bread on the busiest night of the week.

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef (85% lean)
• 1 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp salt and black pepper

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tsp dried oregano

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, cumin, cinnamon, half the garlic, and the salt and pepper. Mix with your hands just until even — about 30 seconds; overworking makes the meatballs tough. Roll into 24 balls roughly the size of a golf ball, then gently pinch each into a short oval.
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, 5 minutes per batch, turning once or twice — they only need color, not to cook through. Transfer to a plate.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft, then stir in the remaining garlic and the tomato paste and cook 1 minute more, until the paste darkens.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, and 3/4 cup water. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom, season with a pinch of salt, and bring to a simmer.
5. Nestle the meatballs and any resting juices back into the sauce. Cover partly and simmer gently over low heat for 25 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through (165F) and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Serve half now if you like.
6. TO FREEZE: cool completely on the counter for 1 hour, then divide meatballs and sauce between freezer bags or airtight containers, 4 meatballs and a generous ladle of sauce per portion. Press bags flat, seal out the air, label, and freeze up to 3 months.
7. TO REHEAT: thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm in a covered saucepan over medium-low for 10-12 minutes, stirring once, adding a splash of water if the sauce has tightened. From frozen, tip the block into a covered pan with 1/4 cup water over low heat for 20-25 minutes, breaking it up as it loosens. Microwave portions covered on high for 4-5 minutes, stirring halfway, until steaming hot throughout.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem