Freezer Meatballs in Slow-Simmered Tomato Sauce

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A big batch of tender baked beef meatballs simmered in a simple garlicky tomato sauce, then cooled and frozen in family-sized portions. Tomato sauce freezes beautifully — no cream to split, no vegetables to go watery — so it reheats straight from frozen into a proper dinner over pasta. Make it on a Sunday, eat it on three busy weeknights.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment. In a big bowl, stir the panko and milk together and let sit 5 minutes, then add the beef, egg, parmesan, oregano, half the minced garlic, 1 tsp salt and plenty of pepper. Mix with your hands just until combined and roll into 24 balls, about 1 1/2 inches each.
2. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes, until browned on top and firm. They will finish cooking in the sauce, so don't worry about the centers.
3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep pot over medium heat. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 7 minutes until soft, add the remaining garlic and the tomato paste, and stir for 2 minutes until the paste darkens.
4. Add both cans of crushed tomatoes plus 1/2 cup water, bring to a simmer and cook uncovered over medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Slide the baked meatballs and any pan juices into the sauce, cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt — season it fully now, since freezing dulls flavor slightly.
6. Cool quickly: set the pot in a sink of cold water for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until no longer steaming. Divide into 3 airtight containers or zip-top freezer bags (about 8 meatballs plus sauce each), press out air, lay bags flat, label, and freeze up to 3 months.
7. To reheat from frozen, tip a block into a saucepan with 3 tbsp water, cover, and set over medium-low for 20–25 minutes, breaking it up and stirring every few minutes until bubbling and 165°F (74°C) in the center. Thawed overnight in the fridge, it needs only 8–10 minutes. Serve over spaghetti with extra parmesan.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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