Grandma's Old Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs

Grandma's Old Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs
  • PREP TIME
    1 hrs 30 mins
  • COOK TIME
    5 hrs 30 mins
  • TOTAL TIME
    7 hrs
  • SERVING
    12 People
  • VIEWS
    25

A timeless classic, this spaghetti sauce is simmered to perfection with tender meatballs, creating a rich, deeply flavored experience that evokes the warmth of an Italian family kitchen.

Ingridients

Adjust Servings

Nutrition

  • Carbohydrate
    38 g
  • Cholesterol
    319 mg
  • Fiber
    5 g
  • Protein
    46 g
  • Saturated Fat
    9 g
  • Sodium
    1437 mg
  • Sugar
    12 g
  • Fat
    29 g
  • Unsaturated Fat
    0 g

Follow The Directions

01

Step

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add 3 whole garlic cloves; cook until brown and fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove garlic cloves; set aside. Add pig’s feet and pork neck bones to the saucepan; cook, turning occasionally, until meat and bones have browned, about 15 minutes.

02

Step

Return garlic cloves to saucepan; stir in 1 ½ cups water and tomato paste. Bring to a boil; add tomato purée. Reduce heat to low; simmer until pig’s feet are tender and mixture begins to thicken, about 3 hours, stirring often from the bottom to prevent burning. Stir in sugar, black pepper, and baking soda; simmer while preparing meatballs.

03

Step

Soak torn bread in a bowl with remaining 1 cup water; squeeze excess water from bread. Place bread in a large bowl. Add ground pork, ground veal, ground beef, and 6 beaten eggs; mix thoroughly and form into 24 meatballs about 2 ½-inches in diameter.

04

Step

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stir in basil and minced garlic; cook about 1 minute. Add meatballs, working in batches, if necessary; season with salt and black pepper. Cook on all sides until brown, about 15 minutes.

05

Step

Add meatballs, oil, basil, and minced garlic to sauce, gently stirring to avoid breaking up meatballs. Add 6 whole hard-boiled eggs; simmer until meatballs are cooked, sauce is thick, and flavors have blended, about 1 ½ hours.

For an even richer flavor, consider using homemade tomato purée.
If you don't have pork neck bones, substitute with other bone-in pork cuts like spare ribs.
Ensure the meatballs are browned well for optimal texture and taste in the final sauce.

Alfredo Schumm

Written by

Our recipe authors are passionate food lovers who share thousands of diverse dishes from around the world. They bring daily cooking inspiration with delicious, easy-to-make recipes for every occasion.

RECIPE REVIEWS

Avarage Rating: 4.4/ 5 ( 8 Ratings)
Total Reviews: (10)
  • Hayley Boyle

    A family favorite! Makes plenty for leftovers or to freeze for later.

  • Lea Harvey

    My family raved about this recipe! It takes time, but it's so worth the effort.

  • Thora Kiehn

    The hard-boiled eggs are a unique touch! They add a nice creaminess to the sauce.

  • Keyon Stracke

    Amazing recipe! It reminded me of my grandmother's sauce. Thank you for sharing!

  • Manley Leffler

    I added a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little kick. It was perfect!

  • Sheila Leannon

    I made this for a Sunday dinner, and it was a huge hit! Everyone asked for seconds.

  • Cooper Windler

    The baking soda is key! It cuts the acidity of the tomatoes perfectly.

  • Olga Smitham

    This sauce is incredible! The depth of flavor is amazing. The meatballs are so tender!

  • Jovani Streich

    I've never made a sauce from scratch before, but this recipe was easy to follow. I will definitely make it again!

  • Garland Hudson

    I substituted beef short ribs for the pork neck bones, and it still came out fantastic.

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