Everyone Needs A Recipe For Meatballs in Tomato Sauce!
Is there anything more comforting than a bowl filled with spaghetti and meatballs in tomato sauce? Well, maybe Mac n’ Cheese, but if I am in a tomato-y mood nothing satisfies like this classic combo.
This is our recipe for a basic beef-based low FODMAP meatball that we first par-cook in the oven and then finish cooking right in our Monash University Compliant Low FODMAP Everyday Quick Tomato Sauce. Then, it’s up to you! Ladle them over gluten-free spaghetti or stuff them into a low FODMAP roll for a meatball sub!
Breadcrumbs
I have experimented in the Test Kitchen with a variety of fillers from oats to ground oats, to dried breadcrumbs to fresh. I have decided I like fresh breadcrumbs the best – and they work wonders for this recipe for Meatballs in Tomato Sauce.
We make ours from Udi’s White Sandwich bread. First I trim away the crusts, then I pulverize the bread in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. You could also try grating the bread on a box grater. But watch your knuckles! (Speaking from unfortunate experience here).
Milk or Water?
You will notice that the breadcrumbs, although fresh and soft, get further plumped and hydrated with a soak in some liquid. My Mom and Robin’s Mom always used milk but one day I wondered if water would be as good, so we did a taste test.
Here’s what we found.
The meatballs made with milk were a bit more tender in a way that we all liked. The ones made with water were firmer, but very surprisingly tasted more of “beef”.
The water didn’t get in the way of the inherent beefy flavors from the meat, whereas the milk seemed to mute the flavor a bit.
So, it is your choice. If you are out of milk, just use water or choose whichever you like. Or do both and conduct a test taste of your own and let us know your thoughts!
Meatballs in Tomato Sauce - for Spaghetti or Meatball Subs!
Our low FODMAP, gluten-free meatballs are versatile! Enjoy with spaghetti or stuff inside bread for a meatball sub!
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes bout 25 to 30 golf ball sized (43 mm) meatballs; 8 to 10 servings; about 3 meatballs per serving
Ingredients:
Sauce:
- 1.2 L Have ready 5 cups Everyday Quick Tomato Sauce or your favorite low FODMAP tomato sauce
Meatballs:
- 1/4 cup (55g) low FODMAP gluten-free fresh breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) lactose-free warm milk or water
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions, green parts only
- 1/2 cup (50 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 pound (455 g) lean ground beef, such as 85% lean
- 2 teaspoons Garlic-Infused Oil, made with olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
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Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Have one rimmed baking sheet pan set aside and ready to use.
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Combine the breadcrumbs and the milk or water in a large bowl and allow to sit for about 5 minutes or until breadcrumbs hydrate and soften. Add egg, parsley, scallions and Parmesan and mix thoroughly to combine, then add meat and olive oil and combine well (we like to do this with our hands, but you could also use a sturdy wooden spoon). Season with salt and pepper. Roll into golf-ball sized (43 mm) meatballs (see Tips) and place on the baking sheet pan, evenly spaced apart.
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Bake for 15 minutes, then shake pan gently a few times so that meatballs roll around, allowing additional surfaces to come into contact with the pan. Bake for 15 more minutes or until they are almost cooked all the way through.
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Place the tomato sauce in a large Dutch oven or deep pot. Use a slotted spoon to scoop up the meatballs and gently lower then into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, covered, and cook for about 10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and hot. Meatballs are now ready to serve with spaghetti or used inside low FODMAP rolls or baguettes for a meatball sandwich.
Notes:
Tips
- I like to use small ice cream scoops to ensure that all of the meatballs are the same size. For this recipe I use a Zeroll #40. Simply dip it into the meatball mixture, scrape the open end of the scoop against the edge of the bowl for a perfect amount every time. Then pop the meat out of the scoop and give it a quick roll between your palms to create a nice round shape.
If You Can Tolerate
- Fructans: If you have passed the garlic fructan challenge feel free to add 1 or 2 minced garlic cloves to the raw meatball mixture.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
I am one of those who cannot tolerate garlic infused oil. I use a much smaller amount of asafoetida instead. It is a spice used in Indian cooking.
Yes we love asafoetida! Just FYI not all asafetida is gluten-free. While this is not an issue in regards to the low FODMAP diet, we just want to point it out for those also following a gluten-free diet. It will be easy to tell by reading the labels. Also, we are curious, have you tried homemade garlic-infused oil or just prepared? If you cannot tolerate homemade, assuming it is made according to low FODMAP protocol, then it isn’t the fructans in the garlic you would be reacting to.
Just made these tonight and they came out terrific! My full-blooded Italian father even approved 🙂 I used Canyon Road white bread, cut off the crusts, and used the food processor to make crumbs. I love, love that you provide weights for ingredients as it helps me feel more secure that I’m doing things “right”. I used a 1/8 c measure to make the meatballs so they were a little smaller than golf-balls so I shortened the time in the oven by 5 minutes. I thought I had overcooked them but they were not dry at all.
I am curious about asafoetida. When I was first diagnosed, I ordered a gluten-free asafoetida from Amazon but have yet to try working with it. If you have any suggestions for reading/articles/blog posts that will help me learn how to incorporate it into my cooking, I would be so grateful!
Thank you!
What a fantastic Comment to wake up to! Thank your taking the time to write us and we are thrilled to be part of your low FODMAP meals. Asafoetida is one of those polarizing ingredients. I personally am not a fan and do not use it. I can tell you that you should experiment with using less than you think the first few times. Also, the flavor does mellow from the aroma (although for me, not that much) and many people find that blooming it in oil or fat is the way to go for best results.
This recipe turned out beautifully. I used gluten-free panko crumbs.
Thank you for letting us know! Mangia!