🍝 Polpette al sugo (Italian meatballs in tomato sauce)
Polpette al sugo are Italian meatballs of minced beef and pork bound with breadcrumbs, egg and parmesan, then simmered slowly in tomato sauce. They come out soft and tender, and the sauce takes on the flavour of the meat. In Italy they are usually served as a main course on their own, with plenty of sauce, rather than on top of spaghetti.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g minced beef
- 200 g minced pork
- 60 g breadcrumbs soaked in 4 tbsp water
- 1 egg
- 40 g parmesan, grated
- 1 garlic clove and a handful of parsley, chopped
- 700 ml tomato passata
- 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper
Method
- Mix the meats, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Roll into about 16 balls of about 30 g each.
- Heat the oil in a wide pan and brown the meatballs lightly.
- Add the passata, cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes, turning once.
- Season and serve hot with the sauce.
How to make it lighter
- Use lean minced beef and skip the pork to cut the fat.
- Brown the meatballs in the oven instead of the pan to save oil.
- Serve 4 meatballs with a large side of greens or roasted vegetables.
History
Meatballs are an old and widespread dish of Italian home cooking, especially in the south, where polpette in tomato sauce are a classic Sunday dish. The pairing of meatballs with spaghetti became popular among Italian immigrants in the United States.
Count it in one photo
Point your camera at the table — Me Nutrition recognises Polpette al sugo (Italian meatballs in tomato sauce) and every other dish, with calories and macros for each. Ate only half? Slide it.
Download on the App StoreSimilar dishes
Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →