“Maaaam, when are we going to eat meatballs in tomato sauce again?” Well, today sweetie . I don't know if you're regularly asked that question, but here they love meatballs in tomato sauce from the slow cooker. The minced meat stays wonderfully tender in the slow cooker, which is why we like it better than meatballs in tomato sauce from the pan. But if you don't have a slow cooker, scroll down a bit, because I also mentioned the preparation method for the pan.
Table of contents
Meatballs in tomato sauce from the slow cooker or the pan
I think it's kind of comfort food, and I like that. But to make the meatballs in tomato sauce also somewhat healthy, we eat them with cauliflower rice this time. Do we immediately get our vegetables without really noticing it?
Ingredients meatballs in tomato sauce
± 800 grams of minced meat
2 large onions
3 teaspoons sambal manis
4 cloves of garlic
Splash of sweet soy sauce
1 egg
salt and pepper
Splash of balsamic vinegar
2 cans of drained tomato pieces
2 teaspoons oregano
1 bay leaf
a dash of Worcestershire sauce
Large teaspoon of Maggie garden herbs
a little (herb) breadcrumbs
Make meatballs
Put the ground beef in a large bowl
Add the egg
Add 2 teaspoons sambal manis
Press the garlic and add it
Add sweet soy sauce as desired
Add salt and pepper
Add some breadcrumbs so that the minced meat is not too 'wet'
Mix this minced meat together with dough hooks or just a large fork. When it is well mixed, you can turn it into meatballs. You need half an hour for this preparation. No time in the morning? Then make them the night before!
Brown the meatballs in a pan or wok with some butter before adding the tomato sauce. This gives them a nice color and the minced meat really retains the shape of a ball if you finish the recipe in the slow cooker afterwards.
I use this wok from WMF myself, a fantastic thing. Not the cheapest, but seriously…. nothing ever burns on it and it is still crystal clear, that's how good you can clean it.
Looking for another slow cooker minced meat recipe? Then make this delicious bolognese sauce!
How-to-prepare meatballs in tomato-sauce in the slow-cooker
During the roasting of the meatballs, chop the 2 onions
Put the onion in the slow cooker
Add the meatballs and diced tomatoes to the slow cooker
Add bay leaf, 1 teaspoon sambal, and 2 teaspoons oregano
Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce, the maggi garden herbs and a little bit of balsamic vinegar
Slow cooker 5 hours on low
Is the sauce a bit too thin? Put the slow cooker on high for a while with the lid of the pan to thicken
Enjoy these meatballs in tomato sauce from the slow cooker!
How to prepare meatballs in tomato sauce in the pan
If you don't have a slow cooker at home, you can of course also make these tasty meatballs in tomato sauce in the pan.
Cut the pieces while frying the meatballs
When the meatballs are seared, add the onions and let it fry briefly
When the onion is translucent, add the drained diced tomatoes to the pan and lower the heat
Add bay leaf, 1 teaspoon sambal, and 2 teaspoons oregano
Then add a dash of Worcestershire sauce, the maggi garden herbs and a little bit of balsamic vinegar
Place the lid on the wok and let the meatballs simmer gently for at least 30-40 minutes
Does the sauce stay too thin? Let it thicken without a lid on the fire for a while. Be careful, do not use too high a heat so that it does not burn.
Enjoy these meatballs in tomato sauce!
What do you serve with the meatballs in tomato sauce?
You can add anything of course, but as I said, this time I made the cauliflower rice. To spice it up a bit, I added a zucchini in very small cubes. Add a little garlic, fry in the wok (just a few minutes) and you're done!
What did you think?
Have you tried these meatballs in tomato sauce and made them in the slow cooker or pan? Leave a comment below, I'm curious what you think!
