The Ultimate Holiday Meatballs Tomato Sauce: A Festive Family Favourite

Are you looking for a dish that truly captures the spirit of the festive season? Something that gathers everyone around the table, fills your home with a wonderful aroma, and feels like pure comfort in a bowl? We think we have the perfect answer. A pot of beautifully tender meatballs, gently simmering in a deep, flavourful tomato sauce, is hard to beat. This recipe is more than just dinner; it’s a centrepiece for your celebration and the heart of a warm, memorable get-together. Our take on Holiday Meatballs Tomato Sauce is designed to be wonderfully simple, completely delicious, and a stress-free highlight of your festive cooking.

Whether you’re hosting a laid-back gathering or a more traditional christmas eve dinner, this recipe rises to the occasion. It’s a beloved classic for good reason. The pairing of succulent, well-seasoned meatballs with a rich tomato sauce is simply timeless. We’ve perfected this recipe to guarantee that every meatball is perfectly moist and the sauce has a fantastic depth of flavour that will have everyone coming back for more. Let’s head to the kitchen and create a dish destined to become a cherished holiday tradition.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Perfect for Making Ahead: We know how busy the festive period can be. This dish is a lifesaver because you can prepare it a day or two in advance. The flavours actually improve overnight as they meld together, making it even more delicious when you reheat it!
• A True Crowd-Pleaser: From the youngest to the oldest guest, who doesn’t love a good meatball? It’s a comforting and familiar meal that feels special enough for a celebration while being wonderfully easy to enjoy.
• Incredibly Versatile: You can serve these meatballs as a main course over pasta or creamy polenta, spoon them into crusty rolls for festive sandwiches, or offer them on their own with cocktail sticks as a fabulous party appetiser.
• Simple, Wholesome Ingredients: We rely on accessible, good-quality ingredients to craft a dish that is both nourishing and full of flavour. You won’t find any complex techniques here—just honest, heartfelt cooking.
• Creates a Festive Atmosphere: The gentle bubbling of the sauce on the hob and the magnificent aroma that wafts through the kitchen are all part of the holiday magic. It’s the kind of cooking that makes a house feel like a warm, welcoming home.

Ingredients

• lean beef mince
• pork mince
• fresh breadcrumbs
• whole milk
• Parmesan cheese
• fresh parsley
• dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• tins of chopped tomatoes
• beef or vegetable stock
• fresh basil leaves

Crafting Your Holiday Meatballs: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making these sensational holiday meatballs is a truly enjoyable process. We’ve organised it into three straightforward stages: shaping the meatballs, preparing the sauce, and finally, bringing it all together in perfect harmony. Follow our guide, and you’ll have an impressive dish ready in no time.

Step 1: Forming the Perfect Meatballs

The key to exceptionally tender and juicy meatballs is all in the preparation. It’s important to be gentle with the mixture, as overworking it can make the final result tough.

1. Soak the Breadcrumbs: In a spacious mixing bowl, stir together the fresh breadcrumbs and the milk. Allow this to stand for 5-10 minutes, giving the breadcrumbs time to absorb the liquid completely. This is our little trick for achieving incredibly moist meatballs!
2. Combine the Ingredients: To the bowl with the soaked breadcrumbs, add the beef mince, pork mince, beaten egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, and a good seasoning of salt and pepper.
3. Mix Gently: Use your hands—they’re the best tool for this job—to gently combine all the ingredients until they are just incorporated. Take care not to overmix, as this can lead to dense, firm meatballs.
4. Shape and Chill: Form the mixture into evenly sized meatballs, roughly the size of a golf ball. This should yield about 20-24 meatballs. Arrange them on a tray, cover, and place them in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes. Chilling helps them maintain their shape beautifully during cooking.

Step 2: Simmering the Rich Tomato Sauce

While your meatballs are chilling, it’s time to start on the heart and soul of the dish: the rich, aromatic tomato sauce. A truly great sauce benefits from a little time, but the resulting depth of flavour is well worth it.

1. Sauté the Aromatics: Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan or Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s soft and translucent. Tip in the sliced garlic and dried oregano, and cook for one more minute until fragrant.
2. Build the Sauce: Pour in the two tins of chopped tomatoes along with the stock. If your tinned tomatoes seem a bit acidic, you can add the optional sugar. Stir everything together well and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Simmer for Flavour: Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat down to low. Cover the pan and let it cook for at least 20-30 minutes. This slow simmer is crucial for allowing the flavours to marry and the sauce to thicken nicely. For more tips on selecting tinned tomatoes, this guide from BBC Good Food offers excellent advice.

Step 3: Bringing It All Together

And now for the final, most rewarding part. We’re going to cook the meatballs and let them finish their journey in that beautiful tomato bath.

1. Brown the Meatballs: In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium-high heat. To avoid overcrowding the pan, work in batches, carefully browning the meatballs on all sides. They don’t need to be cooked through yet; we are simply developing a delicious, flavourful crust. As they brown, transfer them to a separate plate.
2. Simmer in the Sauce: Carefully lower the browned meatballs one by one into the simmering tomato sauce. Give them a gentle stir to ensure they are all coated.
3. The Final Simmer: Return the lid to the pan, leaving it slightly ajar. Allow the meatballs to simmer gently in the sauce for 25-30 minutes, or until they are fully cooked through and wonderfully tender. Just before serving, stir through the torn fresh basil leaves.

Serving Suggestions and Festive Pairings

One of the finest qualities of this recipe is its adaptability, which makes it one of our favourite christmas dinner ideas. You can easily tailor it to fit any gathering, from a sophisticated sit-down dinner to a relaxed buffet spread.

• Classic Pasta: There’s nothing quite like serving these meatballs and sauce over a generous helping of spaghetti, tagliatelle, or rigatoni. A final flourish of extra Parmesan cheese is a must! It’s a comforting classic that always hits the mark. For a different yet equally festive pasta dish, our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe is another winner.
• Creamy Polenta: For a more elegant, gluten-free pairing, serve the meatballs atop a bed of soft, creamy polenta. The buttery richness of the polenta provides a beautiful contrast to the tangy tomato sauce.
• Crusty Bread: Sometimes, the simplest approach is the most satisfying. Present the meatballs in a large serving bowl with plenty of fresh, crusty bread alongside for mopping up every last bit of that incredible sauce.
• Meatball Sub Sandwiches: This is a brilliant idea for a relaxed Boxing Day lunch. Simply load the meatballs and sauce into split sub rolls, top with a slice of mozzarella, and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• As an Appetiser: If you’re seeking an alternative to our popular Bruschetta Chicken, shape the meatballs into smaller, bite-sized portions and serve them with cocktail sticks for the perfect party food.

FAQ

Your New Holiday Tradition Awaits

We genuinely feel this Holiday Meatballs Tomato Sauce recipe has all the makings of a new festive staple. It’s a dish that delivers deep comfort and fantastic flavour, bringing a special sense of occasion to any meal. It’s wonderfully forgiving for the home cook and an absolute delight for your guests—the perfect recipe for a joyful, stress-free celebration.

So this year, why not start a delicious new tradition? Gather your family and friends, put on some festive tunes, and let the wonderful aroma of simmering meatballs fill your home. We’re so excited for you to try this recipe. If you make it, we would love for you to leave a comment below and tell us how you got on. Happy cooking!

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Prep: 25 mins (+ 30 mins chilling)
Cook: 1 hr 10 mins
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 250g lean beef mince
• 250g pork mince
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp dried oregano, divided
• 5 cloves garlic (2 minced for meatballs, 3 sliced for sauce)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 x 400g (14.5 oz) tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup beef or vegetable stock
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)
• Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn

Instructions

1. Prepare Meatballs: In a large bowl, soak breadcrumbs in milk for 5-10 minutes. Add the beef and pork mince, beaten egg, Parmesan, chopped parsley, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 minced garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Form into 20-24 golf ball-sized meatballs, place on a tray, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
2. Make Sauce: While meatballs chill, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the 3 sliced garlic cloves and the remaining 1 tsp oregano; cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, stock, and optional sugar. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20-30 minutes.
3. Combine and Cook: Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the chilled meatballs on all sides. Carefully transfer the browned meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce. Cover the pan (leaving it slightly ajar) and allow to simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, or until the meatballs are tender and cooked through. Stir in the torn fresh basil leaves just before serving.