Italian Tuna Meatballs in Tomato Sauce — Polpette di Tonno in Salsa di Pomodoro
Italian tuna meatballs bound with breadcrumbs, parmigiano, parsley, and lemon zest, shaped, lightly browned, then simmered in a fresh tomato-basil sauce until tender, served with crusty bread to soak the rich red gravy.
Italian
Categories
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
For 2 servings
Instructions
Prep
Drain and flake 400g tinned tuna. Mix tuna with 80g breadcrumbs, 40g grated Parmigiano Reggiano, 2 beaten eggs, 1 minced garlic clove, 4 tbsp chopped parsley, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and 2 tbsp olive oil until cohesive. Form into 16 meatballs (35g each). Finely chop 120g onion and slice 1 garlic clove.
Saute
Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sliced garlic, cook 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Pour in 600g passata, salt, caster sugar, and 8 basil leaves. Simmer 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and raw tomato edge fades.
Sear
Transfer sauce to a bowl. Wipe pan clean, heat 4 tbsp olive oil over medium-high for 1 minute. Add meatballs in a single layer, brown 5 minutes total, turning to colour all sides lightly golden but not cooked through. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding.
Simmer
Return tomato sauce to the pan around meatballs. Cover loosely and simmer 12 minutes, gently turning meatballs once halfway through, until cooked through and tender. Tear remaining 4 basil leaves over the pan off the heat.
Plate
Arrange meatballs in warm shallow bowls, spoon sauce around them, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Serve with 120g crusty toasted bread alongside.
Recipes use AI and Edamam. Always check for allergens before cooking. Spotted something wrong—email us at hello@grubplanit.com.