💡 At a Glance
- •The Star of the Show: Juicy Parmesan meatballs smothered in a rich tomato and bell pepper sauce.
- •Time Saver: A quick, foolproof weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
- •How It’s Made: The meatballs steam to tender perfection in the Varoma® while the sauce simmers away in the mixing bowl.
These Varoma® Meatballs in Tomato Sauce are one of those easy, irresistible crowd-pleasers that your whole family will ask for on repeat!
The meatballs turn out incredibly tender and juicy, while the tomato sauce is rich, savory, and packed with flavor. Weeknight cooking just got so much better!
In this simple recipe, I’ll walk you through clear, step-by-step instructions so you can whip up a batch of delicious homemade meatballs with practically zero fuss.
Why you’re going to love this recipe:
- It’s a total crowd-pleaser that the whole family will love.
- It’s super quick and easy to whip up.
- It’s perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner.
- It’s completely beginner-friendly and virtually foolproof.
- It makes a healthy, well-balanced meal.
- It’s super versatile and easy to customize.
- It’s a go-to comfort food recipe you’ll make on repeat.
- It’s a hearty weeknight staple that leaves everyone full and satisfied.
My Best Cooking Tips
Oven Method: As an alternative to using the Varoma®, you can place the shaped meatballs in a baking dish, pour the sauce right over them, top with shredded cheese, and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes.
Meal Prep Tip: These meatballs are great to roll ahead of time! Just store them in the fridge, then sear them in a hot skillet with a splash of oil until golden brown on all sides when ready to eat. If you prep ahead, keep the sauce and meatballs separate—once the meatballs are seared, pour the sauce right into the skillet to warm everything through together.
Can I Make This Ahead & Store Leftovers?
These meatballs in tomato sauce are fantastic for meal prep! Just shape the meatballs, cover them tightly, and pop them in the fridge. You can keep the tomato sauce in the fridge or freezer. When you’re ready to eat, simply heat everything back up until warmed through!
This meal is super freezer-friendly, too. Shape the meatballs and freeze them in meal-sized portions. You can freeze the tomato sauce separately. Just thaw both in the fridge overnight and reheat before serving.
Delicious Recipe Variations
- Mediterranean Twist: Level up your tomato sauce with dried herbs like oregano, thyme, or rosemary. A splash of red wine and a handful of olives stirred in right at the end give it that perfect Italian-bistro flavor.
- Thai-Inspired: Swap the tomato sauce for creamy coconut milk. Stir in red curry paste, fresh ginger, and diced chili peppers for an incredible pop of flavor. Top with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice!
- Middle Eastern Spiced: Add Ras el Hanout, cumin, and a pinch of cinnamon to warm up the tomato sauce. Toss in chopped dried apricots or dates for a delicious touch of natural sweetness.
- Mexican-Style: Add some kick with chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin to turn these into flavor-packed Mexican meatballs! Serve with guacamole, fresh salsa, and a dollop of sour cream.
- Asian Fusion: Whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar into your sauce base. Add fresh ginger, garlic, and chili for heat, and finish with a spoonful of peanut butter or coconut milk for rich, savory goodness.
- Make it Vegetarian: Swap the ground meat for cooked lentils, chickpeas, or crumbled tofu. Finely chopped mushrooms, bell peppers, and zucchini work wonderfully blended right into veggie meatballs!
What to Serve with Meatballs and Sauce
These meatballs are super versatile! Here are a few favorite sides that pair perfectly with them:
- Fluffy white or brown rice
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Your favorite pasta (like spaghetti or penne)
- Warm, buttery polenta
- Roasted or grilled vegetables
What You’ll Need for These Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
For the Meatballs:
- 40 g white bread
- 80 g milk
- 10 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 garlic clove
- 400 g ground meat (ground beef or a pork/beef blend)
- 2 eggs
- 30 g grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- Oil for greasing
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 20 g oil
- 500 g tomato purée (passata)
- 50 g tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 pinch black pepper
Note: You will find the exact quantities and step-by-step instructions below in the recipe card, which you can also print or save as a PDF file.
How to Make Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
Step-by-Step: Making the Meatballs
First, tear up the bread into small pieces, place it in a bowl, and pour the milk over top. Let it soak for a few minutes.
Rinse the parsley, shake off any excess water, and pluck the leaves. Peel the garlic clove. Add both to the mixing bowl and chop 5 sec / speed 7.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with your spatula, then add the ground meat, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
Gently squeeze any excess milk out of the soaked bread and add it to the mixing bowl as well.
Mix everything for 1 min / Dough Mode, then transfer the meat mixture to a separate bowl.
Lightly brush the Varoma dish and tray with a bit of oil. Roll the meat mixture into small meatballs (about 1.5 inches / 4 cm in diameter) and arrange them between the Varoma dish and tray.
How to Make the Tomato Sauce:
First, peel the garlic and onion, then quarter the onion. Wash and dry the bell pepper, cut it open to remove the seeds, and slice it into rough chunks.
Add just the onion and garlic to the mixing bowl and chop for 5 sec. / speed 5.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula, add the bell pepper chunks, and chop again for 2 sec. / speed 5.
Add the olive oil and sauté for 3 min. / 120 °C (250°F) / speed 1.
Next, pour in the tomato purée and add the tomato paste, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Give everything a quick stir with the spatula.
Set the Varoma® in place, set the timer to 20 min. / Varoma® / speed 1, and let it cook.
Finally, stir the meatballs right into the sauce until coated, and serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley on top.
This dish goes amazingly well with rice, creamy mashed potatoes, or your favorite pasta.
Enjoy!
Note: You will find the exact quantities and step-by-step instructions below in the recipe card, which you can also print or save as a PDF file.
By the way, the prep times listed are just averages. Everyone cooks at their own pace, and sometimes things take a bit longer or shorter than expected.
Happy cooking!
If you loved this quick weeknight recipe for Varoma® Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, you’ll definitely want to check out my delicious meatballs in rich bell pepper sauce, too! 🙂
Best, Christoph
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Varoma® Meatballs in Savory Tomato Sauce
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Zutaten
For the Meatballs:
- 40 g white bread
- 80 g milk
- 10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
- 1 garlic clove
- 400 g ground meat beef or mixed ground meat
- 2 eggs
- 30 g Parmesan grated
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- oil for greasing
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 onion
- 1 bell pepper red
- 20 g oil
- 500 g strained tomatoes
- 50 g tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 pinch black pepper
Zubereitung
How to Make the Meatballs:
- 40 g white bread, 80 g milkFirst, tear or chop the bread into small pieces, pour the milk over top, and let it soak.
- 10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, 1 garlic cloveWash the parsley, shake dry, and pick off the leaves. Peel the garlic clove. Add both to the mixing bowl and chop 5 sec. / speed 7.
- 400 g ground meat, 2 eggs, 30 g Parmesan, ½ tsp salt, 1 pinch pepperScrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with the spatula, then add the ground meat, eggs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- Squeeze out the excess liquid from the soaked bread and add it to the mixing bowl as well.
- Mix everything 1 min. / Dough mode, then transfer the meat mixture to a separate bowl.
- oilLightly brush the Varoma dish and tray with a little oil. Using your hands, shape the meat mixture into small meatballs (approx. 4 cm in diameter) and arrange them across both Varoma levels.
How to Make the Tomato Sauce:
- 1 garlic clove, 1 onion, 1 bell pepperPeel the garlic and onion, then quarter the onion. Wash, dry, seed, and roughly chop the red bell pepper.
- Add just the onion and garlic to the mixing bowl and chop 5 sec. / speed 5.
- Scrape down the sides with the spatula, add the bell pepper, and chop again for 2 sec. / speed 5.
- 20 g oilAdd the oil and sauté 3 min. / 120 °C / speed 1.
- 500 g strained tomatoes, 50 g tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp sugar, 1 pinch black pepperNext, add the strained tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and stir once with the spatula.
- Set the Varoma® into position, set to 20 min. / Varoma® / speed 1, and let everything steam to perfection.
- To finish, gently stir the meatballs into the tomato sauce and serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.
- Pairs amazingly with rice, fluffy mashed potatoes, or pasta!
Notes
- As an alternative to cooking in the Varoma®, you can place the shaped meatballs into a baking dish, pour the sauce over top, sprinkle with cheese, and bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C (conventional top/bottom heat) for about 20 minutes.
- These meatballs are also great to make ahead! Just sear them on all sides in a hot skillet with a little oil when you’re ready to serve. If doing this, store the sauce and meatballs separately. Add the sauce to the skillet after searing the meatballs and heat everything through together.
Varoma® Meatballs in Savory Tomato Sauce
Click stars to rate now
Zutaten
For the Meatballs:
- 40 g white bread
- 80 g milk
- 10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
- 1 garlic clove
- 400 g ground meat beef or mixed ground meat
- 2 eggs
- 30 g Parmesan grated
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- oil for greasing
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 onion
- 1 bell pepper red
- 20 g oil
- 500 g strained tomatoes
- 50 g tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 pinch black pepper
Zubereitung
How to Make the Meatballs:
- 40 g white bread, 80 g milkFirst, tear or chop the bread into small pieces, pour the milk over top, and let it soak.
- 10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, 1 garlic cloveWash the parsley, shake dry, and pick off the leaves. Peel the garlic clove. Add both to the mixing bowl and chop 5 sec. / speed 7.
- 400 g ground meat, 2 eggs, 30 g Parmesan, ½ tsp salt, 1 pinch pepperScrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with the spatula, then add the ground meat, eggs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- Squeeze out the excess liquid from the soaked bread and add it to the mixing bowl as well.
- Mix everything 1 min. / Dough mode, then transfer the meat mixture to a separate bowl.
- oilLightly brush the Varoma dish and tray with a little oil. Using your hands, shape the meat mixture into small meatballs (approx. 4 cm in diameter) and arrange them across both Varoma levels.
How to Make the Tomato Sauce:
- 1 garlic clove, 1 onion, 1 bell pepperPeel the garlic and onion, then quarter the onion. Wash, dry, seed, and roughly chop the red bell pepper.
- Add just the onion and garlic to the mixing bowl and chop 5 sec. / speed 5.
- Scrape down the sides with the spatula, add the bell pepper, and chop again for 2 sec. / speed 5.
- 20 g oilAdd the oil and sauté 3 min. / 120 °C / speed 1.
- 500 g strained tomatoes, 50 g tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp sugar, 1 pinch black pepperNext, add the strained tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and stir once with the spatula.
- Set the Varoma® into position, set to 20 min. / Varoma® / speed 1, and let everything steam to perfection.
- To finish, gently stir the meatballs into the tomato sauce and serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.
- Pairs amazingly with rice, fluffy mashed potatoes, or pasta!
Notes
- As an alternative to cooking in the Varoma®, you can place the shaped meatballs into a baking dish, pour the sauce over top, sprinkle with cheese, and bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C (conventional top/bottom heat) for about 20 minutes.
- These meatballs are also great to make ahead! Just sear them on all sides in a hot skillet with a little oil when you're ready to serve. If doing this, store the sauce and meatballs separately. Add the sauce to the skillet after searing the meatballs and heat everything through together.
