Best Ever Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Name: Best Ever Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 50 min
Yield: 8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1/4 cup uncooked converted long grain rice; 2 lbs lean ground beef; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1 onion, grated; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 onions, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns; 1 piece cinnamon stick (2 inches long); 1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes, in juice; 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Submitted by looneytunesfan

"Perfect over spaghetti or another pasta, these light yet savory meatballs are also surprisingly good served over steaming hot couscous, quartered baked potatoes, or packed into a split toasted sub roll."

Download

Ready In:: 4hrs 50mins
Ingredients:: 18
Serves:: 8

ingredients

Meatballs
¹⁄₄ cup uncooked converted long grain rice
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
¹⁄₄ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Tomato Sauce
2 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
¹⁄₂ teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
1 piece cinnamon stick (2 inches long)
1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes, in juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice

directions

To make meatballs: In a bowl, stir rice into 4 cups boiling water. Set aside for 30 minutes to soak. Drain well. Return rice to bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except oil, and mix well. Form into 16 balls, each about 2 inch in diameter.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add meatballs, in batches, and brown on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker. Drain all but 1 Tablespoon fat from pan. (If you used extra lean ground beef, you may have to add oil.).
To make tomato sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to pan and cook, stirring until softened. Add garlic, oregano, salt, peppercorns and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and lemon juice and bring to a boil, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon as they cook.
Pour sauce over meatballs. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours or on LOW for 8 hours, until meatballs are no longer pink inside. Discard cinnamon stick.