HEALTHIER ITALIAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE WITH MEATBALLS

Healthier Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs image

We added carrot and fresh garlic to this spaghetti sauce, and even made the meatballs healthier by using whole wheat breadcrumbs and fresh parsley. We suggest serving over the whole grain pasta of your choice.

Provided by MakeItHealthy

Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian

Time 2h20m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil
2 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 bay leaf
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 basil leaves, torn, plus additional for sprinkling on top

Steps:

Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 clove garlic, and beaten egg in a large bowl. Mix well and form into 12 balls. Store covered in refrigerator until needed.
Cook and stir onion, 5 cloves garlic, and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until onions are translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar, and bay leaf. Cover with lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 60 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, basil, and meatballs. Simmer on low heat until meatballs are cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 373.9 calories, Carbohydrate 29.1 g, Cholesterol 81.3 mg, Fat 20.7 g, Fiber 5.7 g, Protein 21.5 g, SaturatedFat 5.5 g, Sodium 1552.1 mg, Sugar 11.3 g