Delicious meatballs with seasonings cooked in a tasty crimson sauce. Replace the water with milk for a creamier sauce.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 1 hr |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 30 mins |
| Servings: | 6 |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup dry bread crumbs
- ⅔ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
- 2 (10.75 ounce) cans water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- To make meatballs: Combine in a bowl ground beef, bread crumbs, milk, egg, garlic, onions, salt, parsley and pepper; mix well. Roll into 1 inch balls and set aside.
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat; add meatballs and cook gently so they stay whole and are lightly browned.
- To make the sauce: Mix together tomato soup, water, lemon juice, salt, parsley, basil, sage, thyme and cayenne pepper in a large saucepan, add meatballs and simmer for 1 hour.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 375 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 32 g |
| Cholesterol | 79 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Protein | 20 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Sodium | 1433 mg |
| Sugars | 11 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
Considering I was desperate and had a can of condensed tomato soup and half of a fresh tomato, I gave this sauce recipe a try and it was decent. I halved the recipe since I had only one of soup. I had all the herbs which I feel is important because this is the difference between sauce and soup. And I did add oregano, because I like the flavor of oregano. The lemon juice a must also to give it some acidity. The canned soup contained way too much sugar, but what is one going to do about that without diluting it much further? I already had turkey meatballs and added them during the last 15 minutes and viola’!
This was very good. However the meatballs are rather bland I intend to increase the fresh garlic and oregano yo the meatballs and sauce.
I was used to my usual, but after trying this recipe I can say I’m converted, try it out as I class it as excellent.
Just great!! Thanks will be making this again!
This recipe is great, and I make both the meatballs AND the sauce. 😉
My first time making meatballs. I follow some of the others’ advice and baked them, used less milk, and I also used rolled oats to replace most of the breadcrumbs. I would make them again, they were good.
In a pinch for supper tonight, I decided to try this recipe. My family and I did not like this at all, even after I added several spices (such as GARLIC!). It was initially very watery, bland and spicy. I added garlic, more salt, oregano, parmesan and asiago cheese, paprika…all to not much avail. If you don’t like garlic and like your sauce watery and spicy, this is the recipe for you. Otherwise, keep looking for an easy way to make spaghetti sauce out of canned tomato soup (even Campbell’s didn’t help…). I will not be making this again…sorry!
I just made the meatballs and not the sauce. After reading the reviews, I added 3/4 c bread crumbs and 1/4 parm cheese. I also baked the meatballs in the oven it 350 for 20-30 mins rather than browning. I simmered the meatballs in a jar of spaghetti sauce for 15 mins. We really enjoyed them and will make it again. Great flavor and easy for a beginner cook!
Like a lot of other reviewers, I only used the meatball portion of the recipe. I should have read some of the reviews before making the meatballs. I though the meatballs were moist and flavorful but perhaps too moist. They fell apart. Next time I’ll reduce how much milk I put into the meat mixture and maybe the breadcrumbs as well.
Meat balls were awesome! I also baked in oven at 350 F for about 30mins, then added to sause. I made the sause as well very tasty! Will make again
Made just the meatballs & my own sauce ;0) going by the reviews I changed it some but not much… used 1 sm. onion, less milk & used Italian bread crumbs also baked them… mine came out just right not to moist not to dry. My family loved them… I made a double batch & froze the one for future meal ;0)
My daughter LOVED these meatballs..and she’s a tough critic! My brothers liked them as well. I did change it up, though, as I had a larger amount of meat to cook. 3 lbs ground beef 2 1/2 cups Italian Bread Crumbs 1 1/2 cups milk 3 eggs 1 Tbs. Garlic powder 1 Tbs. Onion powder 1 Tbs. Italian Seasoning I, like most everyone else, baked them for 30 mins. in the oven and then added them to my sauce. Let that simmer another 30 mins. and presto! It was done and it was GREAT!! Thanks for the great recipe. I will definitely be using this one over and over again.
Great!! Family loved it.
I doubled the recipe and used a quarter of the milk. They turned out great. This was the first time i made them. I made my own sauce.
I only used this recipe to make the meatballs, and used a canned sauce. I used ground turkey instead of beef. The meatballs were OK at best, but were mushy on the inside. They were done (well cooked) but just had a mushy consistency. I will continue to look for a better meatball recipe.
I only used the recipe for the meatballs – entire family loved them! Thanks for sharing 🙂
The taste of this recipe was great, My husband really liked the sauce; however the sauce ended up kind of watery, so I would definitely add less water next time. The meatballs were excelent! My son ate them as leftovers the next day for lunch and a snack. Instead of parsley, I added some chopped cilantro that I had left from another recipe. Thank you for an easy, delicious recipe for spaghetti and meatballs 🙂
The taste of this recipe was great, My husband really liked the sauce; however the sauce ended up kind of watery, so I would definitely add less water next time. The meatballs were excelent! My son ate them as leftovers the next day for lunch and a snack. Instead of parsley, I added some chopped cilantro that I had left from another recipe. Thank you for an easy, delicious recipe for spaghetti and meatballs 🙂
The meatballs were such a weird texture. My bf asked if I put enough meat in it. Will not make this again.
The meatballs were the best I’ve ever had. as for the sauce I used more tomato paste, and for thickening up I added 2 tbs of all puepose flour, it turned out great; I got alot of complements on it.
sauce needs a lil thickening, and a lil extra flavour. can understand why kids like this kinda tastes like canned spaghetti sauce