These quick meatballs are pure weeknight comfort: juicy beef meatballs simmered in a silky tomato-cream sauce and served over buttery mashed potatoes with dill. The sauce comes together in the same skillet, so dinner is on the table fast with very little washing up. It is the kind of cozy, kid-friendly meal everyone asks for again.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 500 g (1.1 lb) ground beef
- 2-3 tbsp dry breadcrumbs or 1 slice white bread soaked in milk
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp pesto sauce
- Garlic powder and black pepper to taste
For the sauce and sides:
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 250 g (1 cup) crushed tomatoes or passata
- 100 ml (1/3 cup + 4 tsp) cream
- 1 tsp sugar
- 600 g (1.3 lb) potatoes, boiled
- Butter (or milk) and fresh dill for the mash
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.
- For the meatballs: mix the ground beef with 3 tbsp soy sauce, the soaked bread or breadcrumbs, pesto, garlic powder, and pepper. With wet hands and a wet spoon, shape small meatballs.
- Fry the meatballs in a hot skillet under a lid, turning, until browned on all sides and cooked through.
- In the same skillet, add the crushed tomatoes, a pinch of sugar, and 2-3 tbsp soy sauce. Simmer briefly, then stir in the cream.
- Mash the hot potatoes with butter (and milk if you like) and the fresh dill.
- Serve the meatballs over the mash with the creamy tomato sauce.
Tips
- Wet hands and a wet spoon keep the mixture from sticking and give you neat, even meatballs.
- Do not boil the sauce hard after adding the cream; a gentle simmer keeps it silky.
- For more meatball ideas, try these turkey meatballs in creamy mushroom sauce or pasta nests with meatballs in tomato sauce, and see Allrecipes for more comfort dinners.
Nutrition: per 100 g: 66 kcal, protein 10 g, fat 1 g, carbs 5 g.