Name: These Retro Meatballs Have Not One but Two 1950s Secrets to Tenderness
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound 80% lean ground beef chuck; 1 large egg, beaten; 1/4 cup applesauce; 1/2 cup crushed cornflakes, plus more if needed; 1 onion, finely diced; 1 carrot, finely diced; 1 celery stalk, finely diced; 3 cloves garlic, finely diced; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/2 teaspoon MSG, optional; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 3 cloves garlic, finely diced; 1 (8 ounce) can crushed tomatoes; 1 teaspoon sugar; Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 5 to 10 fresh basil leaves; Grated Parmesan cheese

These Retro Meatballs Have Not One but Two 1950s Secrets to Tenderness

This retro 1950s applesauce meatballs recipe uses cornflakes for tender texture, then simmers the beef meatballs in a simple tomato-basil sauce.

1 hr 10 min total 20 min prep 50 min cook 4 441 cal

Instructions

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1 In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients except the olive oil and mix well, but take care not to let the mixture tighten up too much. If it feels too loose to form meatballs, add more crushed cornflakes. With an ice cream scoop or wet hands, portion the meat mixture into 1-ounce (30 g) balls (about the size of a golf ball) and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
2 Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, sear the meatballs until they form a nice crust on the exterior, 7 to 10 minutes. Return the cooked meatballs to the baking sheet.
3 To make the sauce, add the garlic to the fat remaining in the pan and cook over medium heat until fragrant and soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, and basil and simmer for 10 minutes.
4 Return the meatballs to the pan and braise in the sauce until the meatballs are cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot, with Parmesan cheese on top. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!