Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Beef meatballs browned in the air fryer, then finished in a simple garlicky tomato sauce for spaghetti or bread.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 45 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g beef mince
  • 1 small onion, grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 40g dried breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1/2 tsp caster sugar
  • 300g spaghetti, to serve

Method

  1. Mix the mince, onion, half the garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, half the oregano, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper in a large bowl with your hands until combined.

  2. Shape into 20 meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball.

  3. Preheat the air fryer to 190°C and cook the meatballs in two batches, in a single layer, for 10 minutes each, shaking the basket halfway, until browned.

  4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook the remaining garlic for 1 minute.

  5. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, sugar, remaining oregano and salt and simmer for 10 minutes.

  6. Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, then drain.

  7. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 3 minutes, making sure there is no pink meat inside, then serve over the spaghetti.