Grandma's Old Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs

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Grandma's old Italian spaghetti sauce with meatballs is an old recipe that she brought over from Italy. The spaghetti sauce with pork neck bones and other strange ingredients come together to make the best sauce I have ever had. The long process is worth your trouble the minute you take your first bite.

Submitted by cherbear
Updated on October 30, 2024
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Prep Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time:
6 hrs 30 mins
Total Time:
8 hrs
Servings:
12
Yield:
24 meatballs with sauce
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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled

  • 2 pig's feet

  • 1 pound pork neck bones

  • 2 ½ cups water, divided

  • 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

  • 2 (28 ounce) cans tomato purée

  • 1 tablespoon white sugar

  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 (16 ounce) loaf fresh Italian bread, torn into 2-inch pieces

  • 1 pound ground pork

  • 1 pound ground veal

  • 1 pound ground beef

  • 6 eggs, beaten

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • salt and ground black pepper, to taste

  • 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

Directions

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add 3 whole garlic cloves; cook until brown and fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove garlic cloves; set aside. Add pig's feet and pork neck bones to the saucepan; cook, turning occasionally, until meat and bones have browned, about 15 minutes.

  2. Return garlic cloves to saucepan; stir in 1 1/2 cups water and tomato paste. Bring to a boil; add tomato purée. Reduce heat to low; simmer until pig's feet are tender and mixture begins to thicken, about 3 hours, stirring often from the bottom to prevent burning. Stir in sugar, black pepper, and baking soda; simmer while preparing meatballs.

  3. Soak torn bread in a bowl with remaining 1 cup water; squeeze excess water from bread. Place bread in a large bowl. Add ground pork, ground veal, ground beef, and 6 beaten eggs; mix thoroughly and form into 24 meatballs about 2 1/2-inches in diameter.

  4. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stir in basil and minced garlic; cook about 1 minute. Add meatballs, working in batches, if necessary; season with salt and black pepper. Cook on all sides until brown, about 15 minutes.

  5. Add meatballs, oil, basil, and minced garlic to sauce, gently stirring to avoid breaking meatballs. Add 6 whole hard-boiled eggs; simmer until meatballs are cooked, sauce is thick, and flavors have blended, about 1 1/2 hours.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

599 Calories
29g Fat
38g Carbs
46g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 599
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 29g 38%
Saturated Fat 9g 47%
Cholesterol 319mg 106%
Sodium 1437mg 62%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 14%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 46g 92%
Vitamin C 21mg 23%
Calcium 107mg 8%
Iron 7mg 36%
Potassium 1241mg 26%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.