I brown the outside, then let the meatballs finish gently in sauce. A dark crust does not mean a large meatball is cooked in the middle.
Thaw and keep the shape
Defrost the 660g pack in the refrigerator. Do not assume the old archived product's meatball count applies to this pack; check the current size. Handle gently and avoid packing them into a dense ball again.
Pan and sauce method
Heat a little olive or neutral oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning carefully for around 6–8 minutes. Add hot tomato sauce, bring to a gentle simmer and cover partly. Simmer roughly another 15–25 minutes, depending on diameter, turning carefully once or twice. Add a little water if the sauce gets too thick.
Oven option
Arrange on a lightly oiled rimmed tray at 180°C fan / 200°C conventional. For substantial meatballs, start checking around 20 minutes and allow about 20–30 minutes or longer if needed. Finish in hot sauce if you prefer. Air-fryer times need size-specific checking rather than copying small cocktail-meatball timings.
Check the centre
Probe a few of the largest meatballs and reach at least 71.1°C for the ground pork/beef (72°C on a whole-degree thermometer). The centre should not be judged by sauce colour. Serve promptly once cooked.
Serve with pasta or bread. These contain Parmesan, egg and breadcrumbs; do not describe them as gluten-free. See the sausage-meat guide if you want loose seasoned meat rather than formed meatballs.
What to make with it
For a complete meal, try Italian Meatballs & Tomato Spaghetti or Italian Meatball & Mozzarella Subs. Each recipe includes measured ingredients and serving suggestions.
