Lazy Day Parmesan Beef Meatballs with a Quick Tomato Sauce

Some days you just want food that’s warm, tasty and doesn’t ask much of you. That’s where these lazy Parmesan beef meatballs come in. No fancy prep, no oven, no breadcrumbs — just a handful of familiar ingredients and a frying pan. This is the sort of thing I throw together when I want proper comfort without any graft.

How to Cook Lazy Parmesan Beef Meatballs

With just 180g of beef mince on hand, it needed a bit of stretching — so in went a couple of tablespoons of porridge oats. They bulk it out and hold things together nicely. Half a small carrot, grated and squeezed out, adds a bit of sweetness and moisture. Then a generous spoonful of Parmesan gives you that lovely salty kick that lifts the whole thing.

I used a teaspoon of tomato purée to help bind it all — it saves cracking an egg just to use half. A pinch of oregano, garlic powder, black pepper and chilli flakes round out the flavour without fuss.

The mix makes about eight small meatballs. I browned them gently in a bit of olive oil, then made a quick tomato sauce in the same pan: just a splash more olive oil, a good squeeze of tomato purée, a bit of water to loosen it, a pinch of herbs, salt, pepper and a little more garlic. Let it all bubble gently for 10 minutes and that’s dinner done.

It’s properly tasty, surprisingly satisfying, and you can throw it together even when you can’t really be bothered. This one’s definitely staying in the easy weeknight meals folder — or in my case, the couldn’t-care-less Tuesday dinner pile.

Here is a beef and lentil meatball recipe you may like to try. Or try this Keftedes Greek Meatballs recipe cooked in my RidgeMonkey.

As you can tell, I love meatballs, especially these lazy Parmesan beef meatballs.

This recipe is part of my Beef and Veal Recipes collection. It joins a growing collection of beef and veal recipes — from quick weeknight beef mince suppers to slow-braised veal dishes worth waiting for — all gathered in one place. Browse the full collection at Beef and Veal Recipes — The Flexible Chef's Complete Collection.

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