Description
Tender, herb-infused beef meatballs simmered in a rich, velvety red wine gravy, evoking the cozy warmth of a classic European bistro.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- In a bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined, then shape into 12 meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs on all sides, about 5-7 minutes total. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux. Whisk in tomato paste.
- Gradually pour in red wine, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Add beef broth and bay leaf, stirring until smooth. Return meatballs to the skillet, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and gravy has thickened.
- Season gravy with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste.