Healthier Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 basil leaves, torn, plus additional for sprinkling on top

Directions

Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 clove garlic, and beaten egg in a large bowl. Mix well and form into 12 balls. Store covered in refrigerator until needed.

Cook and stir onion, 5 cloves garlic, and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until onions are translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar, and bay leaf. Cover with lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 60 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, basil, and meatballs. Simmer on low heat until meatballs are cooked through, about 30 minutes.