Two Meatballs in One

Ingredients

• Small Meatballs:
• 4 sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 cup water, or as needed
• Large Meatballs:
• 2 1/4 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Sauce:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 sweet onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

Form pork sausage into small 1/2-inch meatballs using a small scoop. Fill a skillet with enough water to make a 1-inch depth; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer. Cook meatballs in the simmering water until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove meatballs with a slotted spoon and cool on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain water.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Mix ground beef, bread crumbs, ketchup, Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, egg, granulated garlic, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Scoop ground beef mixture into about 1-inch portions using an ice cream scooper; form each portion around 1 small pork meatball to cover completely. Arrange double meatballs on a baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until meatballs are browned and partially cooked, about 25 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic in the hot oil until onion is softened, about 10 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, sugar, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon black pepper, basil, and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer sauce for 20 minutes. Add meatballs to sauce and simmer, stirring gently, until meatballs are fully cooked, about 20 more minutes.