Juicy Italian sausage meatballs meet a zesty tomato sauce in this hearty casserole dish.
Hearty Meatball Casserole with Spicy Tomato Sauce
Juicy Italian sausage meatballs meet a zesty tomato sauce in this hearty casserole dish.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian pork sausage crumbled
- 1 egg
- 1 cup regular rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 leek chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced
- 1 chili pepper chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard
- 2 cups tomato puree
Instructions
- Combine the crumbled sausage, egg, oats, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl.
- Mix well and shape into meatballs.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C).
- Spritz the basket with cooking oil and cook the meatballs for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking.
- Reserve the meatballs.
- In a pan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and sauté the chopped leek until tender and aromatic.
- Stir in the garlic, chili pepper, oregano, basil, and celery seeds.
- Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the brown mustard and tomato puree to the pan, stirring well.
- Let the sauce cook for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the tomato sauce to a baking pan and nestle the reserved meatballs into the sauce.
- Place the baking pan in the air fryer and cook at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes.
- Serve the meatball casserole warm.
- Enjoy!
Notes & Wine Advice
Wine Advice
Pair with a robust Chianti or a Sangiovese for a truly Italian experience.
Nutrition values
Calories: 534 kcal | Carbohydrates: 46 g | Protein: 23.1 g | Fat: 29.7 g | Sugar: 8.1 g