Hearty Italian Meatball Stew
It’s stew time and what better way to start off the cooler weather then with this Delicious Hearty Meatball Stew. The perfect meatballs in a rich tomato sauce filled with potatoes and carrots. So good it will become a new dinner favourite!
Who doesn’t love stew? And when you think of comfort food isn’t it one of the first things that comes to mind? It is for us. I make my Italian Beef Stew quite a bit during the cooler months, and last year this Meatball Stew became a big favourite. It’s easy and makes the perfect dinner or lunch idea.
How to make it
Make the meatball mixture, roll into balls a little smaller than golf ball size and brown in a medium frying pan.
In a large pot add oil, garlic and chopped shallot (or small onion), cook until transparent. Then add the carrots, potatoes, tomato puree, water and spices, mix together, then add the meatballs, and gently stir to combine.
Continue to cook on low heat until thickened. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving if you want or even a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
How to store it
Any leftover stew should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge. It will keep for up to 3-4 days. It can be re-heated on the stove or microwave.
What to serve with stew
When I serve stew I will sometimes serve it with a simple green salad but always with sliced crusty Italian bread. This stew is so hearty that you really don’t need anything else with it except the bread to soak up any sauce left at the bottom of the bowl!
Can it be frozen
Yes it can be frozen in a freezer safe container, although because frozen potatoes become grainy it might be best to add cooked potatoes when reheating. Thaw the stew in the fridge overnight, then add the cooked potatoes to the pot while reheating. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
More Stew Recipes
Easy Italian Lentil & Sausage Stew
So if you are looking for a really good stew to try, I hope you give this Hearty Italian Meatball Stew a try and let me know what you think. Buon Appetito!
Hearty Italian Meatball Stew
Ingredients
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- 1/4-1/2 cup milk (62-122 grams)
- 2-3 slices bread (crust removed)
- 1 pound ground beef (80% lean) (1/2 kilo)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (50 grams)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
FOR THE STEW MIXTURE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot or small onion chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 medium potatoes (cubed medium/large)
- 2 medium carrots (chopped)
- 2 1/4 cups tomato puree (passata) (500 grams)
- 3/4 cup water (177 grams)
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 dashes black pepper or hot pepper flakes
- 1/2-1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
Instructions
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- In a small bowl soak the bread in the milk for about 5 minutes, then squeeze out moisture and crumple into small bits.
- In a medium bowl combine the bread with ground beef, eggs, parmesan and spices gently mix to combine well (I use my clean hands, its the best way to do it). Form into small balls ( a little smaller than the size of a golf ball). In a medium frying pan on medium heat, add the olive oil and the meatballs, brown them on all sides. Remove to a clean plate.
- In a large pot add the oil, garlic and chopped shallot (or small onion), cook on medium heat until transparent 1-2 minutes. Then add the carrots, potatoes, tomato puree, water and spices, mix together, then add the meatballs, and gently stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, place the lid on the pot but don't completely cover, continue to cook on low heat until thickened about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving. Enjoy!Â
Pretty good… BUT! Regret not looking at the comments first. My medium sized potatoes i guess are a lot bigger than yours, and I ended up with 3-4 cups of potatoe and had to add extra water and tomato to compensate.
Hi Dough, depending where you are yes they probably are! Glad you liked it though. Take care!
Does the garlic go into the meatballs raw?
Hi Clare, yes it is raw garlic minced. Let me know how it goes. Take care!
One of our favorite winter meals!!
Hi Michael thanks so much, so glad you enjoy it. Have a great weekend.
Approximately how many cups of potatoes would this be?
Hi Debbie probably about 2 cups.
the meatball stew is a winner! I have added it to my Sunday menu, in the rotation with pasta & pasta fazool
Hi Ettore, thanks so much, so glad you like it. And yes can’t beat pasta fazool.
I made this tonight and it was a hit! Really simple and tasty, great for a family. I used chicken stock instead of the water and cooked the meatballs in the pot, removed them but left the brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pan and deglazed with a bit of the chicken stock after frying off the onions and garlic. Delicious, thanks for a great recipe – and I’d definitely recommend a fresh crusty loaf for mopping up!
Hi Katrina, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
Hi Rosemary,
Our family has been making something like this for years! We also add in fresh green beans when in season.
Trust me, if you’ve never had potatoes in a red sauce, try this! You won’t be sorry!
I enjoy your posts very much!
Hi Lydia, my MIL would make green beans in tomato sauce also, usually the green beans that were over grown, it was so good. And yes potatoes in red sauce so good. Take care. Thanks glad you like the posts.
can you make this dish in a slow cooker?
Hi Mike, Im sure you could, be sure to brown the meatballs first, and instead of adding the ingredients to a pot add it to the slow cooker, I would cook it on high for about 3-4 hours or low for 7-8. Let me know how it goes.