Effortless Israeli Beef Meatballs in Smooth Tomato Sauce

Make a cozy, nutritious dinner in under an hour—with no chopping, no frying, and barely any cleanup. These juicy Israeli-style meatballs simmer in a smooth tomato sauce that picky eaters love and busy cooks swear by.

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Recipe

Servings: 4

Calories per serving: ~450 kcal

Total time: ~45 minutes

Effortless Israeli Beef Meatballs in Smooth Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) ground beef (80/20)

• 1 egg

• ½ small onion (chopped roughly)

• 2 garlic cloves (peeled)

• ¼ cup breadcrumbs or matzo meal

• 2 tbsp chopped parsley (use scissors, no chopping board)

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• Salt & pepper, to taste

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1½ tbsp tomato paste

• 1 can (15 oz) plain tomato sauce

• 1½ cups water or light broth

• ½ tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)

Instructions

1. Make the meatballs: In a bowl, mix beef, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, and onion. Shape into ~14 ping‑pong‑sized balls — don’t overmix.

2. Blend the sauce base: In a tall container, combine chopped onion, garlic cloves, tomato paste, tomato sauce, 1 cup water/broth, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Use an immersion blender until totally smooth.

3. Cook sauce: Heat olive oil in a wide pot over medium. Pour in the blended sauce, bring to a gentle simmer, add remaining ½ cup water/broth as needed.

4. Simmer meatballs: Gently add meatballs to the sauce. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes. No need to pre‑fry onions or meatballs—this is the raw‑in‑sauce method.

5. Finish: Taste and adjust salt or pepper. If sauce is too thick, add a splash of water; if too thin, simmer a bit uncovered to thicken.

Nutritional value (per serving)

• Calories: ~450 kcal

• Protein: ~28 g

• Fat: ~28 g (thanks to 80/20 beef)

• Carbs: ~20 g (from breadcrumbs and sauce)

• Fiber: ~2 g

• Sodium: variable by sauce used

Storage Instructions

Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze leftovers in freezer‑safe containers or heavy‑duty bags for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on low heat, adding a little water to loosen the sauce as needed

Make the meatballs

Make the meatballs

Make the meatballs

Blend the sauce base

Blend the sauce base

Blend the sauce base

Cook sauce

Make the meatballs

Cook sauce

Simmer meatballs

Simmer meatballs

Simmer meatballs

Finish and Serve

Enjoy

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Prompt

Here's how I prompted the "Effortless Israeli Beef Meatballs in Smooth Tomato Sauce" recipe:

I had some ground beef and little time. I was looking for something nutritious and quick:

Simple meatball recipe. Israeli style of making.

ChatGPT gave me the recipe:

Here's a simple Israeli-style meatball recipe that’s cozy, flavorful, and perfect for picky eaters too. These are often called “Ktzitzot” (קציצות) in Hebrew and are commonly simmered in a light tomato-based sauce, sometimes with vegetables like carrots or potatoes.

🍴 Israeli-Style Meatballs (Ktzitzot Basalsa)

Fragrant, juicy beef meatballs simmered in a mildly spiced tomato sauce — a staple in many Israeli homes.

🧂 Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 500g ground beef (not too lean – 15–20% fat works best)

• 1 egg

• ½ onion, grated

• 1 small carrot, finely grated (optional but traditional)

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• ¼ cup breadcrumbs or matzo meal

• 2 tbsp chopped parsley or cilantro

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• Salt & black pepper to taste

For the sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• ½ onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• 3 cups water (or low-sodium chicken broth)

• Salt and pepper

• Optional: 1 peeled potato, cut in thick wedges

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Make the meatballs:In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients. Mix well using your hands until cohesive but not overworked. Shape into walnut-sized balls. Set aside.

2. Prepare the sauce base:In a wide pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft (about 5 minutes), then add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

3. Add the paste & spices:Stir in tomato paste and paprika. Cook for 2 minutes to remove bitterness. Slowly add water or broth while stirring.

4. Simmer & add meatballs:Bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Carefully drop in the meatballs (and potatoes, if using). Lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30–35 minutes, until meatballs are fully cooked and the sauce thickens slightly.

5. Adjust seasoning:Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Optionally, finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

🥄 Serving Ideas

• Serve over white rice, couscous, or mashed potatoes.

• Pair with Israeli chopped salad and pita.

• Can also be cooled and packed in a lunchbox (great for freezing too!).

Would you like a baked version with no sauce, more like “dry” meatballs for picky kids? Or maybe a chicken version?

I wanted little to no chunks and textures so I asked:

Let's make a smooth tomato sauce instead and also no carrot in the meatballs. Also I'm using 1 lb of 80/20 ground beef

ChatGPT made the necessary updates:

Perfect — let’s go with smooth tomato sauce, no carrots, and adjust the amounts for 1 lb (450g) of 80/20 beef. This version is ultra-simple, picky-eater friendly, and very “homey” in the Israeli way, just with a smoother sauce.

🍅 Israeli-Style Meatballs in Smooth Tomato Sauce

Soft beef meatballs gently simmered in a silky, spiced tomato sauce. Great over rice or couscous — and freezer-friendly too.

🧂 Ingredients

For the meatballs (makes ~14 small/medium balls):

• 1 lb (450g) ground beef (80/20)

• 1 egg

• ½ small onion, grated

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• ¼ cup breadcrumbs or matzo meal

• 2 tbsp chopped parsley or cilantro (optional)

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• Salt & black pepper to taste

For the smooth tomato sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1½ tbsp tomato paste

• 1 can (15 oz) plain tomato sauce (like Hunt’s or similar, no herbs)

• 1½ cups water (or low-sodium broth for more flavor)

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Optional: ½ tsp sugar (balances acidity)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Mix the meatballs:Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl. Mix until combined but don’t overwork. Form into balls about the size of a ping pong ball. Set aside.

2. Start the sauce:In a wide pot or deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add garlic and sauté until just golden, about 1–2 minutes.

3. Build the base:Stir in tomato paste and paprika; cook for 1 minute. Add canned tomato sauce and water (or broth). Stir to combine, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and bring to a gentle simmer. Optionally add sugar if your sauce is too acidic.

4. Simmer the meatballs:Carefully nestle the meatballs into the sauce. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, gently turning them halfway through. The sauce should reduce slightly and become silky.

5. Final taste check:Adjust salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, loosen with a splash of water. If too thin, simmer uncovered for 5–10 more minutes.

🥄 Serving Suggestions

• White rice or Israeli couscous is classic.

• Spoon over sliced challah or sourdough for a comforting lunch.

• Pair with steamed green beans or a cucumber-tomato salad.

• Freeze extras — reheat gently in sauce with a splash of water.

Want to add optional baked potato slices under the meatballs (old-school trick)? Or make this oven-baked instead of stovetop?

I decided to adjust a bit and make it even more lazy:

For the sauce can I add half an onion and pretty much just grind everything with a stick blender and then cook it? At least the onion and the tomato sauce

Scroll to the top or click the link below for the final recipe!

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