Jennifer Garner’s Homemade Meatballs Would Make Any Italian Proud

Everyone’s favourite cooking show, aka Jennifer Garner’s Pretend Cooking Show, is serving up more delicious wisdom on Instagram. This time it’s a homemade meatball recipe that would make any Italian proud.

Jennifer Garner has adapted one of Ina Garten’s meatball recipes and it involves making the meatballs, sauce and even the pasta (if you choose) from scratch.

JG also drops some iconic wisdom throughout the tutorial such as: “whenever you’re making meatballs with tomato sauce, make sure to wear white pants.”

She also captures and releases what looks like a tiny spider during the video. I politely request her services at my house, where the spiders are as big as your hand.

Anyway, check out the wholesome video below and then try out the recipe for yourself.

How to make Jennifer Garner’s fave homemade meatball recipe

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What you’ll need:

For meatballs

• 500g ground beef
• 250g dark ground turkey
• 250g ground pork (or 1 mild & 1 spicy pork sausage link)
• 1 egg
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
• Olive oil and safflower oil for frying

For the sauce

• 2x 800g can crushed tomatoes
• 1 large yellow onion, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup red wine
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions for homemade meatballs:

1. Grate the onion. Mince the garlic. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients and thoroughly mix with your hands. When it is evenly mixed, shape them into balls. Set aside.
3. In a large pot, heat equal parts olive and safflower oils (1 cm deep) until shimmering.
4. Brown meatballs in batches, turning to brown evenly. Place on paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. When complete, dispose of oil, but do not clean the pot.
5. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to pot. Turn stove to med heat.
6. Add grated onion, stir occasionally. When browned, add garlic. Stir for ~1 min.
7. Add the balsamic, stir, and then add red wine. Let the liquid cook off, stir occasionally.
8. Add tomatoes and bring to a low boil. Add a few teaspoons salt and pepper.
9. Submerge meatballs in sauce, cover pot leaving a crack for steam to escape. Turn to low and simmer for ~hour, stir occasionally.
10. Taste and add salt or pepper as needed.
11. YUM.

Once you’ve given that a shot you can also try JG’s perfect cinnamon toast or other recipes from her Pretend Cooking Show.