Savory Meatballs in Red Wine Gravy

Look at that gravy! I wish you could smell it too... Here's the backstory - my cousin Tony sent me a bottle of his homemade red wine. I've never tried it before and, WOW, it's amazing! I instantly realized it would make a great addition to any sauce, so I created these meatballs for the SOLE purpose of adding Tony's wine to the gravy.  The wine added just enough fruitiness, with a touch of acidity - key components for a successful sauce.

About the meatballs: You won't believe the flavor of these meatballs... They're so good, they can stand on their own, without any gravy (consider making them for meatball subs). The mixture is a quick blend of beef, panko bread crumbs, egg, garlic, onion, and oregano. Each bite boasts tons of flavor. Now imagine that flavor simmering in a combination of beef broth, red wine and tomato paste, with a hint of butter. It's simply magical.

About the wine: Don't worry if your cousin doesn't make his own wine, you can still enjoy this dish! Choose your favorite red and remember, while most of the alcohol cooks off, the flavor doesn't, so choose something you love.

Perfect side dish? I served these meatballs with my Smashed Red Potatoes with Ranch and Greek Yogurt - it was a match made in heaven.

Savory Meatballs in Red Wine Gravy

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 large egg
1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup dry red wine or chianti

1 cup beef broth

2 tablespoons tomato paste, regular or sundried tomato paste
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (for easy cleanup). 

In a large bowl, combine the beef, bread crumbs, egg, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and shape the mixture into 16 meatballs.

Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until cooked through. 

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is bubbly, add the meatballs to the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the meatballs are browned on all sides. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid reduces by half. 

Whisk together the broth, tomato paste and cornstarch and add to the skillet. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of gravy.

Serves 4