Recipe Background
Braised meatballs with rich sauce and creamy mashed potatoes delight.
These meatballs are a testament to the comforts of a slow-simmered dish. As the red wine and tomato paste meld into the broth, a rich aroma fills the kitchen, promising a meal that warms from the inside out. The braising process infuses the meatballs with depth, making each bite both tender and flavorful. Don't rush—let them simmer until the sauce thickens, drawing out those savory notes.
The mashed potatoes are a buttery companion, luxurious and creamy with Gruyère subtly weaving in its nutty charm. Stirring in the spinach adds a touch of earthiness, balancing out the richness. It's a dish that invites gathering, perfect for sharing stories as plates are passed and flavors appreciated. One neat trick for ultimate smoothness is adding just a splash more milk to the potatoes to reach your preferred texture.
When served together, the meal tells its story through every layer—from the tender chew of the meatballs to the comforting blend of silky potatoes and melted cheese. This is not just dinner; it's an invitation to savor something familiar, with a touch of finesse.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 (6-ounce) piece day-old French bread cut into 8 pieces
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 3/4 pounds ground beef
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup parsley chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt plus more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper plus more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- all-purpose flour to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
For the mashed potatoes:
- 4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 stick butter
- 1 1/4 cups warm whole milk plus more, to taste
- 2 cups Gruyère cheese grated
- 1 (10-ounce) bag baby spinach
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the bread and 1 cup of the milk in a medium bowl, pressing on the bread to submerge it, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Squeeze out most of the milk from the bread and discard the milk.
- In a large bowl, add the moistened bread, the ground beef, the eggs, the onion, the parsley, 2 teaspoons of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the pepper, and the thyme and use your hands to mix until well-combined.
- Form the beef mixture into 1-3/4-inch meatballs and place them in two 13x9-inch glass baking dishes.
- Bake the meatballs for 30 minutes.
- Let the meatballs cool slightly.
- Dust the meatballs with the flour and shake off the excess.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil and cook until the butter melts.
- Add the meatballs to the skillet.
- In a bowl, whisk the wine and the tomato paste together.
- Add the wine mixture to the meatballs, bring to a boil, and cook, while stirring frequently, until the liquid thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Add the broth to the meatballs and reduce the heat to medium.
- Simmer the meatballs until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.
- Season the meatballs with the salt and the pepper to taste.
- While the meatballs are simmering, cook the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until they are very tender.
- Add the remaining butter and 1 1/4 cups of the warm milk to the potatoes, then mash and stir to incorporate. Add the extra milk if needed until the desired texture is reached.
- Stir the Gruyère cheese and the spinach into the mashed potatoes until the cheese melts and the spinach wilts.
- Season the mashed potatoes with the salt and the pepper to taste.
- Serve the meatballs over the mashed potatoes.
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