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Paleo Meatballs with Marinara Sauce are perfect for cozy fall evenings when you’re craving something hearty and delicious.

You want to know something else that I love? Easy & delicious weeknight meals! I loved that I didn’t spend much time in the kitchen while making this meal and was able to spend more time with my family at the table.

Growing up, I enjoyed helping my mother and grandmother in the kitchen. It was always fun to watch them cook, help as much as a little kid can help in the kitchen (like licking cake batter off a spoon :)). They taught me how to cook, told me stories and we just had a good time. I learned a lot about cooking just by watching and helping with small chores. My grandmother taught me by example that cooking for your family is an expression of your love for them. She always told me that everything tastes better if it’s cooked with love. And I hope to pass down her love for cooking to my children one day.

I grew up in Bulgaria, a small Mediterranean country close to the Black Sea, bordering south with Greece and Turkey. Since I’ve moved to the States, I have been wanting to learn to cook as many traditional family recipes as possible. One of my favorite meals at home involved meatballs and with the help of my Mom, I was able to recreate those delicious meatballs and I am sharing the recipe with you today. I put my own spin on it by making it Paleo.

Paleo Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

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How to Make Paleo Meatballs

What you need

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb ground pork sausage (or ground pork)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Sauce

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced
  • 16 oz marinara sauce
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp freshly chopped basil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix all the meatballs ingredients together in a large bowl. Shape the mixture into meatballs. (I ended up with about 30 meatballs.) Place all meatballs onto the baking sheet.

Paleo Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Bake for about 30 minutes or until meatballs are done and browned.

Sauce

Saute chopped onion in a large skillet until translucent. Add to the skillet the chopped carrots and season carrots & onion with salt to taste. Cover with a lid and saute for couple minutes, until tender. Pour Ragu marinara sauce, honey and red wine over the vegetables in the skillet, and stir everything. Simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes.

Paleo Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Add minced garlic and freshly chopped basil, and stir everything.

Add meatballs to the marinara sauce and pour the sauce over them. Garnish with freshly chopped basil if you want.

Paleo Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

You can serve the Italian meatballs with marinara sauce over gluten free spaghetti, pasta or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Paleo Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

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Paleo Meatballs with Marinara Sauce - Juicy meatballs in a tomato & basil sauce. Only 30 minutes! Perfect weekday comfort food. #paleo #glutenfree #dinner #meatballs
5 from 8 votes

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Paleo Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Paleo Meatballs with Marinara Sauce – Juicy meatballs in a tomato & basil sauce. Only 30 minutes! Perfect weekday comfort food.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 10

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Ingredients 
 

Sauce

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Mix all the meatballs ingredients together in a large bowl. Shape the mixture into meatballs. (I ended up with about 30 meatballs.) Place all the meatballs onto the baking sheet.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes or until meatballs are done and browned.

Sauce

  • Saute chopped onion in a large skillet until translucent. Add to the skillet the chopped carrots and season carrots & onion with salt to taste. Cover with a lid and saute for couple minutes, until tender. Pour marinara sauce, honey and red wine over the vegetables in the skillet, and stir everything. Simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes.
  • Add minced garlic and freshly chopped basil, and stir everything.
  • Add meatballs to the marinara sauce and pour the sauce over them. Garnish with freshly chopped basil if you want.
  • You can serve the Italian meatballs with marinara sauce over gluten free spaghetti, pasta or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 205g | Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.9g | Protein: 25.2g | Fat: 17.8g | Saturated Fat: 5.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12.1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 966mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 8.1g

Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this recipe is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. I am not a doctor or a dietitian. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance regarding your diet or health. For more details, please read my full disclosure page.

About Neli Howard

Meet Neli Howard, the food blogger and recipe developer behind Delicious Meets Healthy. With over 12 years of cooking experience, Neli shares easy, wholesome recipes made with real ingredients to help you cook stress-free, flavorful meals the whole family will love. Her work has been featured in Healthline, Forbes, CNN, and more.

5 from 8 votes

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49 Comments

  1. Danielle says:

    I try to eat very healthy during the week so I will likely substitute ground turkey for the ground beef and pork. And maybe on top of a little whole wheat pasta for some extra fiber.

    1. Delicious Meets Healthy says:

      That sounds delicious, Danielle! Hope you enjoy it! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Jerry Marquardt says:

    5 stars
    I like to use the marinara sauce atop of spaghetti. It makes it just right.

  3. Jerry Marquardt says:

    5 stars
    I like to try the marinara sauce the most. Boy, how tasty it is!

  4. Thomas Murphy says:

    I like it on spaghetti and meatballs.

  5. Betsy Rubendall Barnes says:

    5 stars
    One of my favorite ways to use marinara, is in pasta skillet meals. I love adding whatever kind of pasta I have on hand, some cheese and either hot sausage, ground beef or chicken ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Priscilla S. says:

    I like using it in baked ziti.

  7. Annamarie V says:

    I like to use marinara sauce with meatballs also but I add spaghetti squash.