Meatballs in tomato sauce with sweet potato
Igor Gjozinski
3/25/2026
Updated on
5/7/2026
Public
Cooking Video
Classification
Category:
Main Dish
Cuisine:
Not specified
Difficulty:
Medium
Servings:
2
Total Weight:
844g
Time Breakdown
Preparation
30m
Cooking
30m
Total Time
60m
Nutrition
2
478
Calories
2
37.1 g
Protein
2
38.7 g
Carbs
2
20 g
Fat
Sugar:
17.4 g
Fiber:
6.5 g
Saturated Fat:
7.4 g
Unsaturated Fat:
9.1 g
Trans Fat:
0 g
Cholesterol:
111.3 mg
Sodium:
546.1 mg
Calcium:
74.1 mg
Iron:
0.9mg
Potassium:
1044.9mg
Salt:
0g
Ingredients 8
Servings:
Ground Beef
250
Gram
620.0
64.3g
0.0g
38.4g
Onion
100
Gram
45.0
1.0g
11.0g
0.0g
Red Bell Pepper
40
Gram
11.2
0.4g
2.6g
0.1g
Carrots
30
Gram
12.3
0.3g
2.9g
0.1g
Celeriac Root
20
Gram
8.4
0.3g
1.8g
0.1g
cumin seeds
4
Gram
15.0
0.7g
1.8g
0.9g
Tomato Sauce
250
Gram
107.5
4.2g
21.3g
0.3g
Sweet Red Potatoes
150
Gram
135.6
3.0g
36.0g
0.3g
Cooking Instructions
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
Meat: 250g ground meat (beef, pork, or a mix)
Aromatics: 1 small onion (finely diced), 1 small bell pepper (finely diced), 1 clove garlic (pressed)
Herbs & Spices: 1 bunch fresh parsley (finely chopped), 1 tbsp red paprika flakes, 1/3 tsp hot paprika flakes, 1 tsp toasted cumin seeds, salt, and black pepper to taste.
Binder: ½ cup breadcrumbs, ¼ cup buttermilk (for soaking), 1 large egg.
For the Sauce:
Base: 1 small onion (diced), ½ carrot (shredded), 3 cm piece celeriac root (shredded).
Liquids: 250 ml classic tomato sauce, ½ glass water.
Secret Ingredient: 4 cm piece of sweet potato (to be cooked in sauce and blended).
Seasoning: 1 small clove garlic (pressed), olive oil for sautéing.
For the Roasted Sides:
Potato: 1 large sweet potato (peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes).
Seasoning: 1 tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika.
Instructions
1. Prep the Meat Mixture
Sauté Aromatics: In a small pan, sauté the diced onion and pepper for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and 1 tbsp red paprika flakes; cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
Toast Cumin: In a dry pan, toast the cumin seeds for 40–50 seconds until fragrant.
Soak Breadcrumbs: Place breadcrumbs in a small bowl and cover with buttermilk for a few minutes.
Combine: In a large bowl, mix the meat, cooled onion mixture, chopped parsley, toasted cumin, salt, black pepper, and hot paprika. Squeeze excess buttermilk from the breadcrumbs and add them to the bowl along with the egg.
Rest: Mix well (first with a spoon, then by hand). Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow flavors to marry.
2. Roast the Sweet Potatoes
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
Toss the sweet potato cubes with 1 tbsp olive oil and smoked paprika in a baking dish.
Bake for 25 minutes until tender. Note: Do not add salt until after baking to maintain the best texture.
3. Fry the Meatballs
Lightly oil your hands and roll the meat mixture into small balls (approx. 2.5 cm in diameter).
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Fry meatballs for about 4 minutes per side until browned all over. Remove and set aside.
4. Simmer the Sauce
In the same skillet, sauté the diced onion and shredded carrot for 3–4 minutes.
Add the shredded celeriac and cook for 1 minute, followed by the garlic for 30 seconds.
Pour in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
5. The Final Braise
Place the meatballs and the 4 cm piece of sweet potato into the sauce.
Cover and cook for 25 minutes on low heat.
6. Finish & Serve
Remove the single piece of sweet potato from the sauce. Blend it with a splash of the sauce liquid until smooth.
Stir the blended potato back into the main pot to thicken the sauce. Add 1 tsp of soy sauce. Simmer for 1 final minute.
To Serve: Plate the meatballs with plenty of sauce and serve the roasted smoky sweet potato cubes on the side.
Chef’s Tip
Using celeriac and shredded carrots in the sauce base adds a "hidden" depth of earthiness and natural sweetness that balances the acidity of the tomatoes perfectly!