Braised Meatballs in Red Wine Gravy with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sautéed Spinach Recipe
These Braised Meatballs in Red Wine Gravy are a hearty and flavorful dish combining tender meatballs made from a mix of ground beef and veal, simmered in a rich red wine and tomato gravy. Served atop creamy Gruyère mashed potatoes with wilted baby spinach, this comforting recipe is perfect for a satisfying family meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-American
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 6-ounce piece day-old French bread, cut into 8 pieces (about 1/3 loaf)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 pound ground beef (7 to 15% fat)
- 3/4 pound ground veal
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
Red Wine Gravy
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups canned beef broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Mashed Potatoes with Spinach
- 4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 bag baby spinach
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
- 1 1/4 cups warm whole milk (or more as needed)
- 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Soak the bread: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine the day-old French bread pieces and 1 cup of whole milk. Press the bread down to fully submerge and let it soak for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the meatball mixture: Squeeze out most of the milk from the soaked bread, discarding the excess milk. Transfer the bread to a large bowl. Add ground beef, ground veal, beaten eggs, finely chopped onion, parsley, salt, black pepper, and dried thyme. Mix thoroughly by hand until well combined.
- Form and bake meatballs: Shape the mixture into 1 3/4-inch meatballs and arrange them evenly in one or two 13×9-inch glass baking dishes. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then remove and let them cool slightly.
- Brown the meatballs: Lightly dust the baked meatballs with all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, sauté the meatballs for about 3 minutes, turning until browned on all sides.
- Make the red wine gravy: Return all the browned meatballs to the skillet. Whisk together the tomato paste and red wine until smooth, then add this mixture to the skillet and bring it to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes until the liquid thickens slightly, stirring often. Add the beef broth, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until the gravy thickens further, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the potatoes: Place the peeled and cut Yukon Gold potatoes in a large pot with cold water. Add salt only after the water begins to boil. Boil the potatoes for 30 minutes or until very tender. Drain the potatoes well.
- Mash the potatoes with spinach and cheese: Transfer the drained potatoes to a bowl and mash them with the stick of butter. Add warm whole milk gradually, mashing and stirring to achieve a creamy texture. Stir in the grated Gruyère cheese. Add the fresh baby spinach and mix well; the residual heat will wilt the spinach. If the potatoes have cooled too much, reheat briefly in the microwave. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Notes
- Using day-old bread soaked in milk helps keep the meatballs moist and tender.
- Be sure to brown the meatballs after baking for extra flavor and texture before simmering in the gravy.
- If you prefer a thicker gravy, allow it to simmer longer until desired consistency is reached.
- Adjust the amount of milk in mashed potatoes to your preferred creaminess.
- Wilted spinach adds a nutritious and flavorful addition without overpowering the dish.
- Yukon Gold potatoes are ideal for creamy mashed potatoes due to their buttery texture.
