Here’s how to make Sausage Meatballs in just 15 minutes – and still have time for a glass of wine. It even comes with a homemade tomato meatball sauce!
15 Minute Sausage Meatballs
JB’s debut recipe was always going to be a hard act to follow….so I decided not to even try! Instead, I’m going for something that’s speedy, low effort with maximum reward – golden brown juicy sausage meatballs smothered in an Italian tomato sauce, on the table in 15 minutes flat.
My trick is to chop up sausages into small bite size pieces. They will look smeary and wonky, and you’ll wonder how on earth this is going to work – but please have faith! Because when cooked, they magically fry up into meatball-like shapes. OK, so they might not all be perfect round balls but nor have you had to tediously roll them one by one!
Now, pour yourself a wine while you see how to make these Sausage Meatballs so quickly, and tomorrow, you can sip one while you make them. Because this is a recipe you really can actually, leisurely make in 15 minutes – yay!
Ingredients in 15 Minute Sausage Meatballs
Just 5 ingredients – your favourite sausages, tomato passata, garlic, chicken stock and Italian herbs. Basil and red pepper flakes are optional, oil and salt don’t count!
Sausages – The pre-seasoned meat inside the sausages also flavours the sauce, so get good ones! As a general rule, sausages where you can see little meat and fat bits are better than the uniform economical pink ones used for fundraiser sausage sizzles (and we love them!).
Sausage meat.- Use what you want! Pork is classic, beef sausages brown up extra nicely (this is what I used in the photos), and chicken sausages are just tasty, tasty tasty! I use all three.
Tomato passata – This is pureed, plain tomatoes which is a brilliant way to make smooth tomato based sauces fast, no simmering time needed to break down chunks of canned tomatoes. It’s readily available in Australian supermarkets nowadays, alongside pasta sauces and no more expensive than canned tomatoes.
Sometimes labelled “tomato puree” in the US (here’s a photo of Mutti tomato passata sold at Walmart), or substitute with Hunt’s Tomato Sauce (or equivalent). More on tomato passata here.
Chicken stock/broth – Adds a bit more flavour to the sauce than using water so it’s tasty with just a 5 minute simmer. Essential, it makes up for not simmering this sauce slowly for 40 minutes. 🙂
Dried Italian herbs – Just a regular Italian herb mix from a regular grocery store, for a touch of flavour into the sauce. Substitute with dried oregano, parsley, thyme, or a general dried herb mix.
Red pepper flakes / chilli flakes – 100% optional, for a hint of warmth in the sauce. Omit for not spicy.
Sprig of basil (optional) – You know fresh basil adds a little za-za-zoom into everything! I use the leaves for garnish plonk the stem into the sauce to infuse with gently flavour.
How to make Sausage Meatballs in 15 minutes
This isn’t the first time I’ve shared a quick meatballs recipe made using chopped-up sausages – and it definitely won’t be the last. It’s not just convenient, I love how much flavour the pre-seasoned meat adds to the sauce. This is why the sauce is so tasty even though we aren’t simmering for ages!
Cut the sausages into even size pieces so they are roughly as wide as they are long, so they will cook into balls rather than cylinders! So if your sausages are thin, you’ll have more smaller meatballs. Whereas if you have fat sausages, you’ll have larger but less meatballs. Both are food situations!
Sausage casing stays on! This is what holds the sausage meat together so they cook into “meatballs” rather than like crumbly mince / ground meat.
Brown (3 – 4 minutes) – Use a large non-stick pan, the one pictured is 30cm/12″ wide. Heat the oil on high heat then add the sausages and cook, stirring fairly regularly, until the surface is nicely browned but the inside is still raw. This will only take about 3 – 4 minutes (caveat: if you used a large pan and you’re not using a tiny weak burner!)
Meatballs! See? That pile of smeary sausage chunks has magically transformed into meatballs!!
Sauce (5 minutes) – Add the garlic and stir for just 15 seconds until very light golden (careful, it will burn fast). Add the chicken stock, simmer rapidly for 1 minute to reduce by about half. Then add the tomato passata, Italian herbs, chilli flakes (if using), salt and basil stem, if using (we’ll use the leaves for garnish).
Simmer – Stir and simmer fairly rapidly for 4 minutes on medium high. The sauce will thicken and the sausage seasoning will add flavour into the sauce. <- Sip wine during this stage. See, I told you the recipe factors that in!!
Ready! And look at that – tasty sausage meatballs smothered in a flavourful tomato pasta sauce, ready to get in your belly!
All the ways to eat Sausage Meatballs!
I can picture these stuffed into crusty rolls for epic Sausage Meatball Subs. No idea why I haven’t tried it yet – finger-licking, messy comfort food is 100% me! Also – fast and effortless. 🙂 Not man handling big steamy pots of hot pasta!!
For the pasta option – pictured, and shown in the video – toss the hot cooked pasta with the meatballs and sauce before dividing between bowls. This way, the tasty sauce will cling to the pasta which will make every bite that much tastier – rather than having to slop up sauce pooled in the base of your pasta bowl.
Else, serve over a bed of something creamy and starchy – mashed potato, polenta (pictured – I used 1 minute polenta), even cauliflower mash (the flavour is actually very neutral). There’s always something extra appealing about coddling a bowl of food you can eat with your spoon rather than battling sauce-splatters-and-spaghetti-twirls!
How else could this be served? Share your ideas! Oooh – inside a jaffle?? With a slice of cheese! 😮 So many possibilities!! – Nagi x
15 Minute Sausage Meatballs FAQ
4 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer! Make ready-meals with cooked pasta on the side (don’t toss with the sauce).
The better the sausage, the tastier it will be! Look for sausages with fat and meat specks which is more meat and less fillers, rather than the ones that are a uniform pink colour that typically has higher fillers. I aim for sausages with 80%+ meat from grocery stores (read the ingredient label) though sausages from butchers are my preference.
Don’t get me wrong! The economical BBQ sizzle sausages will always have a place in my life – I have been known to find an excuse to head to Bunnings on weekends just so I can get a sausage sandwich!! (It’s for charity 😇).
I fully endorse the use of any and all sausages in this recipe!! (Caveat though about quality, as noted in the above FAQ 🙂 )
Pork – I’ve got a soft spot for classic pork sausages – Country Pork, Cumberland, Italian… I’m such a sucker when they have an enticing name! 🤣 Pork stays juicier and softer than beef or chicken, and it fries up that gorgeous golden colour they never quite manage.
Beef – Beef sausages have come a long way! I’m easily enticed by names like Angus Beef with Caramelised Onion or “Gourmet Beef Sausages.” Beef browns beautifully and has a great beefy flavour, though they’re not as soft and juicy as pork.
Chicken – I love chicken sausages! From Herb & Garlic to feta-spinach-pine-nuts or cheddar versions, I can’t resist them. They don’t brown quite as nicely, and being leaner, can dry out if overcooked -but with this quick recipe, they stay nicely juicy. (PS Any Sydney-siders remember the chain chicken butcher, Lenard’s?? I was mad for all their sausages!!
Faux meat sausages – Sorry, I haven’t tried any so I can’t comment. Not sure if they’d hold together, how they’d fry up and not sure if they’d add sufficient flavour into the sauce.
This is a variation of other mini-sausage meatball recipes I’ve shared in the past – like this Sausage Pasta and this one-pot mini sausage meatball pasta in Dinner. I wanted to share the sausage meatballs in just meatball form with sauce, rather than cooked up with a pasta, so I could show you how quick it is to make and the various ways it can be served. Think beyond pasta!! Serve it over anything starchy that’s ideal for sauce soaking – polenta in particular is delicious plus the red sauce against the yellow polenta looks so great (see it in the video). Plus – stuffing into rolls for make subs!
Being such a straightforward recipe, I didn’t need JB to help with development. I just wrote up the recipe in the recipe card below, printed it out then asked him to make it. He pointed out I had omitted to include garlic in the directions, and I wanted to make sure he didn’t think it was too salty (he didn’t).
His reaction when he tasted it was a mix of surprise and approval – the kind that says, “Hang on… this is actually really good!”. Like he expected otherwise – so rude! 😂
Watch how to make it
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
15 Minute Sausage Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 700 g / 1.4 lb good sausages , cut into uniform 1.5 cm/ 0.6 " pieces with a sharp knife or scissors (keep the skin on) – your favourite ones for eating, any flavour, any meat (Note 1)
- 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
- 3/4 cup chicken stock/broth , low sodium – sub water (Note 2)
- 700g / 24 oz tomato passata (US: tomato sauce like Hunt's) (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp dried Italian herb mix (sub dried oregano, or 50/50 oregano/thyme)
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (+50% for flakes, halve for table salt)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes , optional (hint of warmth – sub pinch of pepper)
- 1 sprig basil – stalk for sauce, leaves for garnish (optional)
Serving:
- Parmesan , finely grated
- 350g / 12oz pasta of choice , or polenta, mash or make subs!
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Brown meatballs (3-4 min), add garlic for last 15 seconds. Reduce stock by half (1 min), add everything else, simmer 4 minutes. Serve!
FULL RECIPE
- Brown meatballs – Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Add the meatballs and stir for 4 – 5 minutes until lightly browned but still raw inside. (Note 4)
- Add garlic and stir for just 15 seconds until light golden (careful, don't let it burn!)
- Simmer – Add the stock and simmer rapidly for 1 minute to reduce by half. Add everything else, stir, bring to a simmer, then lower heat to medium high and let it simmer energetically (but not crazy rapidly) for 4 minutes.
- Serve with lots of parmesan and hand-torn basil leaves over pasta, polenta, mash or other starchy vehicle of choice, or stuff into subs!
SERVING WITH PASTA
- Add cooked pasta with 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water into the pan with meatballs. Toss over medium heat for 1 – 2 minutes until the sauce is stuck to the pasta and it’s stained red, rather than pooled in the base of the pan. Divide between bowls and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Everyday reality – trying to cook while Dozer parks himself exactly where I need to stand!
In his younger days I’d shoo him out of the kitchen, but now that he’s in his golden years and has mobility challenges, it doesn’t even cross my mind. I’m just happy to have him nearby – and that he managed to get up by himself!
Please Please keep my details confidential-thankyou!!!
Hi Brilliant Nagi & equally Brilliant JB & Team (& of course Dozer)… from the bottom of my heart my absolute gratitude for your delicious modern (easy/quick) recipes.. I have been a fan for so long. May I make a cheeky (if not bold!!) request??? I would so appreciate more low cost recipes. Any photos of your very gracious donation of meals look so nutritious & so many of us working (time poor) & on an ever squeezed budget would so welcome same (poor persons Cookbook maybe). I sincerely see you try to do this & I try to make most of them but would love more (always wanting more!!). Forever Grateful Sally
Thanks for your kind comment Sally!
Tip: If you have kitchen scissors, it’s just a quick snip of the sausages 😁
That’s a great tip! Thanks Andrea!
I laughed when I saw this picture as it’s me & my 2 fur babies on a daily basis. Although it may be annoying at times, l wouldn’t have it any other way because l know one day they won’t be there.
Just what I needed for tonight ! As we’re going on holiday soon, I am currently emptying my freezer and found 6 nice smoked Reunionese sausages.. (we ‘re going on holidays , Nov.2 – Jan 4, in New Zealand with Xmas & New year’s eve in Sydney, a very very very old dream coming finally true !!)
Today’s recipe is perfect to make these cut sausages the stars of our diner tonight ! Thanks Nagi !
Dozer looks… as fit as a fiddle ! Bravo super Dozer !!!
Hello Dozer – does it smell good . . . a soft ‘woof’ might work 🙂 ? And she is pretending > could EASILY get around you! Nagi – trust you to follow His Lordship thus . . . yes, easy > it all depends on the quality of the sausage methinks . . . love to both of you >>>
Hi Nagi, thanks for the recipe my niece is arriving from overseas in 4 weeks and trying to get ahead by fleshing some delicious meals, first one done
Perfect timing!
I’ve never adored making anything more than the ione time I made it. Those tiny meatballs are heavenly, and absolutely worth the effort!
Don’t you just love how our fur babies are always hopefully of some delicious food morsel dropping on the floor!? So happy to hear dozer is thriving again! 💜
Haha yes, exactly Amie! Ever the optimist when there’s food around. He’s doing great now, thank you for saying that! – N x
Aww Dozer 🤗
Easy recipe and looks flavourful.
Thanks as always Nagi
I’m just settling in to sleep , reading emails.
Oh gosh, now I feel like spaghetti🍝 and sausage meatballs.
Lesley from Vancouver 🇨🇦
Hi Leslie, had to smile as Im in bed reading emails too! Time for sleep its 2:48a EST for me . Nagis’ recipes lets one sleep happy w happy food thoughts 👍🏻 😃Greetings from NE Ohio 🇺🇸🇨🇦
Aww. 🤗🇺🇸🇨🇦
Thanks Stefi
Aren’t the recipes great !
Absolutely!!! The first recipe I saw & tried & it was fab was this : ithttps://fast-enhancement.today/general-tsos-chicken/ Yummy😘
Absolutely!!! The first recipe I saw & tried & it was fab was this : ithttps://fast-enhancement.today/general-tsos-chicken/ Yummy😘
That made me smile, Stefi! Hope you had some delicious dreams after that late-night RecipeTin scroll. Sending greetings right back from Sydney! – N x
Aww THANK YOU Nagi for greetings & writing . Definitely ! Sweet and delicious dreams after our reading your recipes . BTW your videos also are so well done! I love it all 👍🏻when I first came upon your site and saw Dozer I knew I had to sign up!! 🥰 I had 2 little Morkies for 14 years each. They passed 💔💔 the first baby December 2023 and the other baby December 2024. I hope my words convey the way I want them to… They were the best thing to ever happen to me that I did not wish for specifically. They came up upon me unexpectedly a year apart way back when , even though it seems like yesterday. PS because of work I’m regularly going to bed at 3a ☺️
Haha I love that, Lesley! Late-night recipe browsing is dangerous business – now I want spaghetti and meatballs too! Sleep well over there in Vancouver. – N x
Hi Nagi! Recipe looks delicious and I will definitely try it! As someone who adores furry, four legged children, I cringe to think about how many years I have stepped over them because we don’t want to ask them to move! Their companionship is immeasurable. Kitchen or not, we love them. Animals are the best family members ever!
Sounds like you’re as much as a sucker when it comes to pooches as I am 😂 – N x
Thick or thin
Both would work Jo 🙂
Either is fine! Thin – more balls, thick = bigger ones! I use both 🙂 – N x
These would be great with farfalle pasta – no spaghetti drips but still delish!
YES!!! Good idea Karenza! – N x
I assume you leave the skins on the sausage?
Hi Nagi, thanks for the recipe my niece is arriving from overseas in 4 weeks and trying to get ahead by fleshing some delicious meals, first one done
If you read the section: HOW TO MAKE………….ITEM 1 – it states SAUSAGE CASINGS STAY ON.
Yup! thanks for asking, have added that note 🙂 – N x
Well that’s dinner sorted ! Thank you 😊 huge but gentle hugs for Mr D ❤️ xx
There is no need to be gentle with this giant, grab him in a BIG BEAR HUG!!! 😂 – N x
😂 I really don’t get how you get so much cooking done – I seriously wouldn’t be able to concentrate with those eyes following me (and the food) everywhere !! Resistence is futile 😂❤️🤣 xx
Fantastic recipe for my daughter quick , tasty meal
2 boys under the age of 2
Easy as she can’t cook
Winner
Nice to see gorgeous Dozer
♥️
Glad it’s a winner!! Thanks Anne!
Aw thanks Anne! Sounds like the perfect meal for your daughter – quick, tasty and toddler-friendly! Glad Dozer got a mention too. – N x
is there a reason why you cut these up with the skins still on?
See HOW TO MAKE _ Item 1.
this. look soo good. can’t wait to try this out.
Thanks Vivian! Hope you love it when you give it a go! – N x