The Ferguson Recipes

Jacques Pépin's Fast Cheese Soufflé
Jacques Pépin's Leftover Bread Pancakes
Jacques Pépin's Maman's Cheese Soufflé 🍽️
Jacques Pépin's Meatballs With Tomato Sauce 🍽️
Jacques Pépin's Merguez With Pork And Grilled Tortillas 🍽️
Jacques Pépin's Onion Sandwich 🍽️
Jacques Pépin's Peas And Carrots With Two Onions 🍽️
Jacques Pépin's Pork Neck Stew 🍽️
Jacques Torres' Famous Hot Chocolate With Whipped Cream
Jake's Marinade
Jalapeño Artichoke Dip
Jalapeño Jelly
Jalapeño White Sauce
Jamaican Patty
Japanese Style Macaroni Salad
Jerry's Best Baked Beans
Jersey Beef
Jewish Apple Cake
Joe's Special
Jubilee Jumbles
Jacques Pépin's Meatballs With Tomato Sauce
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Transform your leftover roast meat into something extraordinary with Jacques Pépin's ingenious meatball recipe. These tender, flavorful meatballs are simmered in a rich, homemade tomato sauce brightened with green olives for a Mediterranean touch. What makes this recipe special is its clever use of already-cooked meat, eliminating the worry of undercooked meatballs while creating a convenient second-day meal that tastes completely fresh. Perfect for busy weeknights or casual entertaining, this dish demonstrates the legendary chef's knack for practical, delicious cooking. - Claude
*Some images, especially those that DON'T look like they were taken by a poorly trained monkey, are AI generated and not the result of our minimal culinary and photographic skills.
Ingredients
Meatballs
12 ounces leftover roast beef, veal or pork (coarsely chopped)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup minced onion
¼ cup minced celery
1 garlic clove (minced)
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs (beaten)
Vegetable oil (for frying)
 
Sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves (minced)
½ cup minced onion
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
28 ounce can diced tomatoes with their liquid
⅓ cup pitted green olives (coarsely chopped)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Meatballs
Put the meat in a food processor and process until finely chopped.
In a large bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt.
Add the chopped meat, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, pepper and eggs and mix with your hands until thoroughly blended.
Form the mixture into 16 meatballs and flatten slightly.
In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil until shimmering.
Add the meatballs and cook over high heat until browned on the bottom.
Turn the meatballs, reduce the heat to moderate and cook until browned on the second side, about 3 minutes.
Transfer the meatballs to a large plate.
 
Sauce
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil.
Add the garlic, onion, thyme and oregano and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, cover and cook over moderate heat for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce until slightly chunky; alternatively, puree the sauce in a food processor and return the sauce to the saucepan.
In a small saucepan, cover the olives with water and bring to a boil over high heat; drain well.
Add the olives to the tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
Add the meatballs, simmer until heated through and serve.
Servings
Serves 4
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Per Serving - Calories: 495; Total Fat: 33g (Saturated Fat: 7g); Cholesterol: 220mg; Sodium: 910mg; Total Carbohydrates: 21g (Dietary Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 7g); Protein: 28g
*Nutrition information is provided as a general estimate only and may not be accurate. Variations may occur based on ingredient brands and preparation methods. Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Nutrition information is based on available nutrient data.
💬 Uncle Dave says...
Make Ahead: The meatballs can be refrigerated overnight in the sauce. From Food & Wine
🧑‍🍳 The Cook:  Jacques Pépin 🔑 Keywords: meatballs, leftovers, beef, tomato sauce, olives, jacques pepin
🗂️ Categories: 🥩 Beef, 🆕 What's New, 🐖 Pork, 🍶 Sauces & Dips, 🦌🐇🐐 Other Meat, 💡️ Tips for Meat & Seafood
📚 Cookbooks: Uncle Dave's Cookbook, The TFR Cookbook, Our Favorite Jacques Pépin Recipes
Recipe #1511 was added on April 18, 2025 and last updated on April 18, 2025.
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