Hungarian meatballs in tomato sauce🇭🇺

Hungarian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce – Húsgombóc Paradicsomszószban 🇭🇺🍅

Ingredients (Serves 4–6)

For the Meatballs:

• 500 g (1 lb) ground pork or a mix of pork and beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ cup (50 g) breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Tomato Sauce:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 can (400 g) diced tomatoes or 2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: ½ cup water or broth if needed

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Instructions

1. Prepare meatballs:
   In a bowl, mix ground meat, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, paprika, salt, and pepper. Shape into small balls (~1–1.5 inches).
2. Brown meatballs:
   Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown meatballs on all sides (they do not need to be fully cooked). Remove and set aside.
3. Make tomato sauce:
   In the same skillet, heat remaining oil. Sauté chopped onion until soft. Add garlic and paprika, stir 30 seconds.
4. Simmer meatballs:
   Add tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Return meatballs to the skillet. Cover and simmer 20–25 minutes until meatballs are fully cooked and sauce thickens.
5. Serve:
   Serve meatballs hot with noodles, rice, or bread. Optional garnish with fresh parsley.