a note from us
This menu is inspired by a special memory – our very first dinner out as a married couple. We were gifted a card to a cozy local Italian spot, and I ordered a plate of meatballs with polenta and tomato sauce. It was simple, comforting, and perfect. It’s stayed with me ever since.
This version is our take on that meal, lightened up for summer with seasonal roasted tomatoes and creamy polenta in place of heavier pasta. It’s the kind of dish that feels both nostalgic and fresh, rich in flavor, but grounded in the simplicity of real ingredients.
Be sure to check the Kitchen Notes for our go-to polenta brand and a few helpful tips for making your own tomato sauce from scratch. It’s easier than you think, and such a satisfying way to use up ripe summer tomatoes.
We hope it brings you joy — and maybe a little bit of that newlywed magic too.
Kevin & Kate
Red Sangria
Summer Meatballs with Creamy Polenta
notes from the kitchen
Helpful notes, substitutions, and little things we’ve learned.
1. Our Favorite Polenta
We’re team fine-ground all the way. A smoother grind keeps polenta luxuriously creamy—no gritty, grits-style texture here (grits and polenta are not the same in our Southern kitchen!). I’ll drop a link to the exact brand we love so you can snag it, too.
2. Make-Ahead Meatballs
Save yourself some weeknight hustle: assemble the meatballs up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. When you’re ready, just pop them into the oven and follow the recipe. (See our Make Ahead page for a quick refresher.)
3. Fresh vs. Canned Tomatoes
We highly recommend using peak-season tomatoes for the brightest summer flavor, but a single 28-ounce can of whole Italian tomatoes works beautifully in a pinch. If you go canned, let the sauce simmer for 30–40 minutes to concentrate the flavors—about the same amount of time you’d spend roasting fresh ones.
4. Why Local Matters
Whenever possible, buy tomatoes from a local farmer or produce market. They stay on the vine longer, travel fewer miles, and taste worlds better than most grocery-store picks.
5. Skin On or Off? Your Call.
Love a rustic vibe? Leave the skins on. Prefer silky smooth sauce? Remove them easily:
-
Score a shallow “X” on the bottom of each tomato.
-
Blanch in boiling water for about 30 seconds.
-
Transfer immediately to an ice bath.
-
Slip the skins off with your hands.
Heads up: We may earn a small commission on products we’ve linked here. We only recommend the real-deal favorites from our kitchen.
we hope you love this week. and as always,
Keep the Plates Full and the Spark Alive
want more menus like this?
We believe that creating space for intentional weekly connection around the dinner table is one of the most grounding, nourishing things you can do, for your relationship and for yourself.
If you’ve enjoyed this menu, you’ll love what’s inside Date Nite. Each week we share a fresh, new menus just like this one, making dinnertime more meaningful.
Join us and make Date Nite your new favorite ritual.
words worth sharing
Our latest blog posts for inspiration, reflections, and recipes.
