Description
These meatballs would make my husband’s Italian family proud! I wanted to lighten my favorite new way to make Italian meatballs and the Spinach meatball was born. Adding spinach to your meatballs adds volume and fiber, so you can eat the same amount of meatballs with fewer calories, and it’s a great way to sneak veggies into your picky kid’s meal.
Yield: 6servings | Serving Size: 5meatballs w/ 4.5 oz sauce
Ingredients
2sliceswhole wheat light bread, (or gluten-free bread)
1lb93% lean ground beef
1tbspolive oil
10ozfrozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of all liquid
1large egg
1clovegarlic, minced
2tbspfresh parsley
1/2cupPecorino Romano cheese, or your favorite Parmesan Cheese
salt and pepper
Tomato Sauce:
1tspolive oil
3clovessmashed garlic
28ozcan Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes, my favorite
1/2onion, don’t chop
salt and pepper
Instructions
Wet bread with just enough water (or milk) to wet and then mash up with your hands.
- Add to large bowl and combine with chopped beef, chopped spinach, egg, garlic, parsley, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients well until thoroughly combined.
Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, measure meat and then divide in two so that each meatball is 1/8th of a cup. Roll into little meatballs.
Make the sauceL In a large pot, add 1 teaspoon olive oil and heat on medium heat.
- When hot add smashed garlic.
- When garlic is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes add the tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper and cover, reduce heat to low.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil on low heat.
- When oil is hot add as many meatballs that will fit, cook on low, turning often so that all side get browned. Cook until the centers are cooked through.
- When finished, place on a dish lined with paper towels to blot any excess oil. Drop meatballs into sauce and continue cooking the remaining meatballs, repeating the process. When all meatballs are in the sauce, simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Discard onion and serve.
Last Step:
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