Spaghetti with ‘Hidden Spinach’ Meatballs and a Parmesan Vinaigrette Salad

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I rarely tout a recipe as ‘the best’. But this time I am. These meatballs are THE BEST MEATBALLS EVER!! And, they have spinach hidden in them and the kids don’t even care! Not only that, this recipe makes meatballs easy. If you don’t already have one, consider buying a scoop. Mine makes about 2 tablespoon sized balls. But they come in all sizes. They really make the process of balling meatballs (and cookies) a lot easier. I managed to make all 40 meatballs in less than 5 minutes with my scoop. Balling them by hand would have taken me a lot longer! And, yes – that’s a lot of meatballs. But I figure if we’re making meatballs, we may as well make enough for leftovers. They freeze well and make great meatball subs. Enjoy!

Spaghetti & ‘Hidden’ Spinach Meatballs

SERVINGS : 6 PEOPLE COOK TIME : MINUTES PREP TIME : MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

  • 12 oz spaghetti, cooked and drained
  • 24 oz pasta sauce
  • 2 cups beef broth, low sodium
  • Meatballs
  • 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 mix
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 3/4 cup parmesan, grated
  • 1/2 cup milk, I used whole.
  • 1/2 cup beef broth, low sodium
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoon dried basil

DIRECTIONS

  1. This meatball recipe makes between 35-40 meatballs. So, you’ll have leftovers to freeze for another day. Or, you can cut the recipe in half.
  2. Place oven racks in the center position.
  3. Preheat oven to 450
  4. In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients (except the 2 cups of beef broth). I like to use my hands to get everything mixed in really well.
  5. Roll meat into 2” balls. To make this process move faster, use a melon baller or small ice cream scoop.
  6. Place meatballs on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Place them close together, but not touching. (I got about 16 meatballs to a sheet.)
  7. Cover the bottom of each baking sheet with about 1 cup of beef broth. This will keep the meatballs moist while cooking.
  8. Bake meatballs for 25 minutes, or until they are cooked through. They do not have to be browned.
  9. Heat spaghetti sauce in a large pot. Add 4-5 meatballs per person to the sauce and stir to combine.
  10. Plate pasta and top with meatballs and sauce.

Nutritional Information

Serving Size 240g Calories 411 Fat 11 Carbs 49 Fiber 1.5 Protein 29.

Parmesan Vinaigrette Salad

SERVINGS : 4 PEOPLE PREP TIME : MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups mixed greens
  • 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
  • Vinaigrette
  • 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine viniagrette with a whisk and drizzle over greens and tomato.

Nutritional Information

Serving Size 169g Calories 173 Fat 9 Carbs 20 Fiber 5.7 Protein 6.7.

NOTES

KID NOTE: This was a huge hit. They figured out there was spinach in the meatballs and were unfazed by it! That’s progress.

VEGETARIAN TIP: Omit the meat and reduce the remaining ingredients by half. Replace meat with 1 cup mashed lentils and 1 cup quick oats. Combine as instructed and bake in vegetable broth instead of beef broth.

GLUTEN MODIFICATIONS: Use gluten free breadcrumbs or crushed rice chex and brown rice pasta.

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