Spring Green Meatballs with Marinara
With three young boys who basically eat nonstop, our family focuses on recipes that can be prepared in big batches that we can enjoy for several meals. This recipe makes a lot, so I usually freeze half the batch. I like to incorporate greens and lots of cheese into my meatballs. It adds great nutrition without having to have the dreaded “finish your vegetables” discussion at the table. In the spring, I love to use soft greens like baby kale and spinach that are popping up at all the early markets.
If you want to get your kids involved, my sons always love to assist with crushing the tomatoes for the sauce. The texture is really fun for kids and they enjoy the opportunity to use their hands as a kitchen tool. It’s also fun to have the kids help roll the meatballs. You’ll want the meatballs to be mostly uniform in size, but if kids are helping, don’t stress about it too much. It’s not essential.
Ingredients
For Marinara
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces fresh basil
2–3 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
Pinch of granulated sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
For Meatballs
1 cup whole milk
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
2 eggs
½ cup chopped Tuscan kale
½ cup chopped spinach
¼ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese or pecorino Romano cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
2½ teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
To make the marinara, pour the tomatoes into a medium bowl. Crush them by hand, or if you prefer a smoother sauce, puree them with a food processor. Set aside.
Combine the olive oil and basil (stems too) in a wide saucepan and place on low heat. Cook until the basil starts to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the basil.
Add the garlic to the olive oil and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Increase the heat to medium, then add the carrot, celery and onion. Add 1 teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Cook until softened, about 2–3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes longer until it begins to turn deep red.
Add the crushed tomatoes, tamari or soy sauce, sugar and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to keep a slow bubble happening. Stir periodically while you’re making the meatballs to keep it from sticking to the bottom.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. To make the meatballs, combine the milk and breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Allow the breadcrumbs to soak for 5 minutes.
In a very large bowl, combine the pork, beef, eggs, kale, spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the breadcrumb mixture and thoroughly mix everything together with your hands. Line a rimmed baking tray with aluminum foil and drizzle it with a little olive oil.
Using wet hands, roll the meatball mixture into uniformish 1-inch meatballs. Place each meatball on the tray and when the tray is full, drizzle the tops of the meatballs with more olive oil.
Bake the meatballs in the oven until they start to brown on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Using a spatula, loosen the meatballs, then flip them over. Be careful to not break them. Return the meatballs to the oven for another 7–10 minutes until the other side is browned.
Remove the meatballs from the pan and place them directly into the sauce. Stir in gently. Simmer on low, covered, for about 20 minutes. Serve with your kid’s favorite pasta or on individual pieces of garlic bread.
Suggestions
Makes about 60 meatballs
Note: If you want to freeze some of the meatballs, don’t add them all to the sauce. Cool whatever portion you plan to freeze and then put them in a freezer bag.
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