Healthy Meatballs
The Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 egg whites
1 cup freshly grated Peccornio Romano cheese
1.5 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
1.5 cups Italian bread crumbs
1.5 cups lukewarm water
3 jars of tomato-based pasta sauce, or 1 recipe of your favorite red sauce
​
​
-
1-2 large non-stick cookie sheets
-
1 can of spray olive oil
-
1 extra large pot (or 2 large pots)
-
1 large bowl
-
Cheese grater / box grater
-
Tongs
The Prep
This is one of those recipes that you mix everything together, and then cook it, so you can do as much prep beforehand as you'd like, or measure out each ingredient as you go. Up to you!
​​
-
Set your oven to broil
-
Grease the cookie sheet with the spray olive oil
-
Set the pasta sauce in the pot(s) over medium heat
The How-To
-
Combine the beef, minced garlic, egg whites, peccorino romano, and flat leaf parsley in a large bowl, using your hands to thuroughly mix the ingredients.
-
slowly alternate adding the bread crumbs and lukewarm water, ensure that you completely integrate the bread crumbs before adding more.
-
Time to turn them into meatballs! Try to get them as evenly sized as possible, about 1"-1.5" is usually a good starting point.
-
Place the meatballs on the cookie sheet and spray them with a light layer of olive oil.
-
Place the cokie sheet under the broiler, keep a close eye on them, the goal here is to crisp up the ouside. Go for about3-5 minutes. Pull the cokie sheet out, flip the meatballs (use the tongs, they'll be hot!), spray the fresh side with olive oil, and place under the broiler for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until crispy.
-
When all sides of the meatball have been crisped up, pul the cookie sheeet out and gently transfer the meatballs into the pot of sauce, making sure there is enough sauce to cover the meatballs.
-
Lower the heat to a high simer, cover the pot, and let sit for 1-3 hours. This is where the meatballs cook through.
-
Enjoy!