Mar 13

Mar 13 Italian Meatballs

**PICTURES UPDATED MAY 2021**

Meatballs, everyone has a recipe, a favorite way to serve them, and here is mine! I have made them simple and Whole30 compliant and now I always keep a batch in my freezer. I was always led to believe the meatballs needs cheese, milk-soaked bread (holy gut bomb), or dry breadcrumbs (aka sawdust). I like to bake my meatballs rather than pan sear them, I have an aversion to oil splatter.

I serve these with a compliant marinara sauce, because I am no Italian grandmother, making my own gravy. You can enjoy these meaty-balls over noodles made with zucchini, sweet potatoes, or my personal fave, butternut squash. Or you can be like my family and enjoy them old school style on regular ole spaghetti.

This is one of those easy dinners that you can enjoy when on your Whole30 while your fam-bam eats some oldy-but-goodys. It's easy to make your compliant components and not a ton of work to make your family happy too. Meals like these are the way I was able to survive my rounds, because nothing is worse than hearing nagging when you are being so good. Just remember to not taste the pasta to check for doneness (assuming you are on a Whole30), use your touch!

Whole30 Italian Meatballs

1 lb ground beef
1 sweet Italian turkey sausage link
1 hot Italian turkey sausage link
1 small onion, diced very small
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 Tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper

- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, with your hands. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil. Form meatballs with a cookie scoop, roll into meatballs, and place onto oiled sheet.

- Broil for about 7 minutes, remove the sheet and turn the meatballs over, broil for 3 more minutes. Cut into one to confirm it is cooked through, there should be no pink and the outside should be browned.

- You can cool them completely and place them into a freezer bag to use for a future dinner. Or you can place them evenly in a large pan and pour your favorite marinara sauce over. Simmer on medium-low heat until the sauce is warmed. Serve with the noodles of your choice!

The turkey sausage is just some Jennie-O brand, one of the surprising brands that are compliant. You want to make sure your meats are close to room temperature so they are easier to combine, so set them out about 30 minutes before you are ready to roll.

The best way to mince garlic is to smash the clove with the side of a knife and then chop as finely as possible. You do not want a bite of a chunk of garlic or onion so make it small!

I love a recipe that comes together in one bowl, less dishes!

Coat the baking sheet with just a little oil, it helps the meatballs not stick. When you are rolling the meatballs, oil your hands a little too, it helps the meat not get all sticky on your fingers. These babies are ready for the broiler!

This is what they look like with the first run in the oven. See that browning? That is flava! You need to flip them over to get brown on both sides and finish cooking them inside. — This is what they look like with the first run in the oven. See that browning? That is flava! You need to flip them over to get brown on both sides and finish cooking them inside.

Flipped over and ready to be back in the oven

Option 1 - let them cool completely and place into a freezer bag. This is great meal prep because you can place completely frozen meatballs in sauce when you are ready for this dinner.

Option 2 - place the meatballs evenly in a large pan and top with your favorite sauce. This Bertolli Rustic Cut is seriously one of my favorites for a few reasons: it is compliant, big chunks of vegetables, and the price cannot be beat, I usually pay $2.79 a jar. A lot of compliant brands are like $7 a jar and this mama does not have that kind of budget!