Meatballs with Tomato Sauce (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Meatballs
01 -
1 onion
02 -
1 egg
03 -
2 tbsp flour
04 -
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley
05 -
3 tbsp whole-grain breadcrumbs
06 -
½ tsp paprika
07 -
350g ground beef
08 -
Salt
09 -
Pepper
→ Tomato Sauce
10 -
1 pinch chili flakes
11 -
2 tbsp tomato paste
12 -
Salt
13 -
1 garlic clove
14 -
1 tsp dried herbs (e.g., oregano, thyme, rosemary)
15 -
Sugar, a small pinch
16 -
2 tbsp olive oil
17 -
800g canned diced tomatoes
18 -
Pepper
→ Side Dish
19 -
400g whole-wheat spaghetti
# Instructions:
01 -
Chop up the parsley after rinsing it off, and finely dice the onion. Throw the beef, onion, parsley, bread crumbs, egg, paprika, some salt, and pepper into a big bowl. Stir everything together, then use slightly wet hands to roll about 20 meatballs. Lightly coat them in flour.
02 -
Cook the whole-wheat spaghetti in a big pot of boiling, salted water. Follow the instructions on the packet for cooking until it's just firm enough—or al dente.
03 -
Heat olive oil in a big pan. Add the floured meatballs and cook them, flipping occasionally, until they get a nice golden color all over. Take them out and set them aside.
04 -
In the same pan, toss in diced onion and minced garlic, and let them soften for a couple of minutes. Mix in the tomato paste and stir it around until it smells fragrant. Pour in the canned tomatoes, bring it to a gentle boil, then reduce to low heat and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Add dried herbs, sugar, salt, chili flakes, and pepper. Stir it well.
05 -
Pop the meatballs back into the sauce and let them cook gently for 7-8 more minutes. Drain the spaghetti, then dish it up with the meatballs and spoonfuls of that tomato sauce on top.
# Notes:
01 -
Whole-grain pasta is loaded with minerals and fiber, making it way healthier than regular pasta.
02 -
You can prep the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them for quick meals later.
03 -
Swap out the beef for a plant-based option like textured soy protein for a vegetarian twist.