Tuscan-Style (Marry Me) Meatballs

Ingredients

• 400 g minced beef
• 50 g breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 50 g Parmesan, grated (For the meatballs)
• 2 cloves garlic (Minced; for the meatballs)
• 1 tbsp parsley (Chopped)
• 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning (For the meatballs)
• 0.5 tsp onion powder (For the meatballs)
• 0.5 tsp salt (For the meatballs)
• 0.5 tsp black pepper (Freshly ground; for the meatballs)
• olive oil (For frying the meatballs)
• 125 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil (Chopped; reserve 1 tbsp of the oil for cooking)
• 3 cloves garlic (Minced; for the sauce)
• 2 onions (Chopped)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 250 ml beef broth
• 250 ml cream
• 1 tbsp Parmesan (For the sauce)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning (For the sauce)
• red chili flakes (A pinch)
• fresh basil (Roughly chopped; a handful)
• 80 g baby spinach
• salt and pepper (To taste; for the sauce)

Steps

1. 1

   Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, then roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls.

2. 2

   Heat olive oil in a pan and fry the meatballs, turning them so they brown on all sides. Remove them from the pan and set them aside to rest; they will finish cooking in the sauce.

3. 3

   Add 1 tablespoon of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes to the same pan. Add the chopped onions and minced garlic, and fry until softened.

4. 4

   Add the tomato paste and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 1–2 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the Italian seasoning and red chili flakes, then cook for 1 more minute.

6. 6

   Pour in the beef broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the broth reduce by about one-third.

7. 7

   Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the cream and Parmesan, then let the sauce simmer for a few minutes.

8. 8

   Add the baby spinach and fresh basil to the sauce and let them wilt in.

9. 9

   Return the meatballs to the sauce. Simmer for 10–15 minutes longer, until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are cooked through.

10. 10

    Serve with a carbohydrate of your choice, such as pasta, potatoes, or a slice of homemade ciabatta.

Notes

Do not skip resting the meatballs after frying. They finish cooking in the sauce, and removing them too early can cause them to fall apart when stirred back in. The source suggests serving with pasta, potatoes, or homemade ciabatta.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Italian-inspired
• meatballs
• beef
• creamy
• stovetop
• comfort food