On top of spaghetti
Extra lean ground beef (I buy 92-95% lean) is one of my favorite things. I'm not gonna lie--it doesn't always get as tender as higher fat beef so it's not always as melt-in-your-mouth good as fatty burgers, etc. But, I still like it and it satisfies my red meat cravings without being high in fat. And it's great for meatballs so you don't get a bunch of fat in the sauce. The added benefit is it's not ground turkey, which, I'm sorry to say, I don't like at all (not to mention some ground turkey is not as healthy as people assume).
Personally, I think my meatballs are pretty darn tender and tasty for using such lean ground beef. So, tonight I made good old fashioned spaghetti and meatballs!
Serves 4-6/Makes about 25 meatballs
Meatballs
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp flat leaf parsley chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1 lb. ground beef (I use extra lean ground beef but if you don't mind the fat content a mixture of ground beef and ground pork works well)
1 egg
1 tsp salt
ground pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried basil or 1 Tbsp fresh
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400*
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, a pinch of salt, and cook about 2-3 minutes before adding parsley and garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes more and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, combine breadcrumbs and milk in large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, add the onion mixture, beef, egg, parmesan, salt, basil and pepper to the bread crumb bowl. Mix well, but not for too long or you will toughen the meatballs. Form into 1-1.5" balls and place in a pan coated with cooking spray [I actually find it works best to hastily form the balls with something like a cookie scoop, refrigerate them for a little while and then go back to shape them a little better before adding to the oven].
Bake in oven for about 15 minutes or until done. (Alternatively you can fry the meatballs but of course that isn't as healthy).
Add cooked meatballs to pasta sauce and simmer a little, while pasta is cooking (I usually toss the pasta in the boiling water just after adding the cooked meatballs to the sauce).
Basic Sauce
1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
dash or two of red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 28oz can whole tomatoes (or 1 of each 14.5 oz cans of diced and crushed tomatoes OR just crushed tomatoes)
salt and pepper to taste
basil, fresh or dried, to taste
pinch of sugar
a few splashes of red wine (optional)
If you are using whole tomatoes, puree half the tomatoes and chop/core the remaining into chunks. Use about 1/4 cup of reserved liquid from the can, and dump the rest. If you are using diced + crushed combo or crushed alone measure to about 2 cups total tomato (add liquid to make 2 cups if necessary).
Heat olive oil in a large skillet or saucier over medium heat. Add onions and saute about a minute before adding tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Cook an additional 2 minutes or so, being careful not to burn the onion/paste, before adding garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add a few splashes of red wine to deglaze (if you want) and then add tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper, and basil if you are using dried (for fresh, add right at the end). Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer covered for a thinner sauce and uncovered for a thicker sauce.
Add cooked meatballs to sauce while pasta is cooking. Toss with 8-10 oz. of your favorite pasta (I used whole wheat cappelini)
