Healthy Mediterranean Meatballs

Mint and cilantro add wonderful flavors to this healthy dish. I used to serve it over pasta but now I serve the meatballs over spaghetti squash or steamed veggies. They are bursting with fresh herbs and very flavorful. Always a hit and even the pickiest eaters will fall in love with them. Top it off with fresh grated parmesan. Feta cheese would also go nicely with this served over broccoli and other vegetables.

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Healthy Mediterranean Meatballs Save
Healthy Mediterranean Meatballs
mediterranean

Mint and cilantro add wonderful flavors to this healthy dish. I used to serve it over pasta but now I serve the meatballs over spaghetti squash or steamed veggies. They are bursting with fresh herbs and very flavorful. Always a hit and even the pickiest eaters will fall in love with them. Top it off with fresh grated parmesan. Feta cheese would also go nicely with this served over broccoli and other vegetables.

  • Preparing Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Served Person: 6
mint cilantro ground beef mediterranean healthy eating contains white meat gluten free contains red meat shellfish free contains eggs deep fry dairy free
main dish

Step-by-step

  • Prepare your meatball mixture first using the ingredients indicated.
  • In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients, except the eggs, and mix well.
  • Depending on the amount of ground beef , whether or not you choose to add the almond meal, and the size of your eggs, you will need 2-3.
  • Look for a sticky, moist consistency as you add the eggs.
  • You want to be able to roll these into 1 inch meatballs but the mixture needs to be moist.
  • Be cautious not to create a meat mixture that won't hold the meatball shape.
  • Set meat mixture aside.
  • Can refridgerate for use later.
  • Heat oil in a wide, deep frying pan.
  • French saute pans well best but use a pan or skillet that has high sides since you need to pack in all your meatballs with the sauce to cook.
  • The pan should be at least a 3 quart size.
  • Add onions and cook, stirring until they soften (10 - 12 min).
  • Do not brown the onions.
  • Stir in garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika, cilantro, vinegar, tomatoes, and beef stock.
  • Increase heat to high and let mixture come to a boil.
  • Add meatballs and simmer, covered for 1 hour.
  • After an hour, lift meatballs out to a plate with a slotted spoon.
  • Add tomato paste, increase heat and let the sauce thicken (about 10 more min).
  • At this point, season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place the meatballs back into the sauce and serve over freshly steamed spaghetti squash, broccoli, or grilled veggies.
  • All are wonderful with this disk.

How can you tell when meatballs simmered inside a rich sauce are thoroughly cooked without cutting into them? When dealing with ground beef submerged in liquid for an hour, physical touch offers the most reliable indicator of doneness. Raw meat feels yielding and loose, whereas fully cooked protein firms up significantly and resists light pressure from a spoon. Cooking these meatballs directly in a wide, high-sided three-quart pan allows the simmering beef stock and tomatoes to envelope the aromatics uniformly.

Assessing Texture and Structure

Achieving the proper meatball consistency relies entirely on monitoring the raw mixture before rolling. Incorporating two to three eggs depends on the moisture of the beef and the inclusion of almond meal. Too few eggs cause the meatballs to disintegrate in the simmering liquid, while too many create a rubbery mouthfeel. Stir onions gently for ten to twelve minutes over medium heat, ensuring they soften entirely without acquiring brown color.

  • Refrigerate the raw meat mixture overnight if preparation happens ahead of time.
  • Simmer the formed meatballs covered for precisely sixty minutes to render internal fat safely.
  • Reduce the finished sauce for ten additional minutes after removing the meat to concentrate flavors.
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