Description
These Spinach Garlic Meatballs are a delicious and savory dish combining lean ground meat, fresh sautéed spinach, garlic, and gooey mozzarella cheese. Perfectly seasoned with Italian herbs and Parmesan, these meatballs can be baked or pan-seared, and optionally simmered in marinara sauce for extra flavor. A wholesome and satisfying meal everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or lean turkey
- 2 cups fresh spinach, sautéed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (or oats/almond flour)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella cubes, chilled
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Optional Enhancements
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- Sauté Spinach and Garlic: Heat a skillet over medium heat and sauté the spinach and minced garlic until the spinach is wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then finely chop the mixture.
- Mix Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and the cooled chopped spinach mixture. Stir gently until just mixed to avoid tough meatballs.
- Form Meatballs: Take a chilled mozzarella cube and encase it completely with the meat mixture, forming a sealed meatball around the cheese to prevent leakage during cooking.
- Cook Meatballs: Choose your cooking method: bake meatballs at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes until cooked through, or pan-sear in oil over medium-high heat for 8 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
- Optional Simmer: For added flavor, simmer the cooked meatballs in warm marinara sauce for 10 minutes before serving.
- Rest Meatballs: Allow the meatballs to rest for 5 minutes after cooking to retain their juiciness and enhance taste.
Notes
- Use chilled mozzarella cubes to prevent cheese leakage during cooking.
- Do not overmix the meat mixture to keep the meatballs tender and moist.
- Sautéing the spinach beforehand enhances its flavor and prevents excess moisture in the meatballs.
- You can substitute breadcrumbs for oats or almond flour for a gluten-free option.
- Adding red pepper flakes provides a nice subtle heat if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (3 meatballs)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
