One Pan Meatballs and Sauce

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: pecorino cheese

Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground chicken

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground chicken is often cheaper.

bread crumbs

🥗Healthier: oats

💰Cheaper: crushed crackers

Oats provide fiber and are often less expensive.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Vegetable oil is cheaper and has a neutral flavor.

In a large bowl, add ground meat (ground chicken) and 1/2 cup of whole wheat Panko bread crumbs.

Add 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, parsley, and Italian seasoning to the bowl.

Mix everything together well using your hands, ensuring even incorporation of the bread crumbs, cheese, and herbs.

Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a little bit of oil.

Roll and place the meatballs directly into the pan, ensuring they all fit at once.

Cook the meatballs undisturbed for about 3 to 5 minutes until browned on one side, then flip them over.

Add onions and the 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes to the pan, along with the same seasonings used in the meatballs: salt, pepper, dried thyme, dried parsley, onion powder, and garlic powder.

Let the sauce simmer for about 20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through, or up to an hour if time allows.

Serve the meatballs and sauce over the cooked pasta of your choice, garnishing with lots of parmesan cheese and optional fresh or dried herbs or chili flakes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens