Italian Meatballs: How to Stretch Ground Beef with Style

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is lower in fat, while ground pork is often more affordable.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is lower in calories and provides a cheesy flavor, while pecorino is usually less expensive.

Soak 1.5 cups of panko breadcrumbs in 0.75 cups of milk for a few minutes.

Beat 3 large eggs and mix them into the panko and milk mixture.

Add 0.25 cups of romano cheese and 0.5 cups of parmesan cheese to the mixture.

Add 2 pounds of ground beef to the mixture and season with 0.5 teaspoons of salt and black pepper to taste.

Cook 1 diced large onion in olive oil until halfway cooked, then add 3 ounces of pancetta and 3 minced cloves of garlic, cooking until fragrant.

Add 1 tablespoon of parsley and other spices to taste (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary) to the mixture.

Dice 3 mozzarella sticks and add them to the mixture along with 1.5 cups of spaghetti sauce, mixing well without overmixing.

Wash hands and prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Wet hands and form meatballs, portioning them equally for even baking.

Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the meatballs on the baking sheet, ensuring they are evenly spaced.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

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Dietary

Allergens