Meatballs and pasta- the Italian meal is something everyone at some point has probably tried. It’s a stable and for many of us, it’s a type of comfort food. The warm delicious meatballs paired with buttery carb laden noodles were a delight. So how do you replace that feeling and those flavors?
We found that a little extra flavor can be an amazing thing and swapping those grain noodles for veggie noodles gives you the same satisfaction without those added calories and sugar that cause your body to gain weight!
These meatballs are especially great for preparing ahead, and then you can just pull them out of the freezer and go. Even better, they’re a great way to sneak in extra vitamins and minerals, as adding spinach to your meatballs makes them not only a little heartier, but also a little healthier.
Pair these delish meat balls with some zucchini spiral noodles or shirataki noodles and some pesto sauce and you have yourself an amazingly hearty and filling dish. Try our Kale Avocado Pesto sauce for an extra special flavorful treat. You will be taken back in time with this meal, thinking you are eating pasta and meat balls but without any of the guilt!
SPINACH MEATBALLS AND PESTO NOODLES
Ingredients
- 4 zucchini spiralized
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound ground beef
- 4 ounces spinach cooked, drained, and chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons parsley freshly chopped
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1/2 cup Kale Avocado Pesto separate recipe
- basil fresh, to taste
Optional
- Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Start with your spiralized zucchini, seasoning with salt and letting sit for 10 minutes before patting dry.
- While that rests, place your ground beef, spinach, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl, using your hands to mix well before shaping roughly 20 meatballs, placing on a plate in a single layer. As you shape those, let a large pan greased with 1 tablespoon ghee warm up over medium heat. When hot, and your meatballs are all formed, add in a single layer to your warm pan, cooking 2 minutes on each side, turning regularly until well browned all over and cooked through, using a slotted spoon to transfer to a fresh plate where you can keep them warm.
- Regrease your pan with the remaining ghee, cooking your zucchini noodles 2-5 minutes, tossing regularly. Remove from heat and mix in your pesto before returning your meatballs to the pan, adding fresh basil, sprinkling with Parmesan (if so desired) and serving immediately.
Notes
- Spiralizer
- Bowl
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Plates for meatballs (2)
- Large pan
- Serving plates
- Spatula
- Serving tongs for your “pasta”