Spaghetti and Meatballs with a Secret
- Prep Time15 mins
- Total Time25 mins
- Makes4 adult servings
This special recipe for classic spaghetti and meatballs comes with a surprising twist—grated veggies hidden away within the meatballs mean even the pickiest eaters will be asking for slurpy seconds.
Ingredients
1 slice whole wheat bread, torn into small pieces
1/4 cup milk
1 500-g pkg ground pork
1/2 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated small eggplants
1/4 cup grated onions
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt, divided
2 tsp olive oil
1 680-mL bottle passata
1/2 cup water
1 400-g pkg spaghetti
1/2 cup chopped basil, optional
Instructions
Soak bread pieces in milk in a small bowl. Set aside until bread becomes soft, about 5 min.
Combine pork with soaked bread and milk, zucchini, eggplant, onion, , Italian seasoning and 1 tsp garlic salt in a large bowl. Using your hands, form the mixture into 1-in.-round meatballs and set on a baking sheet. There will be 30 to 32 meatballs.
Heat an extra-large non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add oil, then meatballs. Cook, moving meatballs often, until brown on all sides, 1 to 2 min per side. Pour in passata and water. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tsp garlic salt. Gently stir, then reduce heat to low. Simmer meatballs for 10 min.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water following package directions, omitting salt, until tender, 6 to 8 min. Toss drained pasta with meatballs and sauce, divide between 4 plates and sprinkle with basil.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 763, Protein 39g, Carbohydrates 90g, Fat 25g, Fibre 4g, Sodium 919mg.
Originally published in the Today’s Parent January 2015 issue, this recipe has a triple-tested guarantee from the Chatelaine Kitchen.
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