Meatballs in Bolognese

About This Recipe

Meatballs made from 85/15 ground beef served with homemade bolognese sauce made with fresh basil, parsley, carrots, and   celery.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef (85/15)
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup skim milk
• 1 cup ground Cheerios (between 1 ½-2 cups of whole Cheerios, blended, you can use breadcrumbs as well)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• ¾ cup parmesan cheese (grated )
• ½ medium sweet onion
• 1 medium sweet onion
• 1 Tbsp garlic (minced )
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 3 medium carrots
• 3 medium celery stalks
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 medium zucchini (spiralized)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F
2. In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients together using your hands. Be careful not to handle too much or the meatballs will become tough.
3. Roll the meat into balls about 1.5”-2” in diameter and place onto a greased sheet pan.
4. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven to turn and then cook for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Chop the onion, celery, and carrots into a small dice.
6. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat and sauté 1 Tbsp minced garlic and onion together for a few minutes. Then add the celery and carrot and cook until soft.
7. Chop the parsley and basil while the vegetables cook.
8. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, and parsley and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. If you prefer a smooth sauce, put the mixture into a blender. If you don’t mind the carrot and celery chunks, leave it as is.
10. When the meatballs are finished, add them to the sauce and allow them to cook together
11. Spiralize all of your zucchini. We aren’t going to cook this because it will cook in the microwave when you reheat your meal. Do not salt this either as it will encourage moisture to release from the squash.
12. This recipe makes 5 servings. Divide the meatballs, sauce, and zucchini evenly into 5 portions