Italian Meatballs

7 Reviews
100% would make this recipe again

Meatballs in a tomato sauce.

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Soaking : 30 min Preparation : 25 min Cooking : 20 min
330 calories/serving
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Ingredients

1 tbsp canola oil 15 mL
1 1/2 slice gluten-free bread, stale or day-old 70 g
2 cups My Mother's Tomato Sauce 500 mL
40 g mortadella sausage, or ham, finely chopped
1 tbsp marjoram, fresh, finely chopped 7 g
1 eggs size large
400 g ground beef, extra-lean
1 pinch salt [optional] 0.2 g
ground pepper to taste [optional]
3 tbsp cornmeal (polenta) 24 g

Before you start

These meatballs can be either baked in the oven or fried. They will contain less fat if baked, but they will be tastier and more tender if fried. The Nutrition Facts table on this page assumes that baking will be used.

Method

  1. If using the baking method: Preheat the oven to 205°C/400°F and lightly oil a baking dish. Alternatively, for deep-frying: Preheat a sufficient quantity of peanut oil to 175°C/350°F in an electric fryer or in a large skillet.
  2. Put the bread slices in a small bowl then cover them with water (you may need to put a weight on top to submerge the slices). Let soak 20-30 min.
  3. Meanwhile, warm up the tomato sauce in a large pan over low heat.
  4. Drain the bread well in a sieve, then squeeze it to remove most of the liquid. Finely chop the bread then add it to a bowl. Finely chop the mortadella (or ham) and marjoram, then add them to the bowl. Add the egg and ground beef, followed by salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Using your hands, blend the mixture together until it is just combined well (do not overmix). Form the mixture into small balls (about the size of golf balls), then flatten them slightly and coat them with the cornmeal. Plan on about 3-4 meatballs per serving.
  6. Baking: Transfer the meatballs to the previously oiled dish, then cook in the middle of the oven 12-15 min until they are golden-brown, turning them once. Deep-frying: Working in batches, deep-fry the meatballs about 4-5 min per side until they are golden-brown, then set them on paper towels to drain.
  7. Transfer the meatballs to the pan with the tomato sauce then continue to cook 15-20 min over medium-low heat, turning them once. Serve the meatballs with the sauce.

Observations

These meatballs may be served at room temperature. They are ideal for a picnic, served with a few slices of bread.

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Nutrition Facts Table

per 1 serving (120 g)

Amount

% Daily Value

Calories

330

Fat

18 g

28 %

Saturated 5 g
+ Trans 0.3 g

26 %

Cholesterol

110 mg

Sodium

460 mg

19 %

Carbohydrate

16 g

5 %

Fibre

3 g

14 %

Sugars

2 g

Net Carbs

13 g

Protein

25 g

Vitamin A

30 %

Vitamin C

18 %

Calcium

7 %

Iron

34 %
More info

Claims

This recipe is :
Free  :
Added Sugar
Excellent source of  :
Iron, Niacin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin K, Zinc
Good source of  :
Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E
Source of  :
Calcium, Copper, Fibre, Folacin, Manganese, Omega-3, Pantothenic Acid, Selenium, Vitamin B1, Vitamin C, Vitamin D
More info

DIABETES Exchange

1 serving of this recipe is equivalent to :
Food Group Exchanges
Starches ½
Vegetables ½
Meat and Alternatives 3
Fats 3
More info
Check out our Meal Plans for Type 2 Diabetes

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7 Reviews (7 with rating only) 100% would make this recipe again

My Notes

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  • I replaced oregano by rosemary and it turned out great
  • use my large pan with the copper bottom
  • leave under the grill 3 minutes instead of 1 to get a golden crust

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