• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

  • Search
  • Українська
  • English
  • Русский
  • Italiano
  • Home
  • Recipe index
  • SAVORY RECIPES
  • SWEET RECIPES
  • About me
  • Subscribe
You are here: Home / Savory recipes / Healthy meatballs recipe

Healthy meatballs recipe

June 4, 2021

Take ground meat, some spices, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, a handful of good mood and you’ll have the world’s most delicious Italian healthy meatballs in tomato sauce

Jump to recipe

polpette al sugo

Can healthy meatballs recipe be tasty?

Somehow, since my Soviet childhood, I got used to the fact that meatballs and the word “fry” are two halves of one whole and it simply cannot be otherwise. Of course, there were also the steamed healthy meatballs from the school canteen, which were a nightmare for me – there was not a single aspect that made me even minimally want to eat them. And when from time to time my pediatrician would prescribe me a diet based on steamed food (oh, horror!), I would look enviously at my classmates who were lucky enough to dine on crispy fried meatballs with droplets of fat that slowly dripped and fell into their plates (or onto their clothes).

Since then, a theorem has formed in my head: tasty meatballs are exclusively those that are generously pan-fried to a crispy golden – brown crust. And for many years I adhered to this unwritten rule, and persistently fried the meatballs!

Savory Italian meatballs denied my meatball theorem…

And then I moved to Rome and my “meatball” prejudice was turned upside down! I realized that my theorem was not confirmed at all… I just had no idea about the existence of the world’s most delicate Italian healthy meatballs that literally melt in your mouth!

Compared to these meatballs, my fried ones should have hidden under the table, or better yet, disappear from my family’s diet altogether. Actually, now I cook meatballs in tomato sauce only according to this healthy meatball recipe, it was a kind of love “from the first bite” for me and my family.

Both adults and children love these healthy meatballs…

… mine would eat them every day! And tomato sauce, during stewing, will absorb the taste and aroma of minced meat with spices and turn into something incredible… and will make the perfect company for pasta! And no frying: the meatballs are happily bathed in a bright tomato “Jacuzzi” to then turn into tender and tempting balls of meat that will impress even the most demanding gourmets.

Ingredients for Italian healthy meatballs:

If you are a happy digital kitchen scale owner, I highly recommend using it instead of cups and spoons. Especially when it comes to baking recipes. A scale gives you far more accurate results than volume measurements (everyone scoops ingredients differently). Trust me, using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients will take your baking to a new level.

  • ground meat of your choice (pork, and veal, and beef are suitable, while ground chicken meatballs are too dry, maybe it’s just a matter of taste. My favorite “formula” is 50-50 – I use ground pork and beef in equal proportions)
  • breadcrumbs
  • semolina
  • egg
  • a pinch of ground nutmeg
  • salt
  • pepper
  • sugar
  • grated Parmesan
  • dried oregano or basil (optional)
  • tomato sauce

How to make savory Italian meatballs

Put ground meat, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, semolina, egg, nutmeg, salt, a pinch of pepper and oregano together

Mix everything well (if necessary, add more breadcrumbs, so that the mass sticks well together)

Form many small (walnut-size) meatballs

Pour the tomato sauce into a deep saucepan, add sugar and a pinch of pepper to it

Once the sauce begins to boil, put the meatballs in it and cook them for about 30-35 minutes on medium heat with the lid ajar (during this time the meatballs will stew, and the excess liquid will evaporate from the sauce).

I always serve these healthy meatballs with spaghetti, because the sauce they were cooked in turns out delicious. Thanks for visiting our virtual kitchen!

polpette al sugo

What to serve meatballs in tomato sauce with

  • spaghetti or other pasta (you can never go wrong with a classic)
  • mashed potatoes (that’s one of my favorite pairings)
  • serve them with any vegetable side dish (like our cheesy baked asparagus) – you’ll get a fantastic main course!
  • polenta (a win-win combination)

Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment with Star Ratings ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. I will really appreciate it.
Also, please Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK and PINTEREST.

healthy meatballs

Healthy meatballs recipe (Savory Italian meatballs)

The Saporito
Take meat, spices, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, a handful of good mood and you’ll have the most delicious Italian healthy meatballs in tomato sauce
Print Recipe Pinterest
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Calories 249 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ½ oz (300g) minced meat of your choice (pork, and veal, and beef are suitable, while minced chicken meatballs are too dry, maybe it’s just a matter of taste. My favorite “formula” is 50-50 – I use minced pork and beef in equal proportions)
  • 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 1 ½ – 2 tbsp semolina
  • 1 egg
  • a pinch of ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp salt
  • pepper
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp grated Parmesan
  • 1 tsp dried oregano or basil (optional)
  • 3 ½ cup (750 g) tomato sauce

Instructions
 

  • Put minced meat, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, semolina, egg, nutmeg, salt, a pinch of pepper and oregano together
  • Mix everything well (if necessary, add more breadcrumbs, so that the mass sticks well together)
  • Form many small (walnut-size) meatballs
  • Pour the tomato sauce into a deep saucepan, add sugar and a pinch of pepper to it
  • Once the sauce begins to boil, put the meatballs in it and cook them for about 30-35 minutes on medium heat with the lid ajar (during this time the meatballs will stew, and the excess liquid will evaporate from the sauce).

Notes

I always serve these meatballs with spaghetti, because the sauce they were cooked in turns out delicious. Thanks for visiting our virtual kitchen!
 
If you are a happy digital kitchen scale owner, I highly recommend using it instead of cups and spoons. Especially when it comes to baking recipes. A scale gives you far more accurate results than volume measurements (everyone scoops ingredients differently). Trust me, using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients will take your baking to a new level.

in Lunch & Dinner, Main Course, Minced meat dishes, Savory recipes # meat, meatballs, minced meat, parmesan, sauce, tomato

Reader Interactions

you may also like
Puff pastry calzone (with ham and ricotta filling)
Frozen cod fillets in tomato sauce (with canned borlotti beans)
Recipe for mushroom pate (with walnuts)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About me

Good morning, afternoon, evening, or maybe night (the culinary muse is a very unpredictable creature, she may be hiding somewhere ...
Read more

Follow us…

Savory recipes

kotleti Kotleti (recipe for Ukrainian baked meatballs)
Split pea soup with bacon Split pea soup with bacon and spaetzle
pampushky Pampushky recipe
skillet flatbread Skillet flatbread with feta and potatoes
spicy roasted potatoes Easy spicy roasted potatoes with paprika
healthy corn fritters Healthy corn fritters recipe (corn cakes with cheese)

From Grandma’s Cookbook

Sweet recipes

Christmas stollen Christmas stollen cake recipe (Quarkstollen)
sharlotka Sharlotka (Ukrainian apple sponge cake recipe)
chocolate salami Italian chocolate salami recipe
marzipan What is marzipan and how to make it
Ukrainian cookies Ukrainian cookies with jam
chocolate almond biscotti Chocolate almond biscotti

Categories

  • Appetizers (9)
  • Baking (26)
    • savory (5)
    • sweet (20)
  • Bread and Pizza (7)
  • Breakfast (7)
  • Cakes (3)
  • Canning (1)
  • Christmas (12)
  • Desserts (10)
  • Drinks (3)
  • Easter (4)
  • From Grandama's Cookbook (19)
  • Health (6)
  • Main Course (13)
  • Meat, eggs and dairy free (7)
  • Pasta recipes (2)
  • Quick recipes (28)
  • Rice (3)
  • Salads (5)
  • Soup (3)
  • Vegetarian dishes (11)

Archive

Footer

  • Copyright © 2021-2022 The Saporito
  • Privacy Policy

  • All information on www.thesaporito.com is protected by copyright law. It is forbidden to copy any material from the site without the written consent of the author.

made by soulmuse
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
SAVE & ACCEPT