Paleo Dinner Recipes:
Juicy Beef Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
PREP/COOK TIME: 30 minutes
Who doesn’t love homemade meatballs? There is something so homely and comforting about this recipe. We are making meatballs with beef, zucchini, onion, basil and garlic, and baking them in a tomato sauce.
You can serve the meatballs as an appetizer (make sure you have toothpicks or little forks to pick them up) or, another idea, over cauliflower rice. Add some sprigs of fresh basil to the finished dish for a gourmet presentation.
Want to change up the recipe? That’s fine. Try pork instead of beef or change the basil for parsley or cilantro. You can switch the zucchini for eggplant but remember to grate it and squeeze it as hard as you can so you get all the liquid out – there is a lot of water in eggplant. This recipe serves 2 or 3 people.
Ingredients:
Fresh dill weed (optional)1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 lb ground beef
2 minced garlic cloves
1 chopped green onion (scallion)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 or 3 cups canned, organic tomato-based sauce (any kind but ensure it’s paleo-friendly; here’s my homemade tomato sauce recipe)
Herb sprigs or chopped fresh basil or similar, for garnish (optional)
Method:
First you need to grate the zucchini (use a food processor if you have one, to save time) then squeeze the excess water out by putting it in a clean kitchen towel and squeezing as hard as you can. You will be surprised how much comes out! Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
These meatballs can be made with or without a food processor. If you have one, put the zucchini, basil, garlic and green onion in the bowl and pulse with the metal S-blade until they are broken up.
Then you can add the meat, salt and pepper and pulse until mixed. Don’t over-process the ingredients because you will end up with tough meatballs. Once the ingredients are reasonably combined, that’s fine.
No food processor? No problem. Put the zucchini, green onion, garlic onion and basil on a cutting board and use a sharp chef’s knife to chop everything up until the ingredients are minced. Put them in a mixing bowl and use your hands to mix in the meat, salt and pepper. Don’t overmix, just ensure it’s all combined.
Now divide the mixture into 20 even-sized meatballs and arrange them in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour the tomato sauce on top and shake the pan so the meatballs are coated in sauce.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through, then serve hot, garnished with herb sprigs or sprinkled with chopped herbs if liked.
- 1½ cups grated zucchini
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 chopped green onion (scallion)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 or 3 cups canned, organic tomato-based sauce (any kind but ensure it's paleo-friendly)
- Herb sprigs or chopped fresh basil or similar, for garnish (optional)
- First you need to grate the zucchini (use a food processor if you have one, to save time) then squeeze the excess water out by putting it in a clean kitchen towel and squeezing as hard as you can. You will be surprised how much comes out! Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- These meatballs can be made with or without a food processor. If you have one, put the zucchini, basil, garlic and green onion in the bowl and pulse with the metal S-blade until they are broken up.
- Then you can add the meat, salt and pepper and pulse until mixed. Don't over-process the ingredients because you will end up with tough meatballs. Once the ingredients are reasonably combined, that's fine.
- No food processor? No problem. Put the zucchini, green onion, garlic onion and basil on a cutting board and use a sharp chef's knife to chop everything up until the ingredients are minced. Put them in a mixing bowl and use your hands to mix in the meat, salt and pepper. Don't overmix, just ensure it's all combined.
- Now divide the mixture into 20 even-sized meatballs and arrange them in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour the tomato sauce on top and shake the pan so the meatballs are coated in sauce.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through, then serve hot, garnished with herb sprigs or sprinkled with chopped herbs if liked.
