These Spinach and Pancetta Meatballs are so addicting that my kids no longer bat an eye at the healthy green goodness mixed in.
Spaghetti and meatballs are a dinner time staple around here. One of the simple classics that the kids and grown-ups both love. We typically use the brown rice gluten-free noodles (Tinkyada brand or Trader Joe’s are our faves), whip up an easy homemade sauce, and top it with yummy grass-fed beef meatballs.
I used to just throw together whatever we had on hand with some ground beef to make the meatballs, but this combo has set a new standard in how amazing a meatball can be—such a great combination of a few ingredients to bring out the best flavors.
We typically eat these Spinach and Pancetta Meatballs with pasta, but they’d be great in a sandwich or even just by themselves. And they can be made Paleo-friendly if you omit the rice. We just like the heartiness and texture that the rice adds to them.
Sensational Spinach and Pancetta Meatballs
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 pound grass-fed ground beef (85/15 fat)
- 3/4 cups cooked rice or bread crumbs
- 7-9 thin slices of uncured pancetta, diced
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1/2 tablespoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Large handful of spinach leaves, washed and finely chopped
- Olive oil
- Fresh herbs for garnish
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, add the ground beef, rice, diced pancetta, egg, garlic salt, pepper, oregano, and chopped spinach. Using your hands or a spatula, mix all of the ingredients together until well combined.
2. Heat up a large cast-iron skillet (or pan of choice) and coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil, about 1-2 tablespoons.
3. Form golf ball-sized balls with the meat and carefully set them inside a hot pan, cooking at medium to medium-high heat. Let the meatballs cook for 3-5 minutes, and then flip to the other side. Rotate sides every 3-5 minutes. The meatballs typically take about 10-15 minutes for all of the meatballs to cook all the way through.
4. Add to your cooked pasta with sauce or alongside your favorite sides. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs. Enjoy!
Note:
This is a great recipe to have kids help prepare because you really can’t mess it up, and most kids love the chance to get messy and mix the ingredients together with their hands.
