lunch

This is the perfect combination of the traditional Italian meatballs and the American sub! Juicy, light and delicious meatballs in a super good tomato sauce paired with crispy baguette and freshly grated Parmesan cheese! Comfort food all the way!

I have actually never really eaten meatballs before I had gone to the USA the first time! I have been to Italy multiple times before but I have never seen it at least never noticed pasta with meatballs before! They only have pasta with ragù (aka Bolognese Sauce) or Poletti (meatballs) without pasta! So, I ate them the first time when I was in the US because there they are a real thing there and I fell in love!

I really like the texture and the combination with the tomato sauce. But there is a big difference between American meatballs and Italian ones! The Italian ones are traditionally made with ground veal while the American ones are often made with pork or a mix of pork and beef! I personally prefer the veal ones, because of the flavor but also, they are lighter. The only issue is that veal meat is kind of expensive, so I would recommend using ground turkey or chicken instead for a little less pricey option.

In my recipe I decided to add an egg and ricotta to the base of the meatballs because ethos makes them super juicy and good! Ricotta is the key for creamy and tangy dishes in the Italian cuisine! It is like an Allrounder you should always have on hand. The egg helps to bind the entire texture and the breadcrumbs help to hold it all together. For seasoning it I would always recommend using fresh herbs over using dried ones because I believe that they have way more flavor! I use parsley and sage but basil would also work great in here. But honestly if you make them, the sage is a MUST! It is sooo good in here, not to top!

The great thing about this dish is that it comes together in 20 minutes, which makes it the perfect weeknight dinner! Also, it is something that the entire family will love. If not during the week, I love this recipe as a Sunday night dinner. Sunday night is always Italian in our house! What about you? Of course, you can eat pasta with this such as spaghetti or tagliatelle but the fresh baguette adds a good amount of crunch from the outside and it is soo good when the inside is soaked with all the good tomato sauce!

For the sauce I would recommend using my homemade tomato sauce because it is just sooo good! If you don’t have it on hand or have the time to make it, you can also use any store-bought sauce or canned tomatoes and season them yourself. Also, for the Parmesan in top, I would recommend using freshly grated one and not store bought grated because the flavor is just so different!

Anyway, for whichever occasion you decide to make this you are going to win the hearts of the people you are cooking for! I hope that you will love it as much as I do. If you recreate it be sure to tag me on Instagram with @uneptcuisiniere or with #unepettecuisiniere and leave a comment here on the blog!

Enjoy!

Katie

Italian Meatball Sub

The perfect mix of the Italian Meatballs and American Subs! A great weeknigt dinner and so delicious!

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 10 Minuten

Cook Time 10 Minuten

Total Time 20 Minuten

Servings 4 servings

Calories 586 kcal

What you will need

1 Baguette
600 g ground veal or chicken
1 egg
1 tbsp Ricotta
1 tbsp Parsley
1 tbsp sage
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
2 tbsp Olive Oil
4 servings tomatoe sauce can also use storebought (about 400ml)
30 g Parmesan Cheese
1 smal red onion
2 garlic cloves

How to

That is how it works:

Into a food processer add the onion and garlic or mince finely with a knife. Into a bowl add the ground meat, crack the egg, the ricotta, the finely chopped herbs, salt, pepper, and the breadcrumbs. Combine and knead, best by hand.
Take an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon in order to size the balls. Roll them in your hand in order to form them and set them aside.
In a pan heat up the olive oil. Once hot add the meatballs and fry on each side for about 1 minute on high heat, then turn down to medium-low heat and let them cook for another 3 minutes. Add in the tomato sauce and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
Take the baguette and cut it into four. Slice each piece in half lenghwise and add the meatballs into the middle. Top with some freshly grated parmesan and serve!

Need some inspirational recipes for pink food? Then you have to try these sesame coated beetroot balls! Packed with so much flavor, a great texture, fluffy and soft, a beautiful pink color and coated in crispy seeds. Served in a bed of hummus and salad and topped of with some crumbled feta! Isn’t Fall a great season? With all the good seasonal food? At least I think so!

Beetroots are such a healthy vegetable. They are packed with fiber and loaded with vitamin B9, which helps to form the DNA and RNA and helps the protein metabolism. Moreover they contain good amounts of manganese, potassium and Vitamin C. Also, they are great for vegetarians and vegans because of their high iron content.

Beetroots are also proven to have numerous health benefits. When consumed they can control your blood flow levels, lower blood pressure, and increase your exercise performance! They help preventing cancer and are really low in calories. If all of this information hasn’t convinced you yet to try it than maybe look at that color! It’s so pink and pretty!

The only reason why I did not cook with beets very often was because I did not know how to prepare them! I always thought of them being really difficult to prepare but actually they are really simple! You can either boil them, or steam them or bake them. I prefer baking the most because you can put it into the oven for about 50 minutes and don’t really have to leave an eye on it. It is so incredibly simple, I don’t know why I haven’t realized this earlier. Really missed out on something.

After the little chunks have been baked, they just need to be combined in the food processor with a few other ingredients to get a doughy consistency. If you do not have a food processor you can just combine all the ingredients with a potato masher or a fork, simply bake the beets for a little bit longer! Form the balls, and roll them in the seed mixture. The seeds are really nutritious too and add an extra kick of protein to the balls, as well as some crunch. Think falafels but with beetroot and baked.

If you feel like turning in the oven for just two servings isn’t worth it, than I have good news for you! Firstly, you can meal prep beets on the weekend so you have them in several dishes throughout the week, and secondly, you can make these balls in a big batch and freeze them (without baking). Whenever you need them, just take them out of the freezer and bake them in the oven and voila!

I love to serve them on a bed of hummus because I am a hummus addict but if you prefer something else, Greek yoghurt for example would be really great too, or even some mashed avocado. On top some crumbled feta, it adds some freshness and I think the combo of beets and feta cheese is just bomb. Of course, if you prefer a vegan option, you can leave that out but if you are not vegan, I would definitely recommend to add it on top.

Also, what I love to eat it with is some homemade focaccia. It basically is pizza, but only drizzled with some olive oil and fresh thyme. So good! If you don´t have the time or patience to make homemade focaccia, baguette, naan, or pita definitely works to. Or if you want to keep it low-carb, then leave the bread out!

I really enjoy making this recipe in fall because I believe that it is a healthy and funny way to switch up the game when preparing beetroots. It is not too hard but tastes amazing! I hope you like it and if you do so, I would really be thankful if you could leave a comment. Also be sure to tag me on Instagram with @uneptcuisiniere or #unepetitecuisiniere so I can see it! Happy fall, and I hope tht you will enjoy it!