After Trevor requested this meal again this week I decided I would share my meatball recipe since my family can’t enough of them. Half the battle with most Italian food is preparation time and these can be whipped up quickly and bake in the oven in under 30 minutes. I kept the meatball recipe Paleo & Whole 30 but added fresh pasta for lunch and passed on the carbs for dinner the next night.

I know when I would share about our Whole 30 experience I would frequently talk about ’emergency meals’ being so crucial. This is one of those that is so easy to whip up in large batches and freeze whatever you don’t need to keep on hand. Italian meatballs are one of my favorite indulgences and this recipe allows us to feel little guilt. I keep the meat lean (usually 85%) so they don’t get dry and add a bit of spice to them!

You can make fresh pasta, snag some at the store or even use zucchini noodles if you are staying low carb or paleo. A little trick I just found on zoodle preparation I think I was missing before was the draining. I was never able to make my zoodles crispy and while watching the Food Network I saw the chef strain all her zoodles post spiralizing in a cheese cloth so when she tossed them on the oil they didn’t feel soggy.

Just mix everything together and roll into fairy large balls. Don’t worry, even without breadcrumbs these will stay together. Do make sure you rub olive oil on the pan before placing the meatballs down. Throw those in the oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees and in that time you can prepare your sauce and pasta.

I like to make my pasta a little spicy too so I add a few chili flakes – if you are making your own that’s perfect and if not I love the spicy tomato and garlic at Whole Foods! Toss everything together and top with some fresh basil and you have an easy dinner and perfect leftovers.

Looking at these photos is making me crave them all over again! TGIT!

Oven Baked Italian Meatballs

2016-07-05 13:51:17

An easy baked meatball recipe perfect for weeknights that is Whole 30 & Paleo!

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

30 min

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

30 min

Meatballs

1. 1 1b Lean Beef
2. 1 Egg
3. 1 Tbsp Basil, finely chopped
4. 1 Tbsp Parsley, finely chopped
5. 2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
6. 1 Tsp Chili Flakes
7. 1 Tsp Salt
8. 1 Tsp Black Pepper

Sauce

1. 1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
2. 1 Onion, finely chopped
3. 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
4. 1 Bay Leaf
5. 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
6. 1 Tbsp Parsley, finely chopped
7. 1 Tsp Black Pepper
8. 1 Tsp Chili Flakes (add more to liking)
9. Garnish with Basil, finely chopped

Meatballs

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine all ingredients for meatballs in bowl and mix well
3. Coat baking pan with olive oil
4. Roll meatballs into even sizes and place on pan
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through

Sauce

1. Heat Olive Oil in medium pan for a few minutes than add Onion, Garlic, Tomatoes, Bay Leaf and Black Pepper
2. Cook on low for 15 minutes
3. Add Chili Flakes and mix well
4. Heat for an additional 10 minutes
5. Serve over pasta or zucchini noodles and top with fresh chopped Basil

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