Basically anything stuffed with jalapenos and cheese are great, so these meatballs and zoodles are definitely a win. They’re quick and easy to whip up, and the recipe can be used almost exactly to form into burgers- once this rain clears up they’ll be perfect to toss on the grill.
Zucchini are fresh, cheap, and readily available (and are helping me feel like one day it might be spring!!), but feel free to substitute for whatever kind of noodle or base you like! They are easily found at most grocery stores these days, but they’re so easy to make with a spiralizer yourself- either with my food processor kit or with a hand spiralizer.
Also, I promise making the pesto is not that hard, you can do it!!! Fresh basil and herbs- what could be better?!
Ingredients:
Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey or chicken, I have used either and they all work great)
- ½ C italian blend cheese
- 1 C shredded spinach
- ¼ C italian breadcrumbs
- 1 jalapeno
- ½ red onion
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp garlic
- Salt and pepper
- Italian seasoning
Makes 24 meatballs
Pesto:
- 1 C basil
- 2 C spinach
- Olive oil
- Juice from half a lemon
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tsp garlic
- Italian seasoning
- ¼ C pine nuts*
Now you make it:
Meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 350
- Combine diced onion, jalapeno, cheese, spinach, breadcrumbs, egg, spices, and ground beef into a bowl and mix well, honestly using your hands is the easiest tool for this
- Line a baking tray with foil (plz do not forget this step) and if you have the option, set a wire baking rack in the tray and spray with cooking spray to prevent the meatballs from sticking*
- Form mixture into about 1-1 ½ in diameter balls and line in baking tray, cook for 20 min
Zoodles:
- If you are serving immediately, flash cook them in a skillet on the stove with a little olive oil and spices to heat through, but remove in just a few minutes before they become soggy
- If meal prepping- I put the zoodles raw directly into the tupperware, reheating later removes the step of heating them now
Pesto:
- In a food processor, add in 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 C basil and combine first
- Add in second tbsp of oil and 1 C of spinach and combine, before then adding the remaining spinach and final tbsp of oil (this helps for them to combine easier and not get clogged up)
- Combine remaining ingredients in mixture, adding more pepper to taste, and adding more olive oil as needed to create a thinner texture
Toss zoodles in pesto and serve with meatballs, topped with cheese!
*I did not have pine nuts left so I didn’t add them this time, as I prefer it with them, but if you don’t have any you will be fine without!
*I like having a baking rack to have the meatballs up off the foil to help cook evenly with heat underneath but it also allows for any fat on them to drain off and stay separate from the meatballs as it cools
Obviously, use either of these recipes together or by separate with different meals!
Enjoy!
