Meatball Zucchini Italiano
Submitted by weatherwatch
Meatball zucchini Italiano is a fast one-skillet dinner: tender beef meatballs and sliced zucchini simmered in a quick tomato sauce and spooned over pasta. A weeknight-easy way to sneak in vegetables.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
35 minA weeknight winner that all comes together in one skillet. Tender beef meatballs brown up first, then simmer in a quick tomato sauce alongside sliced zucchini, all spooned over pasta.
Browning the meatballs and pouring off the drippings keeps the dish from going greasy while building savory flavor. A pinch of red pepper flakes in the mix adds a gentle warmth.
The sauce starts thin, just tomatoes, water, and a little beef bouillon, then a quick cornstarch slurry thickens it into a glossy coating that clings to everything.
Add the zucchini near the end so it stays crisp-tender and fresh-tasting rather than cooking down into mush. In about half an hour you’ve got a complete, vegetable-packed meatball dinner, a sneaky way to get the kids eating their zucchini.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t overmix the meatball mixture or pack the balls too tightly, or they’ll turn dense.
- Brown the meatballs and pour off the fat for a cleaner, less greasy sauce.
- Add the zucchini in the last few minutes so it stays tender-crisp, not mushy.
- Stir the cornstarch into cold water before adding so the sauce thickens smooth, with no lumps.
Variations
- Use ground turkey or chicken in place of beef for a lighter version.
- Stir in Italian seasoning, fresh basil, or a handful of Parmesan.
- Serve over zoodles, rice, or polenta instead of pasta.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, celery, ½ teaspoon of the garlic salt and red pepper.
Shape into 12 balls and brown in a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Pour off drippings.
Break up tomatoes; add to skillet with ¾ cup water, beef bouillon granules and remaining ¼ teaspoon garlic salt.
Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
Dissolve cornstarch in remaining ¼ cup water.
Stir cornstarch mixture and zucchini into skillet with meatballs and continue cooking, covered for 5 minutes.
Serve over cooked pasta.
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