This recipe for healthy homemade meatballs with sauce comes from Chef Rocco DiSpirito who is best known as a celebrity chef and a cookbook author. If you desire to eat healthier but keep all the flavor, you will enjoy his latest cookbook, (affiliate link) The Negative Calorie Diet: 10 All You Can Eat Foods. He recently shared his healthy homemade meatballs recipe on Home & Family, which airs weekdays at 10 am ET/PT on Hallmark Channel. I was granted permission to share it with you here. I just love Rocco DiSpirito healthy recipes and I think you will too!
Rocco Dispirito Meatball Recipe With Mushroom and Spinach Sauce
serves 4
Ingredients For Rocco Dispirito Meatballs:
- 12 ounces 96% lean ground beef (such as Laura’s Lean)
- 1 cup finely chopped puffed brown rice (such as Arrowhead Mills)
- 4 cups unsalted beef stock (such as Kitchen Basics)
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 4 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1 cup thinly sliced onion
- 8 cups washed spinach
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot, dissolved in 2 teaspoons of the stock
- 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated on a Microplane grater (parmesan cheese)
When you look that recipe ingredient list over, you will see that it is unprocessed, simple ingredients. This Rocco DiSpirito meatball recipe with healthy sauce for meatballs is easy to make and taste amazing.
The puffed brown rice replaces the bread crumbs you might usually see in classic meatballs. This is a gluten-free, low carb alternative in these easy meatballs. Lots of healthy meatball recipes will use ground turkey in place of ground beef however this recipe keeps the traditional beef flavor and just cuts the fat with lean meat. That is part of why these are still super flavorful meatballs.
How To Make Healthy Meatballs With Sauce
1. Place the beef in a large bowl, pushing it to one side. Add the rice and 1 cup of the stock to the other side of the bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let the rice absorb the stock, about 1 minute. Using an electric hand mixer, mix the beef into the rice until homogeneous, about 1 minute. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Form the meatball mixture into 16 equal-size meatballs. You can also make meatballs with a scooper.
2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and place over medium- high heat. Once the large skillet is hot, add the meatballs and brown on one side, about 1 minute. Turn the meatballs over and brown the opposite sides, about 30 seconds. Transfer the meatballs to a holding plate or baking sheet.
3. Now, you will make the healthy sauce for meatballs. Spray the skillet again with cooking spray, and place back on the heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook until browned and softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Next, add the spinach and cook just to wilt, about 1 minute; then add the remaining stock and the arrowroot slurry and bring to a simmer while whisking until thickened. Finally, add the meatballs and simmer until cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Spoon the healthy homemade meatballs and mushroom and spinach sauce into four bowls, distributing them equally. Sprinkle with cheese and serve! You may also wish to sprinkle on some red pepper flakes to add a little heat.
You can include some no-sugar added dried cranberries in the healthy meatball sauce if you want to liven things up a bit for an additional 20 calories per tablespoon. It is a delicious twist to try that makes the meatball sauce a little sweeter and tangy too!
Printable Recipe Card For Rocco DiSpirito Meatballs
Homemade Healthy Meatballs With Spinach Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces 96% lean ground beef (such as Laura’s Lean)
- 1 cup finely chopped puffed brown rice (such as Arrowhead Mills)
- 4 cups unsalted beef stock (such as Kitchen Basics)
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 4 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1 cup thinly sliced onion
- 8 cups washed spinach
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot, dissolved in 2 teaspoons of the stock
- 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated on a Microplane grater
Instructions
- Place the beef in a large mixing bowl, pushing it to one side. Add the rice and 1 cup of the stock to the other side of the bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let the rice absorb the stock, about 1 minute. Using an electric hand mixer, mix the beef into the rice until homogeneous, about 1 minute. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 16 equal-size meatballs. You can also make meatballs with a scooper.
- Coat a large nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and place over medium- high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the meatballs and brown on one side, about 1 minute. Turn the meatballs over and brown the opposite sides, about 30 seconds. Transfer the meatballs to a holding plate.
- Spray the skillet again with cooking spray, and place back on the heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook until browned and softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook just to wilt, about 1 minute; then add the remaining stock and the arrowroot slurry and bring to a simmer while whisking until thickened. Add the meatballs and simmer until cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Spoon the healthy homemade meatballs and mushroom and spinach sauce into four bowls, distributing them equally. Sprinkle with cheese and serve!
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Healthy Meatballs With Spinach Sauce
Serves: 4
| Amount Per Serving: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 494.63 kcal | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 20.72 g | 30.8% | |
| Saturated Fat 8.03 g | 40% | |
| Trans Fat 1.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol 65.2 mg | 21.7% | |
| Sodium 1269.17 mg | 52.9% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 48.79 g | 16% | |
| Dietary Fiber 4.32 g | 16% | |
| Sugars 4.07 g | ||
| Protein 29.59 g | ||
| Vitamin A 33.33 % | Vitamin C 21.18 % | |
| Calcium 22.09 % | Iron 30.18 % | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Family Focus Blog
This healthy meatballs recipe is sure to become a favorite with the whole family. After all, what is not to love about homemade healthy meatballs especially when they are low fat and covered in a yummy healthy sauce for meatballs. If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator.
Conclusion
For a healthier version of traditional meatballs, use grass-fed beef and opt for clean eating organic vegetables. These meatballs are lightly pan-fried in healthy olive oil (instead of being deep-fried) and then finished in the healthy meatball sauce. Mmm…chef’s kiss…so good.
I just love healthy eating with Rocco DiSpirito recipes because they have so much great Italian flavor you would never even know they are healthy! Do you think you will try making these healthy homemade meatballs with spinach and mushroom sauce? These tender meatballs are great eaten alone or you can serve on top of your favorite pasta. It makes a great all-in-one bowl family dinner meal. Do you have any of Chef DiSpirito’s cookbooks?
Related Recipes:
If you love mushrooms, you may also want to try pork chop with mushroom cream sauce.
Corinne says
I’m excited to add this delicious meatballs recipe to our family menu. I love the unique flavor combinations and that it’s a healthy meal!
jaceka says
Thanks for sharing this easy meatball recipe with spinach sauce. I just love healthy and delicious food.
angela@spinachtiger says
Scarlett I love the idea of the spinach. Meatballs are so satisfying and this is a new and unique to make keto meatballs.