Spinach Meatballs & Spaghetti

I like putting spinach with ground beef – burgers, meat loaf and, now, meatballs.

It only takes an extra minute or two and I don’t have to bother with another vegetable.

Plus I can justify eating more meatballs and that’s always a good thing.

About the meatballs…. I have discovered that If I put the whole lot on a plate, divide it (roughly) into fourths, then make 4 meatballs out of each fourth I get 16 relatively uniform meatballs that are a nice size for a pasta dish.

Just so you know….

Spinach Meatballs & Spaghetti 

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 12oz (360gr) ground beef
  • 7oz (200gr) frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
  • 2 tbs dried breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
  • 2 tbs ketchup
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp celery salt
  • Sauce:
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 rib celery, chopped
  • 4oz, (120gr) mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 cups (8oz, 240gr) tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup (8oz, 240gr) tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) beef stock
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 4oz (125gr) spaghetti

Spinach Meatballs

Instructions:

  • Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain
  • Meatballs:
  • In medium bowl lightly beat the egg with a fork.
  •  Add remaining ingredients, except spinach and beef; mix well.
  • Add beef, spinach and mix well
  • Form into meatballs, about 1″ (2.5cm) in diameter.
  • Sauce: 
  • In large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and sauté for 5 minutes.
  • Add paprika, garlic, mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes longer. 
  • Add the tomatoes, sauce, stock and heat to simmering.
  • When simmering add the meatballs, being careful that they don’t touch. 
  • Cover and continue to simmer until meatballs are done, stirring and turning the meatballs once or twice, about 15 minutes..
  • To serve spoon meatballs and sauce over spaghetti.

Print Recipe

You can even sneak vegetables into reluctant eaters with this dish.

I’ve been off playing again….

This time we toured a local winery.

Believe it or not, I live in the greatest wine country in the world (or so I’m told) and I rarely set foot in a winery. I’ve visited more wineries in Spain than I have in France.

But I don’t live in Spain…..

We always ignore, or put off until later, what is in our own backyard.

Shame, isn’t it?

Last update on February 3, 2018

6 thoughts on “Spinach Meatballs & Spaghetti”

  1. Love spaghetti and meatballs. One of my favorite dishes 🙂

    We have two award winning wineries near us that I’d never even heard of until we moved out here. We live a bit less than 50 miles from our old house. I love wine. I should have known! I have been to both and they’re pretty neat to tour. Sad I didn’t know though.

    • We need to remember to see the local stuff. It’s so easy to put off when it’s close. As to the meatballs – I could make them every night and the hubs would be happy.

  2. We love spinach; never thought of putting it with ground beef. Great idea! I’m going to try this. Curious about the addition of mustard; first time I’ve seen that in a meatball recipe.

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