Skinny Italian Spinach Meatballs

These meatballs would make my husband's Italian family proud. I wanted to lighten my favorite new way to make Italian meatballs and the Spinach meatball was born. Adding spinach to your meatballs adds volume and fiber, so you can eat the same amount of meatballs with fewer calories, and it's a great way to sneak veggies into your picky kid's meal. I got 30 small meatballs out of this but only 25 made it into the sauce (my husband and I kept eating them). They are moist and flavorful with or without the sauce. Serve the leftovers for lunch on crusty whole wheat Italian bread for a meatball hero.

For a traditional spaghetti and meatball dinner, serve this over 1 cup of your favorite low point pasta.



Skinny Italian Spinach Meatballs
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 5 meatballs w 4.5 oz sauce • Old Points: 4 • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 211.2 • Fat: 9.8 g • Protein: 17.4 g • Carb: 14.3 g • Fiber: 4.2 g 

• 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of all liquid
• 2 slices whole wheat Weight Watchers bread (or any half point bread)
• 1 large egg
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese (or your favorite Parmesan Cheese)
• salt and pepper

Tomato Sauce:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves smashed garlic
• 28 oz can Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes (my favorite)
• 1/2 onion (don't chop)
• salt and pepper

Wet bread with water then mash up with your hands. Add to large bowl and combine with chopped beef, chopped spinach, egg, garlic, parsley, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients well until thoroughly combined. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, measure meat, then divide in two so that each meatball is 1/8th of a cup. Roll into little meatballs.

In a large pot, add olive oil and heat on medium. When hot add smashed garlic. When garlic is golden brown, add tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper and cover, reduce heat to low.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil on low heat. When oil is hot add as many meatballs that will fit, cook on low, turning often so that all side get browned. Cook until the centers are cooked through. When finished, place on a dish lined with paper towels to blot any excess oil. Drop meatballs into sauce and continue cooking the remaining meatballs, repeating the process. When all meatballs are in the sauce, simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes. Discard onion and serve.