Pesto Cocktail Meatballs with Plant-Based Meat
By Joe GitterPublished on January 31, 2022
Time
55 minutes
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We prefer to make our own pesto here, but you can substitute ½ cup store-bought pesto, if desired; you will still need ¼ cup pine nuts for the crunchy garnish. Serve with crusty bread for swiping up extra sauce.
Instructions
- Process basil, ¼ cup pine nuts, one-third garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. With processor running, slowly add ¼ cup oil and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer pesto to bowl.
- Process bread, 2 tablespoons pesto, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in now-empty processor until evenly combined, about 20 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to processor. Pulse until mixture is combined, about 10 pulses.
- Remove processor blade. Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll meat mixture into generous 1-tablespoon-size meatballs and transfer to large plate. Transfer meatballs to refrigerator and let chill for 15 minutes. (Meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook, gently turning as needed, until browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Push meatballs to side of skillet. Add pepper flakes and remaining garlic to center and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and bring to simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in 3 tablespoons pesto and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer meatballs to platter, dollop with remaining pesto, and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup pine nuts. Serve.
Time
55 minutesYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Enveloped in a garlicky tomato sauce, these tender mini meatballs deliver major pesto flavor, times three. First, adding a little pesto to the meat mixture infuses the meatballs with fresh basil flavor without causing them to become too soft to hold their shape when seared. A slice of bread processed into the meat mixture binds the meatballs and keeps them moist and tender even after they're browned and cooked through; this panade is such an effective binder that there's no need to add any egg to the mix. For the second pesto addition, we stir some into the tomato sauce. Last but not least, we dollop the remaining pesto over the cooked meatballs in contrasting green mounds. A sprinkling of pine nuts adds a subtle finishing crunch. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
Before You Begin
We prefer to make our own pesto here, but you can substitute ½ cup store-bought pesto, if desired; you will still need ¼ cup pine nuts for the crunchy garnish. Serve with crusty bread for swiping up extra sauce.
Instructions
- Process basil, ¼ cup pine nuts, one-third garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. With processor running, slowly add ¼ cup oil and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer pesto to bowl.
- Process bread, 2 tablespoons pesto, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in now-empty processor until evenly combined, about 20 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to processor. Pulse until mixture is combined, about 10 pulses.
- Remove processor blade. Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll meat mixture into generous 1-tablespoon-size meatballs and transfer to large plate. Transfer meatballs to refrigerator and let chill for 15 minutes. (Meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook, gently turning as needed, until browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Push meatballs to side of skillet. Add pepper flakes and remaining garlic to center and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and bring to simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in 3 tablespoons pesto and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer meatballs to platter, dollop with remaining pesto, and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup pine nuts. Serve.
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