Melt in the Middle Meatballs

🥘 Ingredients

• baby broccolini
  8 oz
• beef stock concentrate
  1 tbsp
• black pepper
  ½ tsp
• diced tomatoes
  14.5 oz
• dried thyme
  ½ tsp
• fresh mozzarella
  6 oz
• garlic
  2 cloves
• ground beef
  1 lb
• olive oil
  3 tbsp
• panko breadcrumbs
  ½ cup
• red onion
  1
• salt
  1 tsp
• spaghetti
  8 oz
• sugar
  2 tsp
• water
  2 c

🍳 Cookware

• large pot
• large pan
• baking sheet
• large pan
• large pan

1. 

   1

   Wash and dry all produce. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Halve, peel, and finely dice the red onion . Mince or grate the garlic . Cut the fresh mozzarella into small cubes. Trim and discard the bottom inch from the baby broccolini .

   red onion: 1, garlic: 2 cloves, fresh mozzarella: 6 oz, baby broccolini: 8 oz
2. 

   2

   Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add half the red onion and cook, tossing ⏱️ 2 minutes , until softened. Add the panko breadcrumbs , half the dried thyme , and half the garlic and cook for an additional ⏱️ 1 minutes , until fragrant. Season with salt and black pepper . Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

   olive oil: 3 tbsp, panko breadcrumbs: ½ cup, dried thyme: ½ tsp, salt: 1 tsp, black pepper: ½ tsp
3. 3

   Roast the broccolini: Toss the baby broccolini on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place in the oven ⏱️ 20 minutes , turning halfway through, until slightly crispy.
4. 4

   Form the meatballs: Thoroughly mix the ground beef into the panko mixture along with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Form the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs. Press 1 cube of mozzarella into the center of each meatball and seal the meat around the cheese. Reserve the extra mozzarella for later.

   ground beef: 1 lb
5. 

   5

   Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook ⏱️ 10 minutes , until al dente. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in the same large pan over high heat. Add the meatballs to the pan and sear ⏱️ 4 minutes , rotating to brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

   spaghetti: 8 oz
6. 

   6

   Heat a drizzle of olive oil in the same large pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining onion, thyme, and garlic to the pan. Cook, tossing, ⏱️ 2 minutes , until softened. Add the diced tomatoes , beef stock concentrate , sugar , and water to the pan. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Return the meatballs to the sauce to finish cooking through ⏱️ 5 minutes .

   diced tomatoes: 14.5 oz, beef stock concentrate: 1 tbsp, sugar: 2 tsp, water: 2 c
7. 7

   Drain the spaghetti and divide between plates. Top with the sauce and meatballs. Roughly chop the broccolini and sprinkle over the plate. Top with any remaining mozzarella and enjoy!