To stretch the ground beef, we use high-fiber bulgur and whole-wheat breadcrumbs in the meatballs, which are baked rather than fried.
Ingredients:
For Meatballs:
- 1/3 cup bulgur
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 4 ounces lean ground beef
- 4 ounces hot Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
- 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
- 3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (see Tip)
For Sauce & Spaghetti:
- 4 cups prepared marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup slivered fresh basil leaves or chopped fresh parsley
- 1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti or linguine
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (1 ounce)
Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice makes about 1/3 cup.
Directions:
To prepare meatballs: Combine bulgur and water in a small bowl. Let stand until the bulgur is tender and the liquid is absorbed about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a rack with cooking spray and place it over a baking sheet lined with foil.
Combine ground beef, sausage, onion, egg whites, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and the soaked bulgur in a large bowl; mix well. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs (about 24). Place the meatballs on the rack and bake for 25 minutes. Blot well with a paper towel.
To prepare sauce & spaghetti: Put a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil. Bring sauce to a simmer in a Dutch oven. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in basil (or parsley).
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti (or linguine) until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with the sauce and meatballs and serve with grated cheese.
