Meatballs with Ratatouille
A simple roasted ratatouille becomes the perfect accompaniment for tender and juicy meatballs seasoned with herbs de Provence for this French-inspired dish.
Servings 4
Calories 458kcal
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 1/4 pound lean ground beef pork, turkey, or a mixture
- 1/2 cup pork panko or almond flour for pork-free
- 1/4 cup Parmesan grated, omit for dairy-free
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 3 green onions chopped fine
- 2 tablespoons herbs de Provence
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon gelatin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste or fish sauce, optional, adds umami
Ratatouille
- 1 red bell pepper large dice
- 1 onion large dice
- 2 cups eggplant 1 medium eggplant, diced
- 2 cups zucchini 2 medium zucchini, diced
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tablespoon thyme dried
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated, optional, omit if dairy-free
Instructions
- Start the ratatouille first. Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Toss the vegetables with olive oil, salt, garlic, and thyme then spread onto the prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the vegetables are lightly charred, stirring occasionally, about 35-40 minutes.
- While ratatouille cooks, prepare the meatballs. Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands to mix until evenly combined. Form into about 1 tablespoon size meatballs, about 20 meatballs.
- Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until golden, turning occasionally until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
- Serve the meatballs over a bed of ratatouille with a sprinkling of Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
You can also bake the meatballs in a 350ºF preheated oven. Simply line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and/or baking parchment, place ~2 tablespoon size meatballs on top, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. I like to broil them for about 4-5 minutes just to brown them before serving.
Protein:Energy Quotient [calories]: 0.86
Nutrition
Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 699mg | Potassium: 1024mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1650IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 7mg