Description
A flavorful Sheet Pan Meatballs recipe served with a vibrant tomato salad and a punchy green sauce, perfect for a quick and delicious main course.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Green Sauce:
-
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 cup parsley
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1/4 cup capers or pitted castelvetrano olives
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- juice and zest of a lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- salt to taste
Sheet Pan Meatballs:
-
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup panko
- 1 lb. ground beef (grass-fed, grass-finished preferred)
Extras:
-
- 1 small baguette for serving
- 1 cup tzatziki (store-bought or homemade)
Marinated Tomato Salad:
- 1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced herbs (e.g., parsley)
- salt to taste (about 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt)
- 1 cucumber, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Prepare the Tomato Salad: Make your tomato salad by combining the halved or quartered cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, fresh herbs, and salt. Add the sliced cucumber and mix well. Set aside.
- Make the Flavor Base: Pulse the garlic, parsley, cilantro, capers, and walnuts in a food processor until chopped very finely. Be careful not to create a paste; you want a fine chop. Alternatively, chop everything by hand.
- Prepare the Meatballs: Transfer half of the flavor base to a large bowl. Add the egg, paprika, salt, panko, and ground beef. Mix thoroughly with your hands until well combined. Roll the mixture into meatballs and place on a sheet pan. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Create the Green Sauce: Take the other half of the flavor base and put it in a smaller bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add red pepper flakes for heat. The sauce should resemble a loose pesto or chimichurri.
- Assemble and Serve: Serve the meatballs over a swipe of tzatziki, accompanied by a chunk of rustic bread and a scoop of the tomato salad. Drizzle the green sauce over everything for a burst of flavor. Dip and enjoy!
Notes
- The meatball mixture might seem wet, but it will firm up as it bakes.
- Feel free to customize the green sauce with your preferred herbs or nuts.
- If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop the ingredients by hand for the green sauce.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
