Shakshuka! As Fun to Say as It Is to Eat.
Whether you’re already in love with shakshuka or still part of the uninitiated, we promise you’re going to love this meatball shakshuka as much or more than the egg-y original. Shakshuka is kind of the OG one-pan meal, and you know we’re into that (and we know you are, too). Shakshuka meatballs might sound like a big departure from the original recipe, but it makes a lot of sense if you stop to think about it. Shakshuka is a dish of eggs simmered in tomato sauce—albeit one flavored with Middle Eastern spices—and traditional Italian meatballs are simmered in a simple tomato sauce. All we did was put two and two together! Boom—smoky, spicy, shakshuka meatballs!
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Meatball Shakshuka: Simple Ingredients = Extreme Deliciousness
This easy meatball recipe is all about taking familiar techniques and basic ingredients and creating a wildly delicious, one-pan, weeknight dinner that’s so good it’ll make you re-think your whole entire life. Or, will at least just make everyone around your table really happy. We bet you’ve got most of these spices and veggies on-hand already. AND, because the flavors used in the meatball sauce (the shakshuka sauce) are the same as the ones in the meatballs, there’s a lot of overlap between the meatball ingredients and the simmer sauce ingredients. In addition to the basics (olive oil, salt) here’s what you’ll need to make this easy meatball recipe:
- Red bell peppers
- Onion
- Cumin
- Smoked paprika
- Canned whole tomatoes
- Ground beef
- Garlic
- Eggs
- Breadcrumbs
How to Make Meatballs
Are we the most meatball-obsessed people on the internet? It’s hard to say. Possibly. But, lucky for you because we’ve got this meatball-making stuff down to a science. Here are our very best tips for making the best meatballs EVER:
- Start with high-quality ground beef. This might seem like an obvious one, but it really does matter. We like to use a classic “80/20” ground beef, which means 80 percent lean beef to 20 percent beef fat. Having some fat in the mix ensures that your meatballs stay nice and moist.
- When it’s time to mix seasonings into your meatballs—in this case, smoked paprika, cumin, and lots of garlic—mix the ground beef with a light hand. Gently fold in the beaten eggs and breadcrumbs with your hands until the mixture is just combined. This helps the meatballs stay fluffy and moist instead of dense or rubbery.
- Keep a small bowl of water nearby when it’s time to roll the meatballs, and lightly wet your hands as you roll. This will keep the meatball mixture from sticking to your hands and make the whole process faster and tidier.
- Roll them evenly to ensure even cooking. This is related to our last tip, which is....
- Don’t overcook the meatballs! One of the wonderful things about cooking the meatballs in liquid—in this case, simmering them in a smoky shakshuka sauce—is that it’s harder to overcook them. But still, keep an eye out for doneness. After 20 minutes of simmering, pull out a meatball and check for doneness by simply cutting it in half.
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Meatballs Rule Everything Around Me
We really do live the M.R.E.A.M. life here at TMP. And nobody’s mad about it. Here are 5 easy meatball recipes that fuel our obsession:
Shakshuka for Dinner!
So, did you try it? Did you love it? Let us know! Snap a photo of your shakshuka meatballs and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
