Beef and bison meatballs with nomato sauce

These meatballs hold together with nothing but meat and finely chopped mushrooms doing the binding, no egg, no breadcrumbs needed. The result is a plain, satisfying plate of meatballs in a rich, saucy gravy. They make a dozen and freeze well, a genuine batch-cook that buys you several easy dinners.

Red meat is one of the most reliable sources of zinc and iron, 2 minerals studied for their role in immune regulation and gut-barrier repair. Bison is lean and clean, and the mushrooms add savory depth and moisture. The sauce is nomato, built from butternut squash and beets instead of tomato, so you get the full comfort of a saucy meatball with a nightshade-free base.

Source the beef and bison from animals raised well, and let that be a small, real gratitude rather than a slogan. You are eating muscle from a creature that lived, and treating it with care, plating it with a little parsley and warm sauce, is part of the practice. Take a breath before you eat.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground bison (ground lamb or pork also works)
• One 4-oz can mushrooms, drained (about 3/4 cup), or fresh equivalent
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus more to garnish
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5 tsp fine sea salt
• Olive oil, for the baking dish
• Nomato sauce, warmed, for serving

Method

Heat the oven to 350 F and oil a baking dish.

Put the beef, bison, mushrooms, parsley, garlic, and salt in a bowl and mix gently by hand just until combined. Do not overwork it, or the meatballs turn dense.

Form 12 large meatballs, about a third of a cup each, and set them in the oiled dish with a little space between them.

Bake about 35 minutes, until they are browned and cooked through. Top with warmed nomato sauce and a little fresh parsley to serve. They pair well with cauliflower rice or a simple salad.

Leftover meatballs freeze well, so doubling the batch is worth it.

Air fryer variation

The air fryer gives the meatballs a browner crust and runs faster. Arrange them in a single layer with space around each one so the air moves, and cook at about 380 F for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking or turning halfway, until they are browned and cooked through at the center. Work in batches rather than crowding the basket. Warm the nomato sauce separately and spoon it over after. The time and temperature are an estimate and worth a test the first time.

*Adapted from asquirrelinthekitchen.com*