baked beef meatballs bound by fresh herbs and aromatics instead of egg or breadcrumb, AIP Core friendly

Meatballs without egg or breadcrumb sound like they should fall apart, and the first time you make a batch like this, it is fair to watch the tray a little nervously. They hold. Finely diced onion and celery, plenty of fresh herbs, and a short rest are doing the binding work that egg usually gets credit for.

The basil, thyme, rosemary, and oregano are not only there for flavor. Fresh herbs like these are a source of the plant compounds researchers associate with lower inflammation, and using four of them at once is not an accident. Beef itself is a straightforward source of iron, useful weight on a protocol that asks a body to keep rebuilding.

Roll these gently and evenly so they cook through together, and give a thought to the animal this came from while you shape them. Set them on the tray with a little room between each one, and let the herbs make the kitchen smell like more than just dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 TBSP fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 1.5 tsp sea salt

Method

Heat the oven to 400 to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment.

Put the ground beef in a large bowl. Add the basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, garlic, onion, celery, and salt. Mix with your hands just until everything is evenly combined. Stop there. Overworking the meat makes the meatballs dense.

Scoop and roll the mixture into evenly sized balls, around 1.5 inches across. Set them on the lined sheet with a little space between each one.

Bake for about 18 to 22 minutes, until browned outside and cooked through. Cut one open to check that the center is no longer pink. Rest a couple of minutes before serving.

Air fryer variation

Set the air fryer to about 380 F. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer, not touching. Cook for roughly 10 to 13 minutes, shaking the basket once, until browned and cooked through. Work in batches if needed. Time and temperature are untested here, so check the center before serving.

*Adapted from healmedelicious.com*