Italian Style Meatballs with Oatmeal & Flax
Delicious hearty baked meatballs using oatmeal and flax instead of breadcrumbs, baked and simmered in sauce.
Equipment
- 1 large bowl for mixing
- 1-2 sheet pans
- parchment paper or foil
- 1 pot for simmering sauce
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ground beef, pork, chicken, or turkey or a mix
- 3/4 cup oatmeal steel-cut, quick, or old fashioned (see notes)
- 1 tbsp ground flax
- 3/4 cups milk
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan and/or romano cheese
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, etc.
- 1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 egg optional see notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Get a pot of sauce ready for simmering when the meatballs are done baking.
- Grab a bowl and combine your oats and flax (if using) with the milk. Set aside and let soak for 5 minutes for quick oats, or an hour for old-fashioned.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients in the bowl and mix well with your hands.
- Form the mixture into balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 6 minutes. Flip the meatballs and switch the bottom and upper racks if needed.
- Bake for an additional 6 minutes or until just barely cooked through into the center.
- Remove sheets from the oven and transfer the meatballs into the pot of sauce.
- Simmer for 1-2 hours. Longer simmering will mean softer meatballs and absorb some more of the sauce.
- Enjoy with your favorite pasta or by themselves with an extra sprinkle of cheese!
Notes
*Flax works as an egg substitute, if you don't use flax, use 1-2 eggs*
I purposely made this batch big for freezing extras. Dividing the recipe is easy, see below. The base recipe for one pound of meat:
1/4 cup of oats.
1/4 cup of milk.
1 tsp of flax.
1 tsp of salt.
1 tsp dried herbs.
A mixture of meats works very well and spices can easily be substituted for different cuisines.
If you plan on freezing these right away without finishing in sauce, turn the heat off and let them sit in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until the middle is no longer pink.