Melt in the Middle Meatballs

🥘 Ingredients

• baby broccoli
  12 oz
• beef stock concentrate
  1 unit
• diced tomatoes
  2 box
• dried thyme
  1 tsp
• fresh mozzarella
  8 oz
• garlic
  2 clove
• ground beef
  20 oz
• olive oil (divided)
  2 tbsp
• panko breadcrumbs
  ½ cup
• pepper
• red onion
  1 unit
• salt
• spaghetti
  12 oz
• sugar
  2 tsp

🍳 Cookware

• large pot
• large pan
• large bowl
• baking sheet

1. 

   1

    Wash and dry all produce. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Halve, peel and finely dice the red onion . Mince or grate the garlic . Cut the fresh mozzarella into small cubes. Trim and discard the bottom inch from the baby broccoli .

   red onion: 1 unit, garlic: 2 clove, fresh mozzarella: 8 oz, baby broccoli: 12 oz
2. 

   2

    Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add half the onion and cook, tossing for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the panko breadcrumbs , half the dried thyme , and half the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper . Transfer the mixture to a large bowl .

   olive oil: 2 tbsp (divided), panko breadcrumbs: ½ cup, dried thyme: 1 tsp, salt, pepper
3. 3

   Roast the broccolini: Toss the broccolini on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning halfway through, until slightly crispy.
4. 4

   Form the meatballs: Thoroughly mix the ground beef into the panko mixture along with a large pinch of salt (we used 1 teaspoon kosher salt) and pepper. Form the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs. Press 1 cube of mozzarella into the center of each meatball and seal the meat around the cheese. Reserve the extra mozzarella for step 7.

   ground beef: 20 oz
5. 

   5

    Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook for 9-11 minutes, until al dente. Heat a large drizzle of oil in the same large pan over high heat. Add the meatballs to the pan and sear for 4-5 minutes, rotating to brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

   spaghetti: 12 oz
6. 

   6

    Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining onion, thyme, and garlic to the pan. Cook, tossing, for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the diced tomatoes , beef stock concentrate , sugar , and 2 cups water to the pan. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Return the meatballs to the sauce to finish cooking through.

   diced tomatoes: 2 box, beef stock concentrate: 1 unit, sugar: 2 tsp
7. 7

   Finish: Drain the spaghetti and divide between plates. Top with the sauce and meatballs. Roughly chop the broccolini and sprinkle over the plate. Top with any remaining mozzarella and enjoy!