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Meatball Salad with Creamy Basil-Parmesan Dressing

Amanda

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Meatballs in a salad?! Weird or genius?  I’m firmly in the camp of genius after trying this recipe.I have never seen a meatball salad on a menu at a restaurant or come across a recipe in any of the thousands of cookbooks I own, until Jessica Merchant’s The Pretty Dish cookbook.  I was intrigued and decided to give it a try, making a few tweaks to the original recipe and giving it a creamy basil-Parmesan dressing.  It’s so so good!There was a time in my life where meatballs really weirded me out.  Maybe I was just having bad renditions of this Italian-American classic, poorly made or poorly executed?  Anyway, I’ve gotten over that and now love them any way I can get them.

Dinner salads are one of my favorite things to make because the variations and flavor combinations are truly endless.  You can basically make a salad out of anything, as this recipe proves!  It makes you feel healthy, regardless of what you actually put in it because…salad is inherently healthy, right?Mixed greens + arugula are the perfect combination of salad greens here because they are flavorful enough to stand up to the meatballs.  I love to add cherry tomatoes for that classic meatball and tomato sauce pairing.  Shavings of Parmesan cheese put this firmly into Italian food territory.

The basil-Parmesan dressing might be my favorite part.  I’ve had many compliments on the dressing when I’ve served it-I even made it for a catering event I did for 60 people!  I think I may have to make this my “house” dressing.  It’s super creamy and cheesy, reminiscent of Caesar but just better somehow!  The addition of basil gives it even more flavor and freshness.This would make a great summer dinner or make-ahead meal.  You can make the meatballs and dressing whenever you have free time, and store in the refrigerator or freeze the meatballs for easy use.

Warm weather begs for more easy dinner recipes, especially light salads that barely require any intervention or cooking.  The meatballs require a quick sear and finish in the oven and all you have to do is throw the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and mix in the dressing.  Now you can enjoy your dinner on the patio!

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Meatball Salad with Creamy Basil-Parmesan Dressing

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  • Author: Amanda
  • Yield: 2 to 4 servings 1x
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Description

A hearty yet light dinner recipe of roasted meatballs in tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan and mixed greens, all combined with a creamy, flavorful basil-Parmesan dressing.

Ingredients

Scale

CREAMY BASIL-PARMESAN DRESSING:

  • 6 to 8 large fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • Dash of Worcestershire
  • Dash of hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly ground Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

MEATBALLS:

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons ground Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons ground Pecorino Romano
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 6 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Olive oil, for frying
  • 1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade

FOR THE SALAD:

  • 8 to 10 ounces mixed baby greens
  • 4 ounces halved cherry tomatoes
  • Shaved Parmesan cheese, for serving
  • Freshly ground Parmesan, for serving

Instructions

  1. For the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process to combine.  Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary.
  2. For the meatballs: Combine the shallot, eggs, Parmesan and Pecorino cheeses, garlic, basil, parsley, bread crumbs and salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.  Stir together to fully combine.  Add the beef and mix together with your hands until the ingredients are well-mixed.  Using your hands or an ice cream scoop, portion the meatballs into approximate 1-inch balls.
  3. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook the meatballs until browned on all sides and no longer pink in the middle, about 10 to 12 minutes.  Add the marinara sauce and reduce the heat to low; continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the marinara sauce has reduced slightly and fully coats the meatballs.
  4. To assemble the salad: Place the mixed greens in a large serving bowl.  Add the tomatoes, shaved Parmesan and enough dressing to lightly coat the ingredients.  Add the meatballs to the top and sprinkle with ground Parmesan.  Serve immediately with the remaining dressing on the side.

Notes

Inspiration: Meatball Salad from The Pretty Dish by Jessica Merchant

  • Category: Salads, Beef
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