Juicy Pork Meatballs

Recipe from Healthy Recipes Blog

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground pork – 85/15
• 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt – or 1 teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon thyme – dried
• 1 teaspoon coriander – ground
• 1 teaspoon cumin – ground

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with heatproof parchment paper or nonstick foil.
• In a large bowl, use your clean hands to combine the ground pork, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, coriander, and cumin.
• Shape the mixture into 32 meatballs, each weighing about 1 ounce (30 grams). It’s easier to shape the meatballs if your hands are moistened.
• Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the meatballs until they are browned and cooked through, for about 15 minutes. Their internal temperature should reach 160°F. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Handle the meatballs lightly to make sure they are not too dense. Don’t over-mix the ingredients, and when shaping the meatballs, try to use a light touch.
• For a slightly smoky flavor, use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika. Chili powder is another good option.
• Add moisture to the meatballs with a tablespoon of mayonnaise.
• Sometimes, when pressed for time or just feeling lazy, you can use a package of pork sausage, shape the mixture into meatballs, and bake them! These one-ingredient meatballs are a bit less flavorful than the original recipe, and they’re also paler. However, they are still delicious and so, so easy.
• It’s nice to serve these meatballs with a dipping sauce like harissa, sriracha mayo, sour cream dip, or ranch dressing.
• You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers in freezer bags for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition per Serving

Serving: 4 meatballs | Calories: 298 kcal | Protein: 19 g | Fat: 24 g | Sodium: 343 mg