- 2 lbs ground beef, extra lean
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or matzo meal
- 1 egg
- 1 small onion, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, divided
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 cup dry red wine
- 1.5 cups beef stock
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Braised Beef and Onion Meatballs
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the extra lean ground beef with breadcrumbs, egg, grated onion, half the minced garlic, half the parsley, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix gently and form into 1.5-inch meatballs — the panade is what keeps lean meatballs moist.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sear meatballs in batches until browned on all sides (they don't need to cook through yet); remove and set aside.
- Add remaining oil to the pan and sauté sliced onion and mushrooms over medium-high heat until deeply caramelized, 8-10 minutes, adding remaining garlic in the last minute.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute until it darkens slightly.
- Deglaze with red wine, scraping up the fond, and let it bubble 2 minutes to cook off the harsh alcohol edge.
- Add stock and thyme, bring to a simmer.
- Return the meatballs to the pan, cover, and simmer gently 15-18 minutes until cooked through and the sauce has thickened into a gravy — extra lean beef needs this gentle, moist braise to stay tender instead of drying out.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve the meatballs napped with the mushroom-onion gravy, finished with the remaining parsley.
Chef's tip
Because extra lean beef has little fat to protect it, don't skip the panade (breadcrumbs plus egg) and don't skip the braise in sauce — both are what keep this cut from turning dry and crumbly.
