Fish Meatballs
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Servings
16 people
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Calories
44 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer
Fish Meatballs
Description
This recipe uses canned sardines packed in olive oil as the main protein, blended with breadcrumbs, plain yogurt, egg, and a mix of Old Bay seasoning, chili powder, salt, and chili flakes, creating a smooth meatball mixture. Additional breadcrumbs are stirred in for texture before forming into small balls and chilling to firm up.
The tomato sauce features olive oil sautéed onions and garlic, combined with canned whole tomatoes mashed down, and seasoned with spices, rosemary, and bay leaf, simmered to develop depth. This pairing brings a savory, slightly spicy accompaniment with herbal notes.
Fish meatballs can be served over spaghetti squash or used in sandwiches topped with mozzarella cheese. The recipe yields about 16 large meatballs and can be doubled or tripled. Nutritional info is calculated per meatball with sauce portion. The combination offers a way to enjoy seafood in a familiar comfort food format with distinct seasoning.
Ingredients
Fish Meatballs:
- 2 sardines King Oscar Brisling Sardines recommended, packed in olive oil (~4oz); oil reserved
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs divided
- ½ cup PLAIN yogurt whole milk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
Quick Tomato Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 rosemary sprig, destemmed
- 2 cups canned whole tomatoes high-quality tomatoes like San Marzano recommended, ⅔ of 28oz can
Instructions
- Remove sardines from can, reserving oil, and place them into the basin of a food processor or blender. Add remaining fish meatball ingredients, along with the oil from one tin (about 2 TB) to the basin. Blend until smooth. Tip: Don't have a blender? Mash the ingredients in a bowl with a fork as thoroughly as possible.
- Scoop batter into a bowl. Use a spoon to stir in the remaining breadcrumbs.
- Use a 1 ½ TB scoop (or another small scoop) to form the mixture into small balls. Use your hands to roll the balls into more perfect spheres if necessary.
- Set fish meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate about 10 minutes.
- While the meatballs chill, start the tomato sauce.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan or wok. Cook the onions and garlic until they soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the canned tomatoes to the pan, and crush the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Add the spices, rosemary, and the bay leaf. Cover pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- While the sauce simmers, turn on your broiler.
- Take the meatballs out of the fridge, and broil them for about 5 minutes until they're golden. Tip: Smaller meatballs may finish cooking faster-- keep an eye on them as they cook.
- Serve the meatballs as an appetizer with the sauce on the side, or toss freshly cooked pasta into the tomato sauce and serve the meatballs on top.
- Leftovers:Leftover meatballs can be refrigerated and used within 1-2 days. Reheat under the broiler.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 16 large fish meatballs, or more if shaped smaller; it can be scaled up as needed.
- For variations, serve the meatballs over spaghetti squash or in hoagie-style sandwich buns with mozzarella cheese.
- The included nutrition information applies per meatball including 1/16th of the tomato sauce portion.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 44 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 44kcal | 2% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 13mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 235mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 103mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 139IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 38mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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