Sicilian Fresh Tuna Meatballs with Pasta
User Reviews
5
82 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
670 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mediterranean, Italian
Sicilian Fresh Tuna Meatballs with Pasta
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This Sicilian-inspired dish features fresh tuna meatballs prepared with finely chopped onion, mint, pine nuts, and lemon zest, served alongside pasta and a tomato sauce infused with garlic and basil. The tuna is carefully minced and mixed with breadcrumbs or pecorino to form tender meatballs, coated in flour, and fried to a golden finish, then simmered in a fragrant tomato sauce.
Description
Sicilian Fresh Tuna Meatballs with Pasta combines freshly minced tuna blended with aromatic ingredients like mint, lemon zest, pine nuts, and onion, which creates flavorful and tender meatballs. The addition of breadcrumbs or grated pecorino adds binding and subtle richness. These meatballs are lightly floured then pan-fried in extra virgin olive oil to develop a golden crust before being added to a tomato sauce made from passata or peeled tomatoes, garlic, basil, and olive oil.
The pasta, such as tubes or spaghetti, is cooked separately and served with the meatballs and sauce, making a hearty and vibrant meal. The fresh herbs and lemon zest brighten the dish while the pine nuts add texture.
This recipe allows substitution of swordfish for tuna or using a mix of both. The choice of pasta tubes or spaghetti is flexible to personal preference or pantry availability. Adjust seasoning to taste and select good quality olive oil for frying and sauce preparation for optimal flavor.
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Ingredients
For the tuna meatballs
- 400 g tuna fresh
- 1 onion (medium size or half a large one) peeled and finely chopped.
- 1 egg
- 3-4 tablespoon breadcrumbs or grated pecorino
- 3-4 mint leaf fresh
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts chopped
- extra virgin olive oil for frying
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste, ground
- 2 teaspoon lemon use an organic lemon, zest
- all-purpose flour to coat tuna meatballs
For tomato sauce
- 500 g tomato passata 17oz) or 1.5 kg peeled sauce tomatoes (3.5 lbs, or chopped tomatoes
- 10 basil fresh leaves
- 2 garlic peeled, cloves
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste, ground
- 1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pasta
- 400 g pasta tubes (14oz) or spaghetti. I used genovesone from pastificio dei campi
- salt for cooking water.
Instructions
Make the fresh tuna meatballs
- Peel and finely chop the onion. Wash and chop the mint leaves. Grate the lemon zest. Chop the pine nuts.
- Cut the tuna first into slices (if it's one piece) and then into strips. Cut the strips into small pieces and then either mince in a food processor or chop with a knife like chopping parsley.
- Once you have cut all the tuna into small pieces, place it in a bowl and knead it a little with the back of a spoon so as to crush it a little more. (This isn't necessary if you used a food processor) Add a little salt to the tuna, plus the chopped onion, chopped pine nuts, mint and the lemon zest.
- Mix everything and then add the egg and breadcrumbs (or grated pecorino). Mix again.Best using your hands. Take a tablespoonful of tuna and work it with your hands into a round ball. Repeat until you have used up all the meatball mixture. The size isn't so important but try to make them all more or less the same for even cooking.
- Once all the meatballs are ready, take a frying pan and pour in enough olive oil to cover the bottom and start to heat the oil. Put the flour on a plate, roll the tuna meatballs in the flour and then fry them in the pan with the oil. Turn them so they brown on all sides. They don't need to be cooked through just browned. In this way, the surface of the meatballs will seal and your meatballs will remain soft while cooking in the sauce. When the meatballs are all browned transfer them to drain on some kitchen paper.
Cook the pasta
- Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring tothe boil again. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet.
Make the tomato sauce
- While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking make the sauce. Put a tbsp. of olive oil in a skillet or frying pan, add the two peeled cloves of garlic. Once they start to soften add the peeled tomatoes or passata/polpa.
- Dilute the tomato sauce with a cup of pasta cooking water, add the basil leaves and cook for about 5 minutes. (fresh peeled tomatoes make take longer to break down. passata or polpa are ready faster).
- At this point, add the tuna meatballs and cook them in the sauce for another 10 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking.
- Drain the pasta. Return it to the pan or put it in a warmed bowl. Mix it well with some of the tomato sauce. You want to coat the pasta with sauce. Then plate the pasta and add 2-3 fresh tuna meatballs and more sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Swordfish can be used instead of tuna or mixed with tuna for the meatballs.
- Pasta tubes such as penne, ziti, paccheri, or mezze maniche can replace spaghetti as preferred.
- The nutritional information includes the pasta component of the dish.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
670kcal
(34%)
Carbohydrates
95g
(32%)
Protein
42g
(84%)
Fat
13g
(20%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
(24%)
Monounsaturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Trans Fat
0.01g
(1%)
Cholesterol
79mg
(26%)
Sodium
152mg
(6%)
Potassium
1124mg
(24%)
Fiber
7g
(28%)
Sugar
11g
(22%)
Vitamin A
2966IU
(59%)
Vitamin C
17mg
(19%)
Calcium
86mg
(9%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 670 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 670kcal | 34% |
| Carbohydrates | 95g | 32% |
| Protein | 42g | 84% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 79mg | 26% |
| Sodium | 152mg | 6% |
| Potassium | 1124mg | 24% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 2966IU | 59% |
| Vitamin C | 17mg | 19% |
| Calcium | 86mg | 9% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
82 reviews
Excellent
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