Linguine and Quinoa Meatballs With Tangy Tomato Sauce

Make the Most of Powerhouse Super Foods

From the kitchen of Anahad O'Connor and Dave Liberman

Servings:6-8

Difficulty: Moderate

Cook Time: 30-60 min

Traditional meatballs depend on bread to give them a light body, but I thought some cooked quinoa could also fit the bill and add an extra protein punch while we're at it. Turns out, the quinoa works like a charmand the texture, while different from an Italian grandmother's, is quite

wonderful in its own right.

--- "The 10 Things You Need to Eat" by Anahad O'Connor and Dave Liberman

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 large carrot, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

One 28-ounce can tomatoes, chopped, with juices

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for the Meatballs:

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 pound lean ground beef

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

1 egg

3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, very

finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound linguine

1 large handful fresh basil leaves

Cooking Directions

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and red pepper flakes and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and vinegar and simmer for 20 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside to keep warm.

To make the meatballs, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat the canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, partially covered, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, quinoa, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, pepper, and cooled onions. Stir until a smooth, homogenous mixture has formed.

Roll the meat mixture into 2-inch balls and set them on an aluminum foil–lined baking sheet in neat rows. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until nicely browned but still soft to the touch.

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the linguine al dente. Serve the pasta with some meatballs and the sauce and top with a sprinkling of torn basil leaves.