Fennel Pork Meatballs

• servings: 10 servings
• active time: 25 minutes
• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil

½ medium onion (finely chopped)

½ fennel bulb (finely chopped)

2 pounds ground pork

2 large eggs (lightly beaten)

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon ground fennel seed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions

Cook onions and fennel

Heat one tablespoon of oil in large saute pan on medium heat. Add the onions and fennel and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Remove from the heat to cool.

Stir meatball ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, add the pork, eggs, parsley, fennel seed, salt and pepper. Once the sauteed onions and fennel have cooled slightly add them to the mixing bowl and use your hands to mix all ingredients together.

Make meatballs

Shape the pork mixture into small meatballs, approximately 1 ½ inches in diameter. See the notes below for the cookie scoop I use to make evenly sized meatballs. Make all the meatballs and place on parchment-lined baking tray or large plate.

Sear meatballs

Wipe your previously used large saute pan clean, then add 3 tablespoons of oil to the pan over medium heat. Place the first batch of meatballs in the pan, being careful not to crowd the pan (this should be about 20 meatballs). Cook the meatballs 2 to 3 minutes on one side, then rotate them, so that all sides are browned. The meatballs should cook for 10 to 12 minutes total, or until the inside is no longer pink. When the first batch is done, remove them to a paper towel-lined plate and start the next batch.

Serve

Discard any fat from the pan and add all of the meatballs back to the pan to warm through before serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 308 kcal
• Total Fat: 26 g
• Saturated Fat: 8 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
• Trans Fat: 0.003 g
• Cholesterol: 98 mg
• Sodium: 303 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 2 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 1 g
• Protein: 17 g