Italian Meatball Sliders

By nurseliz

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided $
• 3 garlic cloves, minced $
• 3 shallots, finely diced
• 1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), toasted
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces lean ground pork
• 2 (4-ounce) links turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce
• 12 slider buns, toasted
• 12 basil leaves

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat; swirl to coat. Add garlic and shallots to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until shallots are softened, stirring frequently. Combine shallot mixture, ricotta, and next 8 ingredients (through egg) in a medium bowl. Shape mixture into 12 (1-inch) meatballs; flatten each meatball slightly.
2. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add meatballs to pan; cook 6 minutes, turning once. Add marinara sauce; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until meatballs are done. Top bottom half of each bun with 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce, 1 meatball, 1 basil leaf, and top half of bun.

Nutritional Information
Amount per serving

Calories: 429
Fat: 16.3g
Saturated fat: 4g
Monounsaturated fat: 5.1g
Polyunsaturated fat: 4.2g
Protein: 25.4g
Carbohydrate: 60.5g
Fiber: 2.3g
Cholesterol: 85mg
Iron: 2.7mg
Sodium: 764mg
Calcium: 131mg