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Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 3 oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and finely snipped
- 1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, crushed
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 large fennel bulb
- 2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup dried orzo pasta (rosamarina)
- 5 cups shredded fresh spinach
Details
Servings 6
Preparation
Step 1
1. Finely chop one-third of the onion; thinly slice the remaining onion. In a large bowl, combine chopped onion, egg, dried tomato, bread crumbs, and 1 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning. Add ground beef; mix well. Shape into 12 meatballs. In a large skillet, cook meatballs in hot oil over medium-high heat until brown on all sides. Carefully drain off fat. Transfer meatballs to a 4 1/2- or 5-quart slow cooker.
2. Meanwhile, cut off and discard upper stalks of fennel. If desired, reserve some of the feathery leaves for garnish. Remove any wilted outer layers; cut off a thin slice from fennel base. Cut fennel into thin wedges; add to cooker. Add sliced onion, the remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, broth, the water, garlic, and pepper.
3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.
4. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Gently stir in uncooked pasta. Cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes more or until pasta is tender.
5. Stir in spinach. If desired, garnish each serving with the reserved fennel leaves.
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6 servingsCalories283, Total Fat (g)10, Saturated Fat (g)3, Monounsaturated Fat (g)5, Polyunsaturated Fat (g)1, Cholesterol (mg)83, Sodium (mg)515, Carbohydrate (g)26, Total Sugar (g)3, Fiber (g)3, Protein (g)21, Vitamin C (DV%)23, Calcium (DV%)8, Iron (DV%)19, Starch (d.e.)1.5, Vegetables (d.e.)1, Lean Meat (d.e.)2, Fat (d.e.)1, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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