Venison Hemp Heart Meatballs Over Spaghetti
A taste of the wild!
Servings:
6-8
Ready in:
1 hour
Calories:
??
Introduction
About this Recipe
By: Outdoor News
Hearty and delicious meatballs served over spaghetti makes for a great meal!
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2/3 cup bread crumbs
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons each: dried oregano, basil and parsley
- 2 Tablespoons hemp hearts
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce
- 2 15-ounce cans of tomato sauce or canned tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon each: dried oregano, basil, garlic powder and onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta
- 16 ounces dry spaghetti noodles
- 4 quarts water
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375F.
Step 2
Mix the ground venison and beef together until it is well-combined. Add the garlic, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, egg, herbs/spices and hemp hearts; mix thoroughly.
Step 3
Form one-inch meatballs by rolling them between your hands. Arrange in a single layer in a 9×13” glass baking dish. Cook uncovered in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.
Step 4
In the meantime, add the tomato sauce, herbs/spices, and balsamic vinegar to a large pot, and simmer over medium-low heat.
Step 5
Transfer the meatballs to the sauce pot using a slotted spoon (to remove the excess fat drippings). Simmer for another 20 minutes.
Step 6
Heat water in a separate pot until boiling. Add the dry pasta noodles and cook until al dente (approx. 10 minutes). Drain noodles in a colander.
Step 7
Plate the noodles and add the sauce and meatballs over the top. Alternatively, you can add the noodles directly to the sauce pot to soak up a little more moisture and flavor.
Step 8
Sprinkle with hemp hearts and more Parmesan, if desired, and your favorite bread.
Note
Venison is a very lean meat – in fact, it’s one of the leanest meats out there. To make the meatballs juicier and improve the texture, mix in ground beef at a ratio of 1:1, and to maximize the fat content, go with an 80/20 ground beef. You lose a lot of the “wild game” flavor by combining with beef, but this is a great way to introduce wild game to others or stretch your store-bought meat budget out a bit. The resulting meatballs hold their shape well through the cooking process, and are truly delicious..