Bacon Cauliflower Meatballs In A Creamy Cheese Sauce

 
Cauliflower is a total superstar when it comes to all the health trends currently on everyone's radar, as well as anyone trying to eat more low-carb and low-fat meals. And that's because cauliflower is not only delicious and versatile, but it also makes the perfect substitute for starchy ingredients like rice, bread, and potatoes. Throw that together with bacon, meatballs, and a creamy cheese sauce, and you've got yourself quite the dish!

Yield: 7
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients:

For the bacon cauliflower meatballs sauce:

  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1½ lbs ground beef
  • 12 oz bacon
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

For the cheese sauce:

  • 1⅔ cups milk
  • 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
  • salt, pepper & nutmeg to taste
  • parsley to garnish

Instructions:

1. Cook the head of cauliflower in a covered pot of salted boiling water for about 5 minutes.

2. Remove the cauliflower stem and cut off the florets. Set the stem aside for now.

3. Add the onion, paprika, garlic, oregano, mustard, salt, pepper, and eggs to the ground beef and mix to combine. Take about 2 tablespoons of the ground beef mixture, flatten it out in your hand, place a cauliflower floret in the middle, seal the meat around it, and form a meatball. Repeat this 6 more times with the other cauliflower florets.

4. Heat a pan with a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Wrap a slice of bacon around each cauliflower meatball and cook the meatballs on all sides.

5. Chop the cauliflower stem you set aside earlier and add it to a bowl with shredded Swiss cheese and milk. Season everything with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and purée the mixture until smooth.

6. Pour the cheese sauce over the meatballs in the pan and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Thanks to all the protein, this dish is just light and filling enough, and it's something you can easily prepare on a busy night after work!

Get the recipe for the Cauliflower Sun featured in the bonus video.

Comments

Also hefty