Spicy Three Meat Banana Pepper Meatballs

Thekitchenwisper.com
Yields 30 meatballs

Ingredients

• 3 banana peppers, seeded and chopped small
  
• 1 lb ground pork
  
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
  
• 1/2 pound loose Italian hot sausage
  
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
  
• 1 1/2 Tbl garlic, minced (~5 cloves)
  
• 1 Tbl oregano
  
• 1/2 Tbl parsley
  
• 1 tsp black pepper
  
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
  
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
  
• 1 1/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
  
• 3 slices bread, torn into pieces
  
• 1/4 cup milk
  
• 2 Xl eggs
  
• 3 – 3 1/2 cups of your favorite marinara sauce
  

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
   
2. In a small bowl add the milk and bread. Press the bread down to ensure all of the pieces are wet. Let sit for 2 minutes.
   
3. In a large bowl combine the pork, beef, sausage, chopped banana peppers, onion, garlic, oregano, parsley, pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, tomato puree, eggs, cheese and milk/bread mixture. Gently mix just to combine. The mixture should be wet but hold a shape
   
4. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly spray. Scoop enough meat mixture to form a 2” round ball. Place the meatballs on the pan and repeat until all of the meatballs are formed.
   
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before plating.
   
6. Serve this with Marinara Sauce  and a side of pasta or as a hot meatball sub! See notes on how to make this a meatball casserole
   
7. *Notes
   To make a meatball casserole I baked the meatballs then added about 1 1/2 cups of warmed Marinara Sauce to the bottom of a baking dish, added my cooked meatballs then covered. Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover and add a cup of shredded mozzarella and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.