Chimichurri Whole30 Meatballs with Swiss Chard (Paleo)
Posted: 05/17/17
Updated: 08/16/20
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This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. As always, all opinions and recipe are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support 40 Aprons!
These chimichurri Whole30 meatballs are packed full of flavor and come together easily with the help of a food processor. Ideal for those on a spring or summer Whole30, they’re garlicky and tender, thanks to the Swiss chard. Is there any better way to get your greens?
Two things:
a) CHIMICHURRI! And
b) Majorly exciting announcement, y’all. And no, I’m not pregnant.
I’m working with Sprouts Farmers Market to bring you healthy, delicious recipes, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. I’ve been a major Sprouts fan since I lived in Austin and would drop by after law school to grab some awesome produce and, let’s be honest, wine. I was obsessed with the quality and the prices, and I was bummed when I moved back home to a Sprouts-less Memphis.
So imagine my delight when Sprouts put not one, but two, locations near us! I shop there every single week, loading up on their killer produce sales. It’s not every day that you can find blackberries for $0.99 and those coconut aminos you’ve been searching for (on sale, no less).
All of that to say, YES! Pretty much my reaction to this partnership:
Chimichurri. Whole30. Meatballs. Why? Because chimichurri is the best, and meatballs are the best, and meals ready in 30 minutes are also the best. And if you’re on a Whole30? You need flavor and leftovers and easy. And girl, I got you covered. These chimichurri Whole30 meatballs are bound to become a regular in your rotation.
With the help of the food processor, both the meatballs and the chimichurri are a cinch. You add the meatball ingredients, minus the meat, that is, to the food processor in batches, making the garlic, herb, and Swiss chard base uniform and so quick. The chimichurri, made from the best chimichurri recipe, one of 40 Aprons’ all-time most popular recipes, is made in the food processor, too, in, oh, 3 minutes? (If you don’t have a food processor yet, what are you waiting for?! This food processor is awesome and super budget-friendly.)
It’s OK… you can tell everyone you slaved in the kitchen for hours, chopping everything by hand. I won’t tell!
I love using Swiss chard, too, especially when it’s in season. Using a couple cups of the veggie in these meatballs makes it easy to get your greens, keep the meatballs tender, and indulge in some fresh summer produce. Grab a bunch the next time you’re at Sprouts and whip up these chimichurri Whole30 meatballs! Oh, and if you do? Tag @sprouts and @40aprons on Instagram! I love to see what you’re making out there.
To make these chimichurri Whole30 meatballs, I used
Chimichurri Whole30 Meatballs
These chimichurri Whole30 meatballs are packed with flavor, full of garlic and herbs, and Swiss chard. A great way to get your greens, these chimichurri Whole30 meatballs make a great and easy Whole30 dinner.
people
Ingredients
WHOLE30 MEATBALLS
- 2 cloves garlic , peeled and smashed
- 5 green onions , roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro , roughly chopped
- 2 cups Swiss chard , roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 1/2 pinch salt
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tbsp Sprouts Farmers Market coconut oil , for frying
CHIMICHURRI
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley , roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro , roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic , peeled and smashed
- 1 1/2 dried oregano
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup Sprouts Farmers Market olive oil or avocado oil
Instructions
Chimichurri
- Combine all chimichurri ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until totally chopped and smooth. Transfer to a jar or air-tight container and chill until meatballs are ready.
Whole30 Meatballs
- Make the meatballs: in the bowl of a food processor, combine 2 cloves garlic, green onions, and 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves. Process until chopped and uniform.
- Add the Swiss chard, a handful at a time, and process until chopped and uniform. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1-1 1/2 teaspoons salt, ground pork, and ground beef.
- Using your hands, mix until well-combined, but don't overmix. Using a disher or spoon, shape into balls. Heat coconut oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat - use enough coconut oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add meatballs and cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove from skillet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Serve with plenty of fresh chimichurri.
Notes
This food processor is awesome and affordable.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 4g, Calories: 821kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 43g, Fat: 70g, Saturated Fat: 23g, Cholesterol: 155mg, Sodium: 224mg, Potassium: 846mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 1998IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 5mg, Net Carbs: 3g
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Absolutely amazing! We had this alongside spaghetti squash topped with chimichurri and green beans. Best meal I’ve had in a long time!
This is one of my all-time favorite recipes, I’ve made it probably 4 or 5 times now, I can’t get enough! Thank you so much for sharing it. It also freezes wonderfully.
This time when I went back to make it though I was unable to see many of the measurements, for example it just said “2 fresh cilantro leaves” and 1 1/2 lemon juice” for the sauce. I tried to access it on both safari and chrome, and my computer and phone with no luck. It might just be me, but I am so so sad to lose this recipe. If the site seems to be displaying well for everyone else do you think you could just post the measurements as a response to this comment? Thank you so so much!:
This seems to be working on our end! If you try again and it still won’t work, reach out to me at amelia@40aprons.com and I will get you a permanent copy of this recipe!
I have the same issue. It just says “1 1/2 lemon juice.” Is that teaspoons? Tablespoons? Some other measurement??
Oh no this got deleted! It’s 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice!
These are meatballs are fantastic and the sauce is delicious. I strongly suggest that everyone make 4x the amount of chimichurri as you will love it and can use it on tons of things. I also say to add less oil – just enough to preserve it – as you can always add more to taste. Since making these more than a month ago, I’ve kept a huge bowl in my fridge. I have one question: Is it necessary to actually add the oil to the processor or can we mix everything, put in a bowl, then add the oil? Does it change anything ? Thx!
Hi! Is it 1.5 teaspoons of salt for the meatballs? And 1 tsp of salt for chimmichurri? Mine came out pretty salty and was wondering if I did it wrong. They are still soooo yummy, so thank you!
These meatballs were delicious! I would definitely make this again, I love my food processor too. Great flavor in this recipe!
I’m sooo glad you liked them Crissy! Food processors 4 life! 😀
Can I sub kale or
Spinach for the chard?
Do you think I could use a Nutribullet blender instead of a food processor? Or should I just bite the bullet and get the one you recommend? (It’s really not about the cost and moreso about fitting anything else in my tiny kitchen…)
I personally use my food processor every single day. It’s something I would highly, highly recommend having! It’s definitely not going to just take up precious storage space and gather dust I promise you that. That said, for this recipe, you probably COULD get away with using a Nutribullet as long as you’re careful about the order of ingredients. You’d want to blitz the garlic first so it’s nice and minced. If you blitz it the same time as the herbs, the herbs will be far too pasty. I say go for the food processor!
Thank you!!!
These look delicious and they are totally going on my Whole 30 meal plan, any suggestions for sides to make it a meal? Thanks!
Christina, they would be amazing with some oven-roasted potatoes, drizzled with that chimichurri! Or cauliflower rice tossed in a bit of it. Even a baked sweet potato would be delish alongside these meatballs. Let me know what you try! And good luck on your Whole30 🙂
These were fanfastic! Both my husband and one year old loved them. Thanks for sharing.
That’s wonderful! I’m so happy you liked them. Thank you for your comment, Hayley!
These meatballs look so good! I’m seriously drooling over that saucy chimichurri drip. Yum!
Thanks Kristen! They’re sooooo good. And yeah, chimichurri is my life, pretty much. ??
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