Summer Blueberry Salad With Toasted Pecans and Feta

 

This fresh blueberry salad is perfect for a backyard cookout or poolside party. Baby spinach, peppery arugula, sour-sweet blueberries, crunchy pecans, briny feta, and a tangy lemon-balsamic vinaigrette match up in this vibrant summer side dish. Pair it with grilled chicken, pork chops, or fish—or serve it up with a smorgasbord of classic summer sides like potato salad, homemade coleslaw, and pasta salad.  

The blueberries are the stars here, after all, so select the best ones you can find. Look for ripe berries that have a dark blue color and a juicy “pop” when eaten. If you can’t find fresh berries, you can substitute frozen ones in a pinch. Simply thaw the blueberries under room temperature water, then pat dry with paper towels (learn more here).   

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 4 cups spinach and arugula salad mix 
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (about 1/2 pint) 
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans 
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

How to Make It

In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, balsamic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add spinach and arugula mix, blueberries, pecans, and feta cheese, tossing gently to combine.

Chef's Notes

Toast the pecans in a 400°F oven until slightly browned and fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Italian Meatballs

 

How to Make Italian Meatballs

To make meatballs, start with bread. Soak a few slices of white bread (crusts removed) in hot milk and mash them until the bread breaks down and becomes a paste. Let this cool slightly, then combine with ground pork, ground beef, a mix of ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, spices, and eggs. Mix only until everything is barely combined; over-mix and your meatballs will be tough.

Form the meatballs with your hands and roll them in flour. Brown them in a skillet, then finish cooking them in tomato sauce. You can make your own tomato sauce, as we do here, or you can use store-bought sauce.

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

How Long to Cook Meatballs?

Once browned, these large-sized meatballs will need about 15 to 20 minutes to cook in the sauce. Smaller meatballs will take less time.

When done, the meatballs should be cooked all the way through the center. If you want, you can check them with a digital thermometer; the meatballs should register 160°F in the center.

Storing and Freezing Meatballs

Cooked meatballs can be stored with the tomato sauce in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

The meatballs can also be frozen, either cooked or uncooked:

• If uncooked, freeze the shaped meatballs on a parchment-lined tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer container and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before cooking.
• If cooked, allow the meatballs to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months. Meatballs can be frozen either on their own or with tomato sauce. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Love Meatballs? Try These Recipes

• Turkey Meatballs
• Slow Cooker Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
• Swedish Meatballs
• Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
• Pressure Cooker Porcupine Meatballs

0 seconds of 1 minute, 39 secondsVolume 90%

 

Watch This Italian Meatballs Recipe

Italian Meatballs

PREP TIME25 mins

COOK TIME60 mins

TOTAL TIME85 mins

SERVINGS8 servings

YIELD16 meatballs

We've used equal amounts of ground beef and ground pork. You could also use a third each of ground beef, pork, and veal.

Ingredients

For the optional tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion

• 3/4 cup finely chopped carrots

• 3/4 cup finely chopped celery

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed or whole tomatoes, including the juice, or 1 3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes peeled, seeded, and chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• 1 teaspoon tomato paste

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the meatballs

• 2/3 cup milk (whole or 2 percent)

• 3 slices of white bread, crusts removed (about 3 ounces)

• 1 pound ground beef (at least 16 percent fat)

• 1 pound ground pork

• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon salt (or 2 teaspoons kosher salt)

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram

• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

• About 1 cup flour, for dusting

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 1/2 cups (24 ounces) tomato sauce (recipe follows, or use already prepared)

Method

1. Make the tomato sauce:

   Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and parsley. Stir to coat with the oil, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pan. Cook until the vegetables are soft and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

   Remove the cover, add the garlic, and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the garlic for half a minute, then add the tomatoes (if using whole canned tomatoes, break up with your fingers as you add them to the pan). Add the basil and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper.

   Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low, and let cook uncovered until thickened while you prepare the meatballs, 15 to 30 minutes.

   Purée in a blender, or push through a food mill if you'd like a smooth consistency. Return to the pan and adjust the seasonings.

   
2. Soak the torn bread in hot milk:

   To make the meatballs, heat the milk in a small pot until steamy. Turn off the heat, tear the bread into little pieces and soak it in the milk until it partially dissolves. Mash it until you get something that resembles a paste. Turn it out onto a plate to let it cool.

   
3. Make the meatball mixture:

   In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, eggs, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and the bread-milk mixture. Mix it well with your hands until it barely combines.

   Don't overwork the mixture or it will become tough. It is OK to have some discernible bits of bread or meat in the mix; better that than overworked meatballs.

   
4. Form the meatballs:

   Wet your hands and form the meatballs. A traditional size for this sort of meatball is 2 to 3 inches across, but you can make them any size you want.

   Once you roll the meatball in your hands, roll it in the flour to give it a good coating. Set each one on a baking sheet as you work. You might need to rinse your hands a few times as you make the meatballs.

   

   
5. Brown the meatballs:

   When all the meatballs are formed, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on at least 2 sides. Don't worry about the center getting cooked through, as you will finish these in the sauce.

   

   
6. Finish cooking the meatballs in tomato sauce:

   Once all the meatballs are browned, arrange them in the sauce, turning each one over in the sauce to coat.

   Cover the pot and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with the sauce and pasta or crusty bread. Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley for garnish if you want.