Sweet and Tangy Meatball Hoagies with Poppy Seed Cole Slaw

When it comes to dinner time, a comforting meal is always welcome.  Not only does it refuel you after a long day, it offers pleasure and contentment.  Some dishes are reminiscent of childhood dinners spent around the family dinner table.  Meatloaf and mashed potatoes, chicken pot pie, beef stroganoff, and macaroni and cheese are just a few meals that wrap you in the comfort of home.

Meatballs are a simple meal that many of us had as a child and still enjoy today.  Usually paired with marinara sauce and served on top of spaghetti, it is a dinner you can count on the whole family enjoying.  But by changing a few ingredients, ordinary meatballs can be a comforting meal with a twist.

Sweet and Tangy Meatball Hoagies with Poppy Seed Cole Slaw use a combination of ground beef, veal and pork for a complex flavor without a lot of work.  A little help from a food processor finely chops the onion, garlic, and celery which help keep the meatballs moist as well as tasty.  And a smidgen of cayenne and allspice add just the right amount of spice.  The baked meatballs are served in hoagie rolls with a homemade sweet and tangy tomato sauce and a crunchy cabbage slaw.  They are sure to be a new favorite around your kitchen table.

Comfort food dishes remind us of days gone by.  With a few updates, a recipe from our childhood can become a favorite for many years to come.

Sweet and Tangy Meatball Hoagies with Poppy Seed Cole Slaw

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• Author: amycaseycooks
• Yield: 5 1x

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Ingredients

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• For the meatballs —
• 1 small yellow onion (chopped)
• 2 celery stalks (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1 pound ground beef
• ¼ pound ground veal
• ¼ pound ground pork
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• For the sweet and tangy sauce —
• 1 28 ounce can tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Pinch of cayenne
• For the Poppy Seed Cole Slaw —
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of pepper
• 4 cups shredded cabbage
• 5 hoagie or long rolls

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a small rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set aside.
2. Add the onion, celery and garlic to the bowl of a food processor and pulse 10 – 15 times or until finely chopped. Add to a large bowl along with the ground beef, veal, and pork, egg, bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon salt, cayenne, and allspice. Gently but thoroughly mix the meats and other ingredients. Do not over mix or the meatballs will be tough. Use a ¼ cup measure and form the meat into about 15 meatballs. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over medium heat, combine the tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons salt and, a pinch of cayenne. Bring the mixture to a boil then turn the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 – 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Add the cabbage and apple and toss to coat. Set aside.
5. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Serve 3 meatballs in each roll and top with the Poppy Seed Cole Slaw.

Notes

Recipe by Amy Casey

© amycaseycooks – 2013

www.amycaseycooks.com