Skip to main content

Pork Meatballs With Kale

Lodge Cast Iron | December 17, 2018

These heavenly meatballs are packed with sautéed kale and parmesan, then cooked in olive oil spiked with rosemary for a crispy finish.

Level
Intermediate
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Serves
4
Cook it With Our
pork meatballs on plate and in a skillet

Ingredients

  • 3 springs rosemary
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small bunch kale, stems and ribs removed, chopped
  • 10 ounces ground pork
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated plus more, shaved, for topping
  • ¼ cup soy sauce, divided
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 10 ounces baby bella mushrooms, ends trimmed, sliced
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

  1. In a skillet, add rosemary and oil. Allow the oil to heat up and rosemary to fry until crispy, about 5 minutes. Strain oil and transfer the fried rosemary onto a paper towel-lined plate. Season with salt.
  2. In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary oil and sauté kale 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and allow kale to completely cool. Mince ⅓ of the kale, setting the remainder aside. 
  3. In a large bowl mix pork, cheese, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, onion powder, minced kale, and ½ teaspoon salt. Heat a skillet and sear a test meatball in rosemary oil. Adjust the seasoning if needed, then split the remaining mixture into portions, about 2 tablespoons each. Shape into round balls. 
  4. In the same skillet, heat remaining rosemary oil. Fry meatballs until the majority of the surface area is seared golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Transfer the meatballs out of the pan and add the mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms until golden brown, then deglaze with remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Return the sautéed kale to the skillet, followed by the meatballs. Garnish with fried rosemary leaves and shaved parmesan. Serve while hot.
Meatballs ingredients and image of meatballs cooking in a pan
Lodge Pan Logo
Lodge Pan Logo
Contributed By: Lodge Cast Iron

We hope you enjoy our stories and recipes! Follow us on InstagramFacebook, and Twitter, and tag your Instagram food photos with #lodgecastiron for a chance to be featured on our feed!

Complete Your Kitchen

We recommend these must-have products to help with this recipe.

Ratings background image.

How would you rate this recipe?

Thanks for rating

Recommended recipes you might like