AIP pesto spaghetti and meatballs

Meatballs with spaghetti and pesto (Paleo, AIP, low FODMAP, low histamine)

I don't actually miss a great deal of foods containing gluten. For one it's been so long now that I just don't crave it anymore, and secondly I don't wish to eat anything that leaves me feeling heavily sedated and partially inflated. But every now and then I find myself longing for a warming bowl of pasta, oozing with sauce and some rich meaty morsels. I'm not going to lie, a substitute pasta is never going to taste like the real thing, but with the right combination of flavours you can recreate something just as satisfying and more nutritious. Win win.

This AIP, low FODMAP pasta with meatballs is a quick and easy one to throw together after work. The sauce is my AIP courgette and basil pesto which you can make in advance at the weekend and store in the fridge for up to three days. 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

AIP courgette and basil pesto sauce

For the meatballs:
500 grams grass fed beef mince. I buy all my meat from athleat. If you want to give these guys a go please see link below for a new customer discount.
One generous handful of fresh chopped oregano leaves
One tablespoon of mixed dried italian herbs
A generous pinch of sea salt
A drizzle of garlic oil
A teaspoon of coconut oil or grass fed duck fat

For the spaghetti:
I have used courgettes for this particular dish but there are many alternatives. My favourites are parsnip and carrot tagliatelle. You do not need a spiralizer to make these. For thick tagliatelle strips simply use a veg peeler to peel your vegetable into wide ribbons.

Courgette option:
1 KG of courgette (250g per portion) peeled into thick ribbons or spiralized.
Half a tablespoon of coconut oil or grass fed duck fat

Method:

In a large bowl add your beef mince, fresh oregano, dried herbs, salt and drizzle with a little garlic oil. Mix these thoroughly with your hands to combine the herbs evenly throughout the meat. Heat your teaspoon of fat in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Once hot add the meatballs and fry for 15 minutes or until golden brown all over.

​While the meatballs are cooking warm your half tablespoon of fat in a saucepan on a low/medium heat. Add your courgette pasta and cover the pan with a lid. Vegetable pastas have a tendency to stick so add extra fat where needed and don't have the heat too high. The courgettes will take about 15 minutes to cook and will create a lot of liquid. Once cooked drain in a colander to get rid of excess liquid.

​Once the meatballs are nicely browned add them to your courgette spaghetti and pour the pesto sauce over the top. Combine over a low heat to ensure the pesto is warmed through and is evenly coating the pasta and meatballs. Bellissima. 
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