Easy Beef and Garbanzo Bean Meatballs with Tomato Sauce

These are perfect alone or in a sub roll. They are tender and can easily turn into a meat sauce or hold shape.  Sauce is barbecue like in flavor, tangy and could use a drop or two of liquid smoke if you like.

• 1 - 1.5 pounds ground beef
• 2 slices bread more if needed*
• 1/8 cup milk, I use almond milk
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper
• 1 roasted red pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 can drained garbanzo beans
• 2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes (seasoned or not is up to you, discard water if in juices, is in sauce, keep it)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons molasses

1. In a small bowl soak torn bread with milk for about three minutes .
2. In a food processor pulse garbanzo beans, bread, roasted red pepper, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3. In large bowl pour mixture from food processor, egg, sausage, and ground beef, using hands combine all together. If the mixture is too soft add another slice of bread crumbled and dry.
4. Preheat cast iron skillet to medium heat, shape round one inch meatballs, I use a cookie scoop, labeled 50.  Add to pan, roll to evenly brown, this helps keep these little things stuck together.  If the mixture is processed too much they will have a hard time holding their shape.  Once brown outside place in crock pot.
5. In a bowl mix together diced tomatoes, ketchup, and molasses pour over meatballs in crockpot.
6. Cook for 4 hours on high, 6 hours on low.

These can also be baked in the over 350°F for 30-40 minutes.

Sour dough sub roll recipe available here.

A note about my sub, it is my home version of my favorite Subway sub.  At Subway everything goes on it, everything.  For home purposes I make is more simply, sweet peppers, pickles,jalapenos, banana peppers, mayo, mustard, oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and oregano.

Why? All those things on a meatball sub? I worked at Subway throughout high school and it was a sub that a few people ordered, they claimed it was good, I had to try it.  Turns out it is pretty amazing.  The shredded lettuce is a great addition.