Adding grated zucchini to meatballs is such a quick and easy way of including an extra serve of vegetables in your meal. These meatballs can be served as a snack, or stir them through tomato passata and serve with pasta. The meatball mixture can also be used to make mini burgers.
Serves: 40
Leftover meatballs can be stored in the freezer uncooked for three to four months, or cooked for two to three months.
Ingredients
Beef meatballs
- 2 tablespoons, light olive oil
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 3 slices wholemeal bread, chopped
- 60ml milk
- 500g minced beef
- 135g finely grated zucchini, excess moisture squeezed out
- 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
Roasted eggplant dip (or buy a serve from the supermarket)
- 2 large eggplants, halved lengthways
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 1 handful flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 garlic clove (optional)
- 125g plain yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons tahini paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). To make the roasted eggplant dip, place the eggplant halves, cut side up, in an ovenproof dish and rub over the oil. Roast for 1 hour, or until tender. Transfer the eggplant (including the skin) to a food processor with the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve – you can drizzle over a little olive oil before serving.
To make the meatballs, heat one tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for five minutes, or until softened. Set aside to cool. Put the bread and milk in a large bowl and leave for one minute for the milk to soak in. Add the cooked onion, minced beef, zucchini and paprika and use your hands to break up the bread until well combined. Take one heaped tablespoonful of the mince at a time and roll into balls.
Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the meatballs, in batches, turning regularly until cooked through – you can partially cover the pan to help the meatballs cook through more quickly. Serve the warm meatballs with the roasted eggplant dip.
Recipe taken from Something For Everyone by Louise Fulton Keats
Bring the whole family together for deliciously healthy meals with Something for Everyone. Louise Fulton Keats provides simple solutions for family meal times, from starting babies on solid foods and managing fussy toddlers, to broadening your family’s culinary horizons and avoiding having to cook two dinners every night. Each recipe contains nutritional advice to help you cater to the needs of every member of your family. Accompanied with beautiful photography throughout, Something for Everyone gives you all you need to instil a love of good food and healthy eating in your household.
You can purchase Something For Everyone at cooked.com.
Published by Hardie Grant Books.
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Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad
Beetroot and Feta Salad
