EP: 11 Spinach meatballs with vegetables and tomato sauce

This is a great recipe for weekday dinner that is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. It’s easy and full of lovely vegetables, serve with rice, pasta or my favourite mash potatoes.

For the meatballs: Ingredients

• 400g of lean mince beef (or mince of your choice)

• 1 eggs

• 300g of frozen spinach

• Handful of coriander

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 clove of garlic

• 1 tsp of dried oregano

• ½ a medium onion

Method

1. Chop up onion into very small chunks

2. Finely chop the garlic, coriander, spinach

3. In a large bowl add the meat, and all the other ingredient and mix until all well incorporated

4. Take a table spoon of the dough and roll into a ball, repeat this until mix has finished

5. Once all the balls have been made place them in the fridge to set for 15 mins while you make the sauce

For the Sauce: Ingredients

• 1 can of chopped tomatoes

• ½ of pasata or tomato pure

• 3 cloves of garlic

• Handful of coriander

• 1 tsp of cumin

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 cup of water

For later

• 2 courgettes

• 1 aubergine

• 1 medium onion

Method

1. In a food processer or blender add all ingredients (apart from onion and courgette and aubergine) until smooth and set aside

2. Chop the onion into thin slices

3. Chop the courgette and aubergine into small chunks

Set all this aside while you prepare the meatballs

1. Add 3 tbsp of oil to a large pan, once heated add the meatballs and brown them in the pan, fry them 2 mins on each side turning only once. You want to avoid overcrowding the pan at this point and depending how big your pan is you may have to brown the balls in batches

2. Once the balls have brown nicely on 2 sides remove from pan and set aside

3. In the same pan add the thinly sliced onions and cook until softened, then add the courgette and aubergine and cook them until soft adding a little of salt

4. To the pan add the tomato sauce and stir well

5. Add the meatballs back to the pan

6. Cover the pan and cook on a medium heat for 30 mins

7. After 30 mins remove the cover and cook on a low heat for a further 15 mins

8. After the final 15 mins take of the heat serve with a side of your choice and enjoy

To see this recipe in action watch the video below