Weeknight wonder meatballs

If you’re cooking for guests who don’t enjoy the texture of vegetables, this weeknight wonder meatball recipe is for you. Containing 3 types of vegetables finely chopped up and mixed through the meatballs, this dish jam-packs a classic family favourite with hidden nutrition, vitamins and fibre.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Stream free On Demand

Meatballs

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

Ingredients

• 2 slices white bread, crusts trimmed
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) milk
• 1 large white onion, roughly chopped
• ½ carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 small celery stick, roughly chopped
• ¼ zucchini, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 600 g pork and beef mince (see Notes)
• 2 tbsp dried Italian mixed herbs
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
• 375 g spaghetti, cooked, to serve
• Basil leaves, to serve

For the sauce 

• 2 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
• ½ red capsicum, finely chopped
• 800 g San Marzano crushed tinned tomatoes
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs
• 1 basil stem
• 1 parmesan cheese rind
• 2 tsp sugar

Chilling time: 1 hour

Instructions

1. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Add the onion, garlic and capsicum and cook, stirring until softened. Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook, pressing down on the tomatoes to break up in the pan. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Stir through the dried herbs, basil stem, parmesan rind and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened. Discard the basil stem and parmesan rind.
   
2. To make the meatballs, in a large bowl, cover the bread with the milk. Allow to stand until completely absorbed. Use a small food processor to very finely chop the vegetables and garlic, then transfer to the bowl with the milk and bread mixture. To the bowl, add the mince, mixed herbs and parmesan cheese and mix very well to combine. With damp hands, form meatballs around the size of walnuts and place onto a prepared tray. Refrigerate the meatballs to set.
   
3. Cook the meatballs in the simmering sauce for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. Alternatively, these can be baked in the oven. Serve with cooked spaghetti, basil leaves and parmesan cheese.

Notes

• Leftovers go on a ciabatta roll, with pesto and melted cheese for lunch.
  
• This recipe used a ratio of 70% beef mince and 30% pork mince.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

Want more from The Cook Up? Stream all the seasons here and for free at SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Meatballs

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G