Kids seem to love meatballs of any kind, so they’re a great vessel for packing in some hidden vegetables, especially (the often unpopular) ones of the leafy green variety! Serve with toothpicks for fun finger food or nibbles, or turn into a meal by serving with pasta and a bit of cheese (crumbled feta is delicious) sprinkled on top.
Meatballs
| 1 bag | Baby spinach, 130g (Main) |
| 2 Tbsp | Olive oil |
| 1 | Lemon, finely zested |
| ½ cup | Breadcrumbs |
| ¾ tsp | Salt |
| 500 g | Chicken mince (Main) |
| 1 serving | Oil, eg canola, soy or rice bran, to drizzle |
Tomato sauce
| 2 Tbsp | Olive oil |
| 1 | Onion, diced |
| 1 clove | Garlic, minced |
| 3 Tbsp | Tomato paste |
| 1 can | Crushed tomatoes |
| ¼ cup | Water |
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Directions
- Heat oven to 200C.
- Place spinach, olive oil and lemon zest in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl with chicken mince, breadcrumbs and salt and mix together (using your clean hands) until well combined.
- Roll heaped tablespoons of mixture into balls (about the size of a walnut). Heat a drizzle of oil in a large (preferably non-stick) frying pan on medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in batches, for 1-2 minutes each side, then transfer to an oven dish and cook in hot oven for 5 minutes to cook them right through.
- To make the tomato sauce, heat olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and water and continue to cook for a further 10-15 minutes until sauce has reduced and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place toothpicks in the meatballs and serve with the tomato sauce for a fun finger food meal or nibbles. Alternatively, toss tomato sauce and meatballs with pasta and sprinkle over a bit of cheese.
