Summer Baked Meatballs
February 10, 2017
Summer Baked Meatballs
At this time of year when the vegetable garden is most productive almost all meals include zucchini. They are prolific producers and I usually collect at least one per day, sometimes many more. In order to take full advantage of this bounty they go in every meal and this one is no exception. I also included beautiful fresh summer basil and home grown tomatoes to this easy family friendly dinner.
Meatball are often on our family meal table in the winter months. They are hearty, warm and full of flavour. They should not be excluded from a summer menu as they are a simple one-dish-meal. Add them to the oven to bake while you do other things. They provide a nice change from the regular diet of summer salads. They are most welcome after a busy day and after-school sporting activities, or at the end of the week when everyone is exhausted. Lighten this meal by serving it with zucchini noodles or a salad, skipping the rice if you wish. I used chicken and pork instead of red meat in this recipe. You may also enjoy my lamb and spinach meatball recipe – find it here.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for baked meatballs. It will become a regular on our family table.
Gluten and egg free baked meatball recipe using summer garden produce.
Turn on oven to heat to 180 degrees celcius
Add the olive oil and garlic to a pan on the stove top to gently heat until fragrant.
Add the passata and herbs to the oil and garlic. Add the water to the used passata bottle shake it to collect the tomato residue in the bottle and then add it to the pan.
Stir occasionally, bring to a simmer then remove from the heat
Add the two minces, the beans and zucchini, pine nuts and sage to a bowl and stir to combine well
Squeeze the meat mixture into balls the size of golf balls and place each one into a baking dish until the mixture is used
Tip the passata mixture over and around the meatballs and add the fresh tomatoes then place into the pre-heated oven to bake
Bake for 35 min and test readiness by removing one meatball from the pan and cutting it in half. If cooked the colour will be even through. If still pink in the middle return the pan to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes until cooked through
Served topped with fresh basil leaves, rice, or a salad of choice
Cook time will vary depending on how large you roll the meatballs. Try to keep their size uniform so they cook evenly.
If you run out of room for the meatballs in one dish add any left over ones to a separate tray to bake and then add them at the end to the main dish with the others and the passata sauce.
Do you enjoy a hearty meal in summer once in a while?
Have a wonderful weekend. See you next week.
Vegetable Garden Workbook
A practical guide from set up to harvest. From the supermarket aisle to shopping your backyard for fresh meal ingredients
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