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Turkey meatballs with pasta and hidden veg recipe

Turkey meatballs with pasta and hidden veg recipe

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26 ratings

In partnership with Diabetes UK

These homemade meatballs come packed with veg and are made with turkey mince which is leaner and cheaper than other meats. This is a great recipe to batch cook and freeze for another time; just cook until the end of step two then leave to cool before freezing. See method

  • Serves 2
  • 15 mins to prepare and 25 mins to cook
  • 515 calories / serving

Ingredients

  • ½ red onion
  • 1 small carrot
  • 1 celery stick
  • 250g turkey thigh mince
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ yellow pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
  • ½ x 400g tin plum tomatoes
  • ½ chicken stock cube, made up to 600ml
  • 125g wholewheat fusilli
  • 15g fresh basil leaves, to serve
If you don't have red onions, try using white, brown or spring onions

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    2170kj
    515kcal     26%

  • Fat

    11g 16%

  • Saturates

    2g 12%

  • Sugars

    12g 13%

  • Salt

    1.5g 25%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 58.7g Protein 42.1g Fibre 8.7g

Method

  1. Using a box grater, grate the onion, carrot and celery. Tip into a bowl and crumble in the turkey mince. Mix well to combine and roll into 12 little balls. 
  2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Add the meatballs and yellow pepper and cook for 3-5 mins until the meatballs are golden and the pepper is beginning to soften. Push to the side of the pan and add the tinned tomatoes, crushing them with the back of a spoon to break them down. Pour in the stock, cover and cook for 15 mins until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has reduced slightly.

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  3. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for 10 mins for al dente. Drain and add to the meatballs and toss to coat in the sauce. Sprinkle with basil leaves to serve.

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See more Lunch ideas for kids

Cooking for children: There are no reference intakes for children and all of these recipes are based on recommendations for an adult woman's portion size. In children of different ages, there is variation in their energy (calorie) requirements and nutrient recommendations. If you are interested in which portion size is best for your child, you can visit the School Food Standards.

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