Meatballs and beans in tomato broth recipe

These soft, tender and succulent meatballs are packed full of flavour and are so easy to make. The kids will just love this tasty recipe. Cooked with onions, rich chopped tomatoes and cannellini beans, this dish is full of protein which will keep you fuller for longer. Using fresh tomatoes and pesto is much healthier than already made sauce and is much tastier too so bare that in mind when cooking this delicious dish. Serve with shredded curly kale. You could also try this recipe with Quorn mince for a veggie twist or turkey mince for a lower-fat option.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, peeled and sliced
• 250g lean minced beef
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 400g can cannellini or haricot beans, drained and rinsed
• 4-6tsp fresh pesto
• Olive oil, for cooking
• 60g shredded curly kale, optional

Method

1. Heat a deep-ish frying pan and add 1 tbsp olive oil with the onion and cook over a low heat for about 8 mins to soften it.
2. Season the meat well and shape it into 12 balls. Turn up the heat, add them to the pan and cook for about 5 mins, until they begin to brown and crisp all over.
3. If there’s a lot of fat in the pan, take the meatballs and onion out, drain them on kitchen paper and wipe the pan clean.
4. Pour the canned tomatoes, plus almost a canful of hot water into the pan and bring to a simmer. Add the beans and put the onions and meatballs back in. Season well and simmer for 10 mins.
5. If you want to, put the kale on top for the last 5 mins and simmer uncovered, to steam it. Ladle into two hot bowls, then add a couple of tsps of pesto to each serving.