Can't get enough of homemade pesto? Then this one's for you! Take your meatballs to the next level with homemade pesto. Served on simple greens and boiled potatoes.
If you, like me, can't get enough of the taste of pesto, then you have to try these simple weeknight pesto meatballs.
We start by making the pesto, and put half in our meatball mince. I used pork mince, but you can also use chicken or turkey mince.
What I need for these Meatballs?
- 500 g baby potatoes
- 1 bunch basil
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 40 g parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ½ tsp salt and pepper ¾ teaspoon total for the recipe
- 1 bunch broccolini
- 200 g sugar snap peas
- 500 g pork mince
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 lemon
- ¼ tsp salt and pepper ¾ teaspoon total for the recipe
Top tip when making Pesto Meatballs
Use a non-stick pan for the meatballs, as the cheese in the pesto will crisp up in and melt.
Substitutions
- Gluten free - use gluten free panko breadcrumbs
- Dairy free - use dairy free shredded parmesan
Kid-Friendly Variations
- To make this recipe kid friendly simply serve the elements separately.
Equipment
You will need a lidded pot, a stovetop, a blender or small food processor, a lidded deep frying pan.
More Meatball Recipes
Recipe
Equipment
- Lidded pot
- Stovetop
- Blender or small food processor
- Lidded deep frying pan
Ingredients
- 500 g baby potatoes
- 1 bunch basil
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts
- 40 g parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper ¾ teaspoon total for the recipe
- 1 bunch broccolini
- 200 g sugar snap peas
- 500 g pork mince
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper ¾ teaspoon total for the recipe
Instructions
- Quarter potatoes or cut into 2-3 cm pieces. Place in a pot, cover with water and cook for 15 minutes (5 minutes for water to boil, 10 minutes of simmering).500 g baby potatoes
- To a blender or small food processor add basil (leaves and stalks), pine nuts, chunks of parmesan, peeled garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper. Blitz until you create a pesto. You may need to scrape down the sides.1 bunch basil, 2 tablespoon pine nuts, 40 g parmesan cheese, 2 cloves garlic, ⅓ cup olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper
- Trim broccolini and slice into three. Trim sugar snap peas. When timer for potatoes is almost up, add greens to the pot for 1 min, or until bright green, then drain. Cover with a lid to keep warm.1 bunch broccolini, 200 g sugar snap peas
- To a large bowl add pork, half the basil pesto, egg and breadcrumbs. Keep the other half of the basil pesto to serve.500 g pork mince, 1 egg, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Combine pork mixture and form golf ball sized meatballs. Place on a plate.
- Heat oil in a deep lidded frypan over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook, lid on, lifting to turn meatballs every 2 minutes for 6 minutes, or they are golden and cooked through.
- To serve, divide potatoes, greens and meatballs between the plates, then spoon over basil pesto. Kids may prefer elements kept separate. Slice lemon in half and squeeze over. Season with salt and pepper.1 lemon
Nutrition
Calories: 763kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 770mg | Potassium: 1105mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1555IU | Vitamin C: 110mg | Calcium: 238mg | Iron: 5mg
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