Nothing beats a meatball. They are easy to make, easy to adapt, and a fun form that 4-year-olds (and 40-year-olds) love. I’ve already introduced you to one of my favourite meatball recipes. However, this Meatball and Balsamic Beetroot Bake recipe came about by staring into my fridge and finding the ingredients there. Although each one was purchased for something else, I knew I needed to try it as the idea formulated in my head. And to be honest, I wasn’t sure if it was going to turn out at all. It’s one of those experiments that I thought was either going to work well or not at all. Luckily it turned out delicious, and even better, it’s super easy and quick to make. Isn’t it amazing when you take an idea, execute it, and it all works out great?! I still surprise myself that I can do this!
I used organic ground pork with a good amount of fat marbling to make the meatballs (because why not?!). The earthy sweetness of the beetroot plays nicely with the pork (why does pork go so well with sweetness?). Adding the balsamic to the beetroot puree cuts through the fat. I topped it off with some salty melted mozzarella, and it’s perfectly balanced.
I serve my meatball and balsamic beetroot bake with some roasted Cavolo Nero, similar to kale, so if you can’t find it you can easily substitute it. My method works well as I can put everything into the oven at once and forget about it. Once roasted, I toss it in a simple shallot vinaigrette and sprinkle it with toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch. Such an easy weeknight meal that can be done in 35 minutes, and even better, it’s easy to make for a crowd or dinner party. Your guests will be impressed!
Delicious Meatball And Balsamic Beetroot Bake
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
250 grams ground pork
1 tablespoon mustard - grainy
¼ cup almonds - ground
1 pinch salt - to taste
1 pinch ground black pepper - to taste
For the Beetroot Sauce:
- 500 grams beets - cooked
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar- 1 pinch salt - to taste
For the Topping:
125 grams Mozzarella cheese - sliced or pulled apart
For the Cavolo Nero:
- 200 grams Cavolo Nero
1 tablespoon olive oil- 1 pinch salt - to taste
- 1 pinch ground black pepper - to taste
For the Shallot Vinaigrette:
- 2 small shallot - minced
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Garnish:
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds - toasted
Instructions
- Heat oven to 200°C/400°F. Combine the pork, mustard, ground almonds with a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper in a bowl and mix—form meatballs and place in a cast iron pan or baking dish.
- Chop the cavolo nero and toss in olive oil and salt, and place on a baking sheet.
- Put both in the oven, with the meatballs on the top rack—Bake for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, process the beets, balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Toast the pumpkin seeds by adding them to a dry pan over medium heat and heat until they start to pop open, approx 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them, frequently stirring, so they don’t burn.
- For the shallot vinaigrette, sautee the shallots until soft. Add the balsamic and simmer until it reduces slightly. Stir in the olive oil and remove from heat.
- Remove the meatballs and the cavolo from the oven, pour off the excess fat from the meatballs and pour in the beetroot mixture. Top with mozzarella. Turn the oven to broil and place the pan back in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it so that the cheese doesn’t burn.
- To serve, toss cavolo nero in vinaigrette and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Serve up the meatballs straight from the dish to keep them hot and the cheese gooey. Enjoy!
