I think I go through phases where I get a little obsessed with a certain ingredient and then want to use it in everything! I’m in a 'buffalo mozzarella phase’ at the moment. I’ve been using it quite a lot over the past few months, including in today’s recipe, my Tomato and Basil Meatballs with Cauliflower Puree.
I developed this recipe only a few weeks ago now and it’s already become a new family favourite.
I like to serve this dish with a side of steamed green beans, mainly because I love them (and we can always do with a few more greens in our lives right?!). For all my vegetarian and vegan friends, simply replace the meat with chickpeas/lentils and voila, ‘vegeballs’. ☺ For my paleo friends, just leave out the buffalo mozzarella and parmesan and you’re set!
Have a wonderful week friends and enjoy the recipe!
Talk soon.
Ingredients
RSF, GF 
1 hr 
6-8 Meatballs
- 1kg grass fed beef mince (for vegetarian balls - cooked chickpeas/lentils)
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tbs dijon mustard
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup almond meal
- ½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
- ½ bunch basil, finely chopped
- Large pinch sea salt
Tomato & Basil Sauce
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbs smokey paprika
- Pinch of dried chili flakes
- 1 tin crushed tomatoes
- 2 punnets fresh cherry tomatoes
- ¾ cup tomato paste/tomato concentrate
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tbs organic vegetable broth powder or stock
- 2 large sprigs rosemary
- ½ bunch basil
- 125g buffalo mozzarella (or bocconcini)
- ½ cup grana padano parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ½ bunch parsley, roughly chopped
Cauliflower
- 1 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup almond milk
- ¾ cup grana padano parmesan cheese, finely grated
- Pinch sea salt
Method
Meatballs
- Place the meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl, mix well and set aside.
- Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees celcius.
- Place the cherry tomatoes into a large, deep baking dish and drizzle with a little olive oil, then place them into the oven while you prepare the rest of the sauce.
- In a large pan, sauté the red onion, garlic, chili flakes and smokey paprika in a little olive oil over medium heat, until soft and slightly caramelised.
- Now add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, hot water, broth powder and rosemary sprigs. Simmer for a couple of minutes and remove from the heat.
- Remove the baking dish containing the cherry tomatoes from the oven and pour in the crushed tomato mixture, then set aside.
- Rinse out the large pan, place back onto the heat and add a good glug of olive oil.
- Scoop the meatball (or veg) mixture into large table spoon sized balls.
- Add the balls to the hot pan.
- Brown the balls on both sides (don’t worry about them being cooked through as they will finish cooking in the oven).
- Place the browned balls into the dish with the tomato sauce.
- Sprinkle with ½ cup parmesan, ½ of the torn basil leaves and the mozzarella.
- Place the dish into the oven for about 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil and parsley.
- Serve the balls over the cauliflower puree.
Cauliflower Puree
- Cut the cauliflower into small chunks and steam for about 30 minutes or until very soft.
- Place the steamed cauliflower into a food processor with the almond milk, parmesan and a generous pinch of sea salt.
- Blend until very smooth (this will take a couple of minutes).
Dietary Options
- For a vegetarian option, substitute the grass fed beef mince for chickpeas or lentils.
- For a vegan option, substitute the grass fed beef mince for chickpeas or lentils and leave out the buffalo mozzarella and parmesan. Replace with a sprinkling of nutritional yeast.
- For a paleo option, leave out the buffalo mozzarella and parmesan.
Free Resources
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