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Turkey Meatballs in Hidden Vegetable Sauce - photo 1
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Turkey Meatballs in Hidden Vegetable Sauce

Pikantne Kids' Lunches Dania główne Pasta and Risotto 60 min Easy 23 wyświetleń ~25.89 PLN - (0)
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Description

This dish is a real hit among the little ones! Juicy and tender turkey meatballs that turn into fun little monsters, swimming in a velvety, slightly sweet tomato sauce. The secret of the sauce lies in blended vegetables, such as carrots and onions, which provide valuable vitamins while remaining invisible to picky little eaters. Served with colorful pasta, the dish not only tastes delicious but also catches the eye and encourages eating. It's an ideal way to sneak in a portion of vegetables into a child's diet in a creative and appetizing form. The dish is balanced, nutritious, and simple to prepare, making it an excellent choice for a family dinner.

Składniki (14)

Servings:
4
  • Ground turkey 500 g
  • Onion 1 szt.
  • Garlic 1 ząbek
  • Chicken egg 1 szt.
  • Breadcrumbs 40 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Canned diced tomatoes 400 g
  • Carrot 1.3 szt.
  • Colored pasta 300 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt
  • Ground black pepper 1 szczypta
  • Dried oregano 1 łyżeczka
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Canned peas 50 g
  • Fresh basil 0.2 pęczków
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~25.89 PLN (6.47 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of monster meatballs

1

Prepare all the ingredients for the meatballs. Peel one onion (75g) and grate it on a fine grater. Peel the garlic and press it through a garlic press or chop it very finely. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, grated onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Ingredients: Ground turkey, Onion, Garlic, Chicken egg, Breadcrumbs, Salt, Ground black pepper
Use a large bowl so the ingredients mix easily. Grating the onion instead of chopping it will make its flavor milder, and the pieces will be invisible, which is key in dishes for children.
2

Thoroughly mix the meat mixture. It's best to do this with clean hands, gently kneading the ingredients until they are evenly combined. Knead the mixture for about 2-3 minutes until it becomes cohesive and slightly sticky. The finished mixture should easily come off your hands.

Do not knead the mixture too long, as the meatballs will become tough. Properly kneaded mixture will ensure juiciness and tenderness of the meatballs after cooking. You can involve a child in this stage (after washing their hands) - it's great sensory fun for them.
3

Moisten your hands with cold water to prevent the meat from sticking. Take portions of the mixture (about 1 tablespoon) and shape them into even, round balls the size of a walnut in your hands. From the given amount of meat, you should get about 20-24 meatballs. Place them on a cutting board or a large plate.

Try to make all the meatballs similar in size. This way, they will cook evenly. Wetting your hands with water is a simple trick that makes shaping them much easier.
4

In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot (you can check by dropping in a bit of the mixture - it should sizzle), carefully place the meatballs in the skillet, leaving space between them. Fry for about 5-7 minutes, turning them occasionally with tongs, until they are golden brown on all sides. They do not need to be fully cooked inside, as they will finish cooking in the sauce.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil
Use a non-stick frying pan with a diameter of at least 26 cm. Do not overcrowd the pan – if necessary, fry in batches. Too many meatballs at once will lower the oil temperature and they will start to boil instead of frying.

Preparation of the hidden vegetable sauce

5

While the meatballs are frying, prepare the sauce. Peel and finely chop the second onion (75g). Peel the carrot and grate it on a coarse grater. In a large pot or deep skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil (you can use the one from frying the meatballs). Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until it becomes translucent. Add the grated carrot and sauté for another 4-5 minutes until it softens.

Ingredients: Onion, Carrot
Use a heavy-bottomed pot that will later fit all the meatballs. Properly sautéing the vegetables will bring out their natural sweetness, making the sauce tastier.
6

Pour the entire can of chopped tomatoes into the sautéed vegetables. Add dried oregano, the remaining salt, and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Ingredients: Canned diced tomatoes, Dried oregano, Salt, Ground black pepper
You can rinse the can from the tomatoes with a little water (about 50 ml) and pour it into the sauce to avoid wasting anything. Cooking covered prevents excessive evaporation of the liquid.
7

Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce directly in the pot until it is perfectly smooth and velvety. Blend for about 1-2 minutes, until all vegetable pieces are gone. This will give the sauce a uniform consistency, and the vegetables will be 'hidden' from the kids.

This is a key step to 'sneak' in the vegetables! If you don't have an immersion blender, you can carefully pour the hot sauce into a countertop blender and blend (remember to slightly open the lid to allow steam to escape).

Cooking and combining the dish

8

Place the pot with the blended sauce back on low heat. Gently, one by one, transfer the browned meatballs into the sauce. Submerge them so that they are mostly covered. Cover the pot and cook everything on very low heat for 15-20 minutes. During this time, the meatballs will cook through, and the flavors of the meat and sauce will meld together.

Stir very gently once or twice during cooking, moving the entire pot so the meatballs do not fall apart. Cooking on low heat is key to maintaining their shape and juiciness.
9

While the meatballs are cooking in the sauce, bring water to a boil for the pasta. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil (about 3 liters of water for 300g of pasta). When the water boils, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions, usually 8-10 minutes, until 'al dente' (slightly firm). After cooking, drain the pasta in a colander.

Ingredients: Colored pasta, Salt
Use a large pot so the pasta has room to swim freely and doesn't stick together. Do not rinse the pasta with cold water after draining, unless you are serving it cold.

Serving and Decoration

10

On the plates, arrange portions of colorful pasta. Generously drizzle with tomato sauce and place 4-5 meatballs on top. Now it's time to have fun! Decorate the meatballs to create little monsters. Use peas for eyes. Optionally, you can use fresh basil leaves as funny 'hair' or 'antennae'.

Ingredients: Canned peas, Fresh basil
Involve the kids in decorating their own plates! It makes the meal an adventure and they will be more willing to eat the prepared dish. You can also use pieces of black olives as pupils for the 'eyes' made of peas.

Fun Fact

💡

Meatballs, known worldwide as 'klopsiki', have their roots in ancient Rome, where they were made with various types of meat and spices. The Italians refined them by serving them in tomato sauce, and from there they won the hearts (and stomachs) of people all over the world, including the youngest!

Best for

Rodzinny obiad Przyjęcie urodzinowe dla dzieci Zabawna kolacja w tygodniu

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the dish immediately after preparation while it is warm. You can sprinkle grated Parmesan on top for extra flavor. Involve the kids in decorating the meatballs – let them create monster faces! It's a great fun and an encouragement to eat.

🥡 Storage

Meatballs in sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat slowly over low heat in a pot, optionally adding a little water. Pasta is best cooked fresh, but cooked pasta can be stored separately, drizzled with a bit of oil to prevent sticking.

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