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Rainbow Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Hidden Vegetables - photo 1
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Rainbow Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Hidden Vegetables

Pikantne Kids' Lunches Main dishes Takeaway Dishes 60 min Easy 4 wyświetleń ~25.41 PLN - (0)
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Description

Here’s a dish that is a true ally for every parent! Rainbow turkey meatballs are a clever and incredibly tasty way to sneak a solid portion of vegetables into your child's diet. Soft, juicy balls made from tender turkey meat hide finely grated carrot and zucchini, which not only enrich the dish with vitamins and fiber but also give it beautiful, colorful accents and natural moisture. The whole dish is bathed in a velvety, slightly sweet tomato sauce seasoned with mild herbs, creating a composition that perfectly appeals to the tastes of the youngest. The dish is not only healthy and nutritious but also visually appealing, encouraging even the pickiest eaters to dig in. Serve it with your favorite sides – mashed potatoes, colorful pasta, or fluffy groats.

Składniki (13)

Servings:
4
  • Ground turkey breast 500 g
  • Carrot 1.3 szt.
  • Zucchini 0.6 szt.
  • Onion 0.5 szt.
  • Egg 1 szt.
  • Breadcrumbs 40 g
  • Tomato passata 500 g
  • Garlic 1 ząbek
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Dried basil 2 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt
  • Ground black pepper 1 szczypta
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Parsley 0.5 pęczek
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~25.41 PLN (6.35 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of the mixture for meatballs

1

Start by preparing the vegetables. Peel the carrot and onion using a vegetable peeler. Wash the zucchini thoroughly under running water, but do not peel it - the skin contains the most nutrients. Grate all the vegetables on the finest grater. This way, they will blend perfectly into the meat mixture and will be practically undetectable for children.

Ingredients: Carrot, Zucchini, Onion
Use a grater with small holes (like the one for potatoes for pancakes). This way, the vegetables will have a purée-like consistency and will easily combine with the meat. If you have a food processor with the appropriate disc, you can use it to speed up the process.
2

Transfer the grated zucchini to a fine sieve or a clean kitchen towel. Lightly salt it (a pinch is enough) and set aside for 5 minutes. After that time, very thoroughly squeeze out the excess water by pressing it in your hands or through the towel. This step is crucial to prevent the meatballs from falling apart during cooking, as zucchini contains a lot of water.

Ingredients: Zucchini, Salt
Do not skip this step! Zucchini can release up to half a cup of water. Too wet meat mixture will cause the meatballs to fall apart. You can squeeze the zucchini over the sink.
3

In a large bowl, place the ground turkey. Add the squeezed zucchini, grated carrot, and onion. Crack in one egg, add the breadcrumbs, and season with salt and pepper. Remember not to overdo the pepper if the dish is for small children.

Ingredients: Ground turkey breast, Carrot, Zucchini, Onion, Egg, Breadcrumbs, Salt, Ground black pepper
It's best to use a large bowl to have the freedom to mix the ingredients. First, crack the egg into a small bowl to ensure it's fresh and to avoid getting any shell into the meat mixture.
4

Now the most important part – kneading the mixture. Wash your hands thoroughly and start mixing all the ingredients. Knead the mixture gently but firmly, only until all the ingredients are evenly combined. This should take about 2-3 minutes. The finished mixture should be uniform and compact.

Avoid overworking the meat mixture, as this can make the meatballs tough after cooking. Just mix the ingredients until they form a cohesive mass. If the mixture seems too sticky, you can wet your hands with cold water.

Shaping and frying the meatballs

5

Prepare a plate or cutting board. Wet your hands with cold water to prevent the meat from sticking. Take portions of the mixture (about one heaping tablespoon) and shape them into neat, round balls the size of a walnut in your hands. Place the finished meatballs on the prepared plate. You should get about 16-20 meatballs from the given amount of ingredients.

Try to shape the meatballs to the same size so they cook at the same time. Regularly wetting your hands with water is a simple trick that makes the job much easier.
6

In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot (you can check by dropping in a bit of the mixture – it should start to sizzle), carefully place the meatballs in the skillet. Fry them in batches for 3-4 minutes on each side, until they are nicely browned. They do not need to be fully cooked inside, as they will finish cooking in the sauce later.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil
The best option is a non-stick pan with a diameter of at least 26 cm. Do not add too many meatballs at once, as this will lower the oil temperature – instead of frying, they will start to stew. Transfer the fried meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess fat.

Preparation of the sauce and cooking the dish

7

Prepare the sauce. If there is too much fat in the pan after frying the meatballs, drain the excess, leaving about one tablespoon. Reduce the heat to the minimum. Peel the garlic and crush it with a press or chop it very finely. Add it to the pan and sauté for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until it starts to smell intense. Be careful not to burn it, as it will become bitter.

Ingredients: Garlic
Use a wooden or silicone spatula for mixing. Garlic burns very quickly, so have the tomato passata ready to pour in as soon as the garlic releases its aroma.
8

In a pan with garlic, pour in the entire tomato passata. Add dried basil and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything thoroughly and bring to a boil. When the sauce starts to gently bubble, reduce the heat to the minimum.

Ingredients: Tomato passata, Dried basil, Salt, Ground black pepper
If the sauce is very thick, you can add a bit of hot water or vegetable broth (about 50-100 ml) to achieve the desired consistency. If the passata is sour, you can add a pinch of sugar to balance the flavors.
9

Gently add all the previously sautéed meatballs to the simmering sauce. Make sure they are mostly submerged in the sauce. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer everything on low heat for about 15-20 minutes. During this time, the meatballs will cook through, become tender and juicy, and the flavors will meld into a delicious whole. Finally, if using, sprinkle the dish with chopped parsley.

Ingredients: Parsley
Every now and then, you can gently shake the pan to prevent the meatballs from sticking to the bottom. However, do not stir them too vigorously with a spoon to avoid damaging them. The dish is ready when the sauce thickens slightly and the meatballs are fully cooked.

Fun Fact

💡

Meatballs, known worldwide by various names (Italian 'polpette', Swedish 'köttbullar'), are a dish with ancient roots. It is believed that dishes made from ground meat shaped into balls were prepared as early as ancient Rome. 'Hiding' vegetables in dishes is a popular technique used by parents, sometimes referred to as the 'culinary Trojan horse'.

Best for

Codzienny obiad dla rodziny Przyjęcie urodzinowe dla dzieci Posiłek do lunchboxa do szkoły

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the meatballs hot, generously drizzled with sauce. They pair perfectly with creamy mashed potatoes (you can make colorful versions, e.g., with sweet potatoes or with added spinach), small pasta in the shape of letters or animals, or with millet. To make the dish even more appealing for children, you can arrange a 'face' on the plate using the meatballs and accompaniments.

🥡 Storage

Cooked meatballs with sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dish is great for freezing. Once cooled, transfer the meatballs with sauce to freezer containers and store for up to 3 months. To reheat, transfer them to a pot and warm over low heat until hot.

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