Easy ground pork meatballs

Ingredients and substitutions

For the meatballs:

• Ground pork mince - it can be substituted with ground beef or half pork and half beef.
• A large egg
• Dijon mustard
• Dried rosemary
• Dried oregano
• A good pinch of salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Cooking oil

For the red pasta sauce:

• Cooking oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Tinned chopped tomatoes
• Balsamic vinegar
• Fresh basil
• Half a cup of grated/ finely chopped vegetable of choice - carrot, broccoli, capsicum or courgette all work well.

To serve:

• Pasta - Your choice of fresh, dried or homemade pasta.
• Parmesan cheese

How to make easy pork meatballs

1. Prepare the meatballs.

• Place the ground mince, mustard, egg, herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper into a large mixing bowl. Use clean hands to mix the ingredients until well combined.
• Divide into 4 portions and then divide each portion into 6 small balls. To create 24 small meatballs in total.
• Place the meatballs on a plate, drizzle with olive oil and place in the fridge to rest. While you prepare the sauce.

2. Make the pasta sauce.

• Finely chop the onion and garlic. Then heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium heat.
• Cook the onion until soft, about 5 mins. Add the garlic and cook for another minute then add the chopped basil, stir in well.
• Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, grated vegetables and season to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and set aside until required. If you prefer a smooth sauce, allow it to cool a little, then blend until smooth.

3. Cook the meatballs.

• Heat a large frying pan or skillet over a medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the meatballs and cook for around 8-10 minutes, until cooked through. Turn the meatballs regularly to brown all sides evenly.
• The USDA recommends cooking ground pork to an internal temperature of 71.1 ℃ / 160 ℉, measured using an instant-read food thermometer.
• While the meatballs are cooking, cook your pasta according to their instructions.
• Once the meatballs are cooked, pour the sauce over the top and allow to warm back through and simmer for a few minutes.

4. To serve.

• Drain and portion out the pasta, add the meatballs and pasta sauce then top with a heap of grated pasta and some fresh cracked pepper.
• And enjoy the peace of everyone tucking in. From the youngest to the oldest, they will all enjoy slurping up this meal.

Tips from the chef

• Let the meatballs chill before cooking - don't skip this step!
• Meatball size - you may want to make larger meatballs which is fine just adjust your cooking time and use a meat thermometer to check the meatballs are cooked through.

Storage

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

To reheat - Make sure the frozen meatballs are completely thawed out in the fridge overnight before reheating. Then reheat in the microwave or slowly on the cooktop in a saucepan (this is our preferred method) heat until meatballs are piping hot all the way through.

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A great recipe for meal prep.

These pork meatballs are perfect for meal prep and there are so many ways this dinner can be prepped ahead!

Meatball prep: If using fresh ground pork mince, you can prep the meatballs the day before and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. Or you can freeze the prepared meatballs in an airtight container and separate them using baking/ parchment paper. (Note: only if using fresh meat, defrosted meat can not be refrozen before cooking). Completely thaw out the frozen meatballs in the fridge overnight before continuing to cook using our recipe instructions.

Pasta sauce meal prep: The pasta sauce can be made according to our instructions and then stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen in a sealed container and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months, thaw out in the fridge and reheat to piping hot.

As you can see, this recipe is great for meal prep and planning ahead for your weekly meals. It can also be used for batch cooking, simply cook a larger amount as per our instructions and chill or freeze in portions for homemade ready to go dinners. Follow our notes above for defrosting and reheating.