Meatballs simmered in spicy Moroccan-inspired sauce; it’s warming, comforting, and perfect to prep for a few lunches or dinners ahead.
Use any pre-made meatballs you have on hand- lamb or beef would be perfect; I’ve used kangaroo meatballs for a leaner & more sustainable alternative. Brown the meatballs first for maximum flavour, then set aside while you simmer and reduce the spicy tomato sauce. Add the meatballs back to the sauce once you’re ready to serve.
I’ve made a spiced cauliflower pilaf to accompany the saucy meatballs. I like to have a bag of pre-made cauliflower rice handy in the freezer; simply blitz raw cauliflower florets in a food processor until they form chunky ‘grains’ about 5mm in width. Be sure not to over process the cauliflower; you’ll end up with mash! You can store any excess cauli-rice in the freezer for a month, otherwise stir-fry in a bit of olive oil & spices for 5-8 minutes until its tender.
Spicy Moroccan Meatballs with Cauliflower Pilaf
Ingredients
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 560 g ready made meatballs- I've used Bush Tomato Kangaroo Meatballs from K-Roo
Spicy Meatball Sauce
- 1 large brown onion
- 3 cloves garlic- crushed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander seed
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 400 g diced tomato (canned is fine)
- 50 g tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 lemon- juice only
Cauliflower Pilaf
- 400 g cauliflower rice
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 clove minced garlic
- chopped spring onions
To serve
- 2 tbsp pomegranate
- freshly chopped parsley
- 400 g cherry tomatoes- halved
Instructions
Meatballs
- Heat ½ tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the meatballs to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the meatballs to ensure they are evenly browned, then cook for 12 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside
Spicy Tomato Sauce
- Add the chopped brown onions to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened.
- Add the crushed garlic, cumin, coriander seed, cinnamon and turmeric and stir until the onions are evenly coated. Fry for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, mint, honey and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Cauliflower Pilaf
- While the spicy sauce is simmering, you can start preparing the spiced Cauliflower Pilaf
- Add the spices, garlic and cauliflower rice to a small pan on medium heat. Season well with salt & pepper. Stir until the spices are well combined, then cook for 5-8 minutes or until the cauliflower rice is tender.
- Remove from heat, serve topped with chopped spring onions
To serve
- Combine the meatballs back into the spicy tomato sauce and mix until the meatballs are well-coated.
- Serve with a scattering of pomegranate and chopped fresh parsley
- Optional; serve with chopped cherry tomatoes on the side
Nutrition
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