Chicken and Zucchini Meatballs in Capsicum Sauce
Looking for a delicious and healthy meal option that the whole family will love? Try these flavourful chicken and zucchini meatballs in a sweet roast capsicum sauce! Packed with nourishing ingredients like chicken mince, zucchini, spinach, apple and capsicum, this dish is a great way to boost your child’s veggie intake. Plus, they’re super easy to make – simply prep your ingredients, mix them together, and bake in the oven until golden brown and cooked through.
DIETARY: DF, GF, NF
ALLERGENS: Eggs
AGE GROUP: 8 months+
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Beginner
SERVES: 8 (makes 16 meatballs)
PREP: 15 mins
COOK: 25-30 mins
EQUIPMENT: High-speed food processor
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Ingredients
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| 500g (2) medium red capsicums, rinsed, seeded and cut into chunks | |
| 110g (1) small brown onion, peeled and cut into wedges | |
| 3 garlic cloves (10g), unpeeled | |
| 2 tsp (2g) dried oregano | |
| 2-3 tbsp (40-60ml) extra virgin olive oil | |
| 400g can diced tomatoes, no salt | |
| 1 tbsp (20ml) tamari | |
| 1-2 tsp (5-10ml) balsamic vinegar (optional) | |
| 125g (1) regular-sized carrot, peeled | |
| 130g (1) regular-sized zucchini, rinsed | |
| 115g (1) medium apple, rinsed, cored | |
| ½ brown onion (55g), peeled | |
| 1 garlic clove (10g), peeled | |
| ¼ cup (20g) spinach, rinsed | |
| 2 tbsp (10g) fresh parsley, rinsed | |
| 1 egg | |
| 1/3 cup (50g) rice breadcrumbs | |
| 600g chicken mince |
Equipment
| High-speed food processor |
Directions
1.
Preheat oven to 220°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
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2.
Place capsicum, onion and garlic onto the baking tray. Add oregano, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
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3.
Bake for 20-25 min, until golden brown and well roasted.
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4.
Cool slightly before adding to a blender. Add canned tomatoes and tamari and blend until smooth. Stir in vinegar if using. Pour sauce into a large casserole dish or baking tray.
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5.
Reduce oven temperature to 200°C.
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6.
Place carrot, zucchini, apple, onion, garlic, spinach, and parsley into a high-speed food processor and process until smooth.
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7.
In a large bowl, combine veggie mix with the rest of the ingredients. Adding more breadcrumbs if needed if mixture needs to be firmer.
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8.
Roll mixture into small balls (approx. ¼ cup of mixture per ball) and place into the sauce in the casserole dish.
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9.
Bake for 25-30 mins or until meatballs are cooked through.
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Notes
MANDY’S SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with brown rice and a side of vegetables.
STORING LEFTOVERS: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
Allergies: For an egg-free version: Use an egg replacement such as a store-bought egg replacer, flax-egg (1tbs flaxseed meal + 3 tbs water) or chia-egg (1 tbs chia seed meal + 3 tbs water).
For a vegetarian version: Swap chicken mince for firm, crumbled tofu.
Easy ingredient swaps: Swap carrot and zucchini for vegetables of choice, such as pumpkin, parsnip, sweet potato, swede, or turnip. Swap apple for pear or for another piece of vegetable.
Additional boosters: Swap rice breadcrumbs for pumpkin seed meal.
Baby-friendly version: Serve mashed or cut into finger food-sized pieces.
For fussy eaters: Puree all vegetables, apple, onion and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth. Deconstruct the meal by serving meatballs, sauce, couscous and veggies separately.
