Giant Meatballs Recipe

This Giant Meatballs recipe is a bold and flavorful dish, featuring oversized beef and black bean meatballs stuffed with cottage cheese, served with a spicy tomato sauce, brown rice, and a zingy mango salsa. It’s a hearty meal, ready in about 1 hour.

Giant Meatballs Recipe Ingredients

• 500 g lean minced beef
• 150 g wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 1 x 400 g tin of black beans
• 1 large egg
• ½ bunch fresh coriander (15 g)
• 100 g cottage cheese
• 1 Tbsp. jarred sliced jalapeño chillies
• 2 x 400 g tins of plum tomatoes
• 1 bunch of spring onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Olive oil
• 200 g brown rice
• 1 ripe mango
• 1 red pepper
• 2 limes

How To Make Giant Meatballs

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
2. Make the Meatballs: In a food processor, combine minced beef, breadcrumbs, drained black beans, egg, one-third of the coriander, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Blitz until well mixed. Divide into four equal portions. Spoon cottage cheese into the center of each portion, then shape into a ball, enclosing the cheese. Set aside.
3. Prepare the Sauce: In the food processor (no need to clean), add jalapeño chillies, 1 tsp. of their pickling liquor, another third of the coriander, tinned tomatoes, green tops of the spring onions, and peeled garlic. Blitz until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce into a 20 cm x 30 cm baking dish and place the meatballs in it.
4. Bake the Meatballs: Brush meatballs with 1 tsp. olive oil. Bake at the bottom of the oven for 35 minutes, or until cooked through and the sauce is bubbling.
5. Cook the Rice: Cook brown rice in a pan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions.
6. Make the Salsa: Peel the mango and place it in a griddle pan over medium-high heat with the whole red pepper, white halves of the spring onions, and halved limes. Turn with tongs until charred all over, then remove to a board. Discard the pepper’s stalk and seeds, and cut all the charred mango flesh off the stone. Finely chop the mango, pepper, spring onions, and remaining third of the coriander together. Squeeze in the juice of one charred lime, mix, taste, and season to perfection.
7. Serve: Serve the meatballs and tomato sauce over the cooked brown rice, with the mango salsa on the side and the remaining lime cut into wedges for squeezing.

Recipe Tips

• How do I know the meatballs are cooked? They should be firm, with no pink in the center. Cut one open to check, or use a meat thermometer (internal temperature should reach 70°C/160°F).
• Why use black beans in the meatballs? Black beans add texture, moisture, and a subtle nutty flavor, making the meatballs heartier and more nutritious.
• Can I make this ahead? Prepare and shape the meatballs and sauce up to a day ahead, storing them separately in the fridge. Bake just before serving.
• What if I don’t have a griddle pan? Char the mango, pepper, spring onions, and limes under a hot grill or in a heavy-based skillet for similar results.

What To Serve With Giant Meatballs

This bold dish pairs wonderfully with:

• A side of crusty bread to soak up the tomato sauce
• A crisp green salad for a fresh contrast
• A glass of light red wine or sparkling water with lime

How To Store Giant Meatballs

Refrigerate: Store meatballs, sauce, rice, and salsa separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat meatballs and sauce gently in the oven or microwave.
Freeze: Freeze cooked meatballs and sauce (without rice or salsa) in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Giant Meatballs Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1 portion (1/4 of recipe)

• Calories: ~650 kcal
• Carbohydrates: ~80g
• Protein: ~35g
• Fat: ~20g
• Saturated Fat: ~6g
• Sugar: ~25g
• Fiber: ~10g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and preparation methods used.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Swedish Meatballs Recipe
• Mountain Meatballs Recipe
• Simple Meatballs Recipe