Can I make the meatballs ahead?

Yes! Actually, my parents usually freeze the meatballs (before cooking them) and just defrost them as they need to to halve the recipe. It's really useful for scaling this if you don't want to waste the end of a tub of ricotta or have to bother splitting a pack of mince.

What type of beans are best for the brothy bean part of this recipe?

I always prefer jarred beans unless I'm cooking them for a super long time. Two cans of butter beans would work instead, but rinse them well. For jarred beans, drain them but don't bother rinsing them as a little bit of the bean jucie will help thicken the broth a little.

Do I need to source tinned cherry tomatoes? Can I use regular chopped tomatoes instead?

I love that they stay relatively whole and burst in the sauce (without needing to have good fresh ones during the cooler months) but finely chopped tinned tomatoes (not the regular chunky ones) would also make a nice broth.

Can I use chicken mince or turkey breast mince instead?

What I love about these meatballs is how soft, tender and juicy they are; the ricotta binds them instead of beaten egg, contributing to the super light texture. But, the turkey thigh mince also contributes a lot to the moisture, we found that chicken or turkey breast made them just too dry. This recipe for Turkey Ricotta Meatballs with Brothy Butter Beans is super high in protein and relatively lean already, so don't stress too much about the thigh mince!

Turkey Ricotta Meatballs with Brothy Butter Beans

Description

The perfect one pan dinner, these super moist and tender Turkey Ricotta Meatballs with Brothy Butter Beans are the perfect hearty, spoon-able high-protein family dinner. The meatballs also freeze beautifully, so they’re great for meal prep!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Meatballs

50g panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp flaky sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
freshly cracked black pepper
500g turkey thigh mince
100g ricotta
light olive oil, for frying

For the Brothy Butter Beans

1 tbsp light olive oil
2 leeks
2 large garlic cloves
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 x 400g tin cherry tomatoes
500ml chicken stock
1 x 570g jar butter beans, drained but not rinsed
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
ricotta, to serve
fresh basil leaves, to serve

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Instructions

To make the meatballs, in the bottom of a large bowl combine the panko breadcrumbs, tomato puree, salt, garlic powder, Aleppo pepper, dried herbs and a generous amount of black pepper. Rub the seasonings into the breadcrumbs with your fingertips (as you would making pastry) until the breadcrumbs turn red and the seasonings are evenly distributed.
Add the turkey mince and ricotta, and combine until the breadcrumbs and ricotta and mixed into the turkey. Shape into 20 evenly sized balls.
Set a large, shallow casserole dish or frying pan over a medium heat. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan, and once it is shimmering brown the meatballs all over, working in batches and transferring the browned ones to a side plate. There is no need to make sure they’re cooked through.
Meanwhile, trim and finely slice the leeks, and peel and finely slice the garlic cloves.
Pour away the excess oil in the pan, and replace it with 1 tbsp of fresh oil. Add the leeks, garlic and a pinch of salt, and cook for 6-8 minutes until the leeks are soft and just starting to colour. Stir in the paprika and cook for a further minute.
Stir in the beans and stock, and nestle the meatballs in the broth in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper, and raise the heat to high. Once it has started to boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and allow to simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and add a little more salt and pepper before serving in bowls topped with any leftover ricotta from the tub and a scattering of fresh basil.

Notes

These meatballs freeze really well before freezing. Instead of the beans, you can sub 160g macaroni and up the stock amount to 750ml.