Turkey meatballs with lemony quinoa, chickpeas and roasted roots recipe
Created by The Tesco Recipes team
These Mediterranean-style turkey meatballs are made with turkey thigh mince, ricotta, fresh herbs and lemon zest. They can be served warm or at room temperature, making them ideal for packed lunches. Serve with citrussy quinoa, chickpeas and roasted veg for a satisfying meal – you'll be the envy of the office!
See method- Serves 4
- Takes 50 mins plus cooling
- 586 calories / serving
- Freezable
Ingredients
For the roasted roots
- 3 carrots, scrubbed and cut into chunks
- 450g bunch organic beetroot, trimmed and cut into wedges
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp clear honey
- 10g fresh tarragon
- 80g pack pomegranate seeds
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For the meatballs
- 50g ricotta
- 25g fresh breadcrumbs
- 500g pack 7% fat turkey thigh mince
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 lemon, zested
- 10g fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
- 10g fresh basil, leaves chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the lemony quinoa
- ½ reduced-salt vegetable stock cube, made up to 250ml
- 75g quinoa, rinsed
- 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 10g fresh coriander, chopped
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Shop ingredientsEach serving contains
- Energy
- 2450kJ 586.0kcal
- Fat
- 26g
- Saturates
- 5g
- Salt
- 3.1g
- Sugars
- 22g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 44.7gProtein 37.9gFibre 11.5g
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Method
- Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. For the roasted roots, put the carrots, beetroot, olive oil, fennel seeds and ½ tsp salt in a roasting tray and toss to coat. Roast for 40 mins until cooked through and golden. Drizzle the root veg with the honey and cook for a further 5 mins until sticky.
- Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs. Combine the ricotta with the breadcrumbs in a bowl and allow to stand for 5 mins. Add the turkey mince, egg, lemon zest, chopped herbs and salt. Mix to combine and season with black pepper. Roll into 16 balls, then chill in the fridge for 10 mins. Arrange on a lined baking tray and bake alongside the root veg for 20 mins, turning halfway, until golden on the outside and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
- While the meatballs are cooking, bring the stock to a boil in a lidded saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat, stir through the chickpeas, cover and leave for 10 mins. Transfer to a bowl and stir through the lemon zest and juice, extra-virgin olive oil and most of the chopped fresh coriander. Season to taste and garnish with the remaining coriander. Set aside to cool, then divide among airtight containers.
- Sprinkle the tarragon, pomegranate seeds and extra-virgin olive oil over the roasted roots and stir to coat, then divide among the containers along with the meatballs. The containers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Cooked meatballs will keep separately for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Tip: Try serving with our Honey and lemon dressing.
- See more Batch-cooking ideas
Freezing and defrosting guidelines
Freeze meatballs only. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.
- For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.
