Basil Pesto Beef & Bacon Meatballs
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Basil Pesto Beef & Bacon Meatballs

Basil Pesto Beef & Bacon Meatballs

with Tomato-Mushroom Sauce & Spaghetti

It's easy to upgrade your midweek meatballs when you have our bright basil pesto handy. Why not perk up your pasta sauce too by swapping the jarred stuff with a mushroom-spiked sauce you can whip up from scratch? Don't forget to stir through the spinach at the end for an extra pop of colour.

Tags:
Kid Friendly
Allergens:
Gluten
•Wheat
•Milk

Always read product labels for the most up-to-date allergen information. Visit hellofresh.com.au/foodinfo for allergen and ingredient information. If you have received a substitute ingredient, please be aware allergens may have changed.

Preparation Time40 minutes
Cooking Time30 minutes
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Serving amount

2 clove

garlic

1

zucchini

1 packet

beef mince

1 packet

fine breadcrumbs

(Contains Gluten, Wheat; May be present: Soy. )

1 packet

basil pesto

(Contains Milk;)

1 packet

spaghetti

(Contains Gluten, Wheat; May be present: Egg, Soy. )

1 packet

sliced mushrooms

1 sachet

garlic & herb seasoning

1 packet

passata

1 packet

baby spinach leaves

1 packet

Parmesan cheese

(Contains Milk;)

1 packet

diced bacon

(May be present: Soy. )

Not included in your delivery

olive oil

½ tbs

brown sugar

(May be present: Milk, Almond, Hazelnut, Cashew, Brazil Nut, Pecan, Pine nuts, Macadamia, Pistachio, Walnut, Soy, Sesame, Peanut. )

20 g

butter

¼ tsp

salt

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Nutritional Values

Energy (kJ)4636 kJ
Calories1108 kcal
Fat53.5 g
of which saturates19 g
Carbohydrate91 g
of which sugars13.6 g
Dietary Fibre11.4 g
Protein59.5 g
Sodium1765 mg
The average adult daily energy intake is 8700 kJ

Utensils

•Large Pan
•Large Non-Stick Pan
•Lid

Instructions

1
1

• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. • Finely chop garlic. • Grate zucchini.

2
2

• In a medium bowl, combine beef mince, fine breadcrumbs, basil pesto and a pinch of salt and pepper. • Using damp hands, roll heaped spoonfuls of beef mixture into small meatballs (4-5 per person). • Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook diced bacon, breaking up with a spoon, until golden, 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

TIP: The pesto makes these meatballs extra tender but also delicate, so handle them carefully!

3
3

• Cook spaghetti in the boiling water until 'al dente', 10 minutes. Reserve some pasta water (1/2 cup for 2 people / 1 cup for 4 people), then drain spaghetti and return to saucepan. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. • While pasta is cooking, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs, gently turning, until browned, 5-6 minutes (cook in batches if your pan is getting crowded). Transfer to a plate.

TIP: 'Al dente' pasta is cooked through but still slightly firm in the centre. TIP: Meatballs will continue cooking in step 5!

4
4

• Wipe out frying pan, then return to medium-high heat with another drizzle of olive oil. Cook sliced mushrooms, stirring, until slightly browned, 3-4 minutes. • Add zucchini and cook, stirring, until tender, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and garlic & herb seasoning and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. • Stir in passata, the brown sugar, the butter, reserved pasta water and the salt. Stir to combine.

5
5

• Reduce heat to medium-low and return meatballs and cooked diced bacon to the pan. Cover with a lid or foil and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, 4-6 minutes. • Stir in baby spinach leaves, until just wilted, 1 minute. Season to taste, then remove from heat.

6
6

• Divide spaghetti between plates. • Top with beef, bacon and basil pesto meatballs. • Sprinkle over Parmesan cheese to serve. Enjoy!