Cheesy Italian Style Pork Meatballs and Mash
with Hidden Veg: Caramelised Leek and Bell Pepper
- Milk
- Cereals containing gluten
- Wheat
- Sulphites
- Barley
- Celery
- Cereals containing gluten
- Milk
- Mustard
- Soya
- May contain traces of allergens
- Wheat
Looking for a way to sneak in some goodness to your kids' meals? Our Cheesy Italian Style Pork Meatballs and Mash cleverly hides vegetables in the tomato sauce. Perfect for picky eaters and parents alike, this is a crowd-pleasing dish you can rely on.
Ingredients
2 unit(s)
Garlic Clove
30 grams
Mature Cheddar Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
450 grams
Potatoes
1 sachet(s)
Savoury Seasoning
(Contains: Cereals containing gluten, Wheat May be present: Sulphites, Barley, Celery, Cereals containing gluten, Milk, Mustard, Soya)
240 grams
British Pork Mince
1 unit(s)
Leek
1 unit(s)
Bell Pepper
1 sachet(s)
Mediterranean Style Seasoning
(May be present: Sulphites, Wheat, Barley, Celery, Cereals containing gluten, Milk, Mustard, Soya)
1 carton(s)
Tomato Passata
10 grams
Chicken Stock Paste
Not included in your delivery
½ tsp
Sugar for the Sauce
50 milliliter(s)
Water for the Sauce
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. Bring a large saucepan of water with ½ tsp salt to the boil for the potatoes.
Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press). Grate the cheese.
Chop the potatoes into 2cm chunks (peel first if you prefer).
When boiling, add the potatoes to the water and cook until you can easily slip a knife through, 15-20 mins.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the savoury seasoning and pork mince.
Mix together with your hands, then roll into evenly-sized balls, 5 per person. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw mince.
Pop the meatballs onto a large baking tray.
When the oven is hot, bake on the top shelf until browned on the outside and cooked through, 12-15 mins. IMPORTANT: The meatballs are cooked when no longer pink in the middle.
Meanwhile, trim the root and dark green leafy part from the leek and discard. Halve lengthways, then thinly slice.
Halve the bell pepper and discard the core and seeds. Chop into 1cm chunks.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan on high heat.
Once hot, add the pepper and leek. Fry until softened, 5-6 mins. Continue to stir while it cooks.
Once the veg has softened, add the garlic and Mediterranean style seasoning. Fry for another 30 secs.
Hide the Veg: If you want to 'hide the veg' in this recipe, transfer to a blender and blitz at this stage until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen the mixture. Then, transfer back into your frying pan.
Next, stir in the passata, chicken stock paste, sugar and water for the sauce (see pantry for both amounts). Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer until thickened, 3-4 mins.
Meanwhile, once the potatoes are cooked, drain in a colander and return to the pan, off the heat.
Add a knob of butter and a splash of milk (if you have any) and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid to keep warm.
Once the sauce has thickened, taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Stir the cooked meatballs into the sauce and remove from the heat.
Share the mash and Italian style meatballs between your serving dishes.
Sprinkle over the cheese to finish.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Oct 2026- Flavour: Full of flavour when seasoned well, though some found the seasoning a little strong or salty; taste as you go and adjust accordingly.
- Ease of prep: Quick and easy to make, with the meatballs coming together simply.
- Suggestions: Blending the vegetable sauce before adding the meatballs makes a noticeable difference to the finished dish. If the sauce tastes too salty, hold back on adding extra salt and use the stock paste sparingly.
- Next-day meals: The meatballs and sauce keep well, making a good extra portion for the following day.
