Mozzarella Chicken Stuffed Meatballs in Tomato Sauce - ThermoFun
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 2 slices bread, torn into quarters
- 20g parmesan cheese
- handful fresh parsley
- handful fresh basil
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- 1 egg
- 500g chicken mince
- 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 100g mozzarella cheese, 1cm cubes (approx. 12) or mini bocconcini balls
SAUCE
- ½ lemon (peel only)
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- handful fresh parsley
- handful fresh basil
- 20g olive oil
- 800g can tomatoes, diced
- 100g boiling water from kettle
- 140g ThermoFun Tomato Paste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 400g spiral/penne/bow ties pasta, to serve
Instructions
MEATBALLS
- Place bread, cheese, parsley and basil into TM bowl and chop 5 sec / speed 8.
- Add onion and egg and chop 3 sec / speed 5. Scrape down.
- Add mince and pepper and mix 10 sec / speed 4 / Reverse. Set aside.
No need to wash TM bowl.
SAUCE
- Place lemon peel into TM bowl and zest 10 sec / speed 9.
- Add garlic, onion, parsley, basil and oil and chop 3 sec / speed 5. Scrape down and sauté 5 mins / Varoma / speed 1 / MC off.
- While onion is sautéing, roll the chicken mix into balls (approx. size of a golf ball) encasing a cube of mozzarella cheese. Place meatballs into Varoma and set aside.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper, basil, parsley, bay leaf and boiling water into TM bowl.
- Place assembled Varoma onto TM lid and cook 20 mins / Varoma / speed 2 / Reverse.
NB: cheese will ooze a little out of the meatballs whilst they are steaming but that is ok as there is still more inside the meatball. - While sauce and meatballs are cooking, cook pasta in your ThermoServer.
- To serve, place meatballs on top of pasta and cover with tomato sauce.
Notes
To Mince Chicken:
Place chicken fillets (cut with a knife into approx. quarters) in TM bowl 4 sec / speed 4 / Reverse - or until desired consistency that you like your mince to be.
* 1 teaspoon dried herbs can be used in place of fresh herbs.
This recipe was enjoyed by many on the July 2014 ThermoFun Cook Along and it highlights the beauty of multi-tasking your cooking procedures to save time.
Looking for more delicious and quick dinners? Then make sure you get a copy of my Meals in a Jiffy cookbook with 35 dinner recipes that can be on the table in approx. 30 minutes!
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If you have enjoyed this recipe then please consider leaving a comment. It’s always refreshing to see comments from people that have tried a recipe and found it a success or tweaked it to suit.
Lucinda Phillips says
Very nice. Made it again tonight with turkey mince as that is what my husband picked up and it was still yummy! Leftovers for lunch tomorrow too :)
thermofun says
Thanks Lucinda - enjoy your leftovers too! :)
fiona says
Hiya me again. do these freeze well, would I freeze meat balls separate to the sauce?
thanks I'm a newbie and loving your recipes, they are just so big for our family as 2 and 4 year old don't eat much.
thanks
thermofun says
Fiona it freezes well together or separately! :)
Anne Morris says
Hadn't made these in a while so tried them again, they were delicious I love the cheese in the middle and covered in Leonie's tomato Passata sauce finishes this dish off perfectly.
thermofun says
Thanks Anne - I haven't made this for ages either so thank you for the reminder! :)
Lisa S says
A firm family favourite all in one meal. Quick and easy recipe to follow, which is also very adaptable with different herbs you can use and add some vege. Thank you Thermofun.
thermofun says
Thanks Lisa - yes one of our favourites here too. :)
Raelene says
These are great.. and to make them Gluten Free we just sub'd in GF bread and pasta.. we also use zoodles in place of the pasta too sometimes.. too easy!! Thanks for another great fun family meal the kids enjoy getting their hands dirty making.. and of course.. love eating!! :-)