Sweet and Spicy Meatballs with Tricolore Pepper Salad and Walnut Cabbage

Sweet and Spicy Meatballs with Tricolore Pepper Salad and Walnut Cabbage 0658

These meatballs are so rich and full of flavour so they don’t need anything else than a salad or two to go with them. In this recipe I have combined the meatballs with a pepper salad, a walnut cabbage salad and a honey chili sauce.

The Sweet and Spicy Meatballs

To make the perfect meatballs, you need a binder. Here I have substituted the traditional breadcrumbs/egg mix for some Chia seeds. The Chia seeds provides the binding agent through the gel it will form with the liquid. Chia also ensures moist and delicious meatballs. Some people use mashed potatoes instead but please try the Chia, it is well worth it!

Serves 4

500 g ground beef
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ grated yellow onion
Fresh coriander, chopped
1 cm ginger, grated
2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
2 tbsp chia seeds

Glaze:
50 ml gluten free soy sauce
1 teaspoon of rice vinegar
1 tbsp honey

  1. Mix all the meatball ingredients together. Let sit in the refrigerate for 30 minutes in order to let the Chia seeds swell and form the gel.
  2. Heat the oven to 225 C. Line an oven sheet with greased baking parchment.
  3. Form small balls and place on baking sheet.
  4. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until cooked through.
  5. Combine the ingredients for the glaze.
  6. Pour the glaze in a (non-stick) frying pan and fry the meatballs a few minutes.
Tricolor Pepper Salad

1 orange pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
Juice from ½ lemon
Salt and black pepper

  1. Half and slice the peppers very finely using the fine blade on a food processor or a mandolin.
  2. Mix in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper.
Walnut Cabbage

200 g red cabbage
20 ml red wine vinegar
60 ml walnut oil
40 g walnut halves

  1. Discard the outer leaves. Quarter the cabbage and cut off root.
  2. Taking a few leaves at the time, cut the cabbage into very fine strips. Place in bowl.
  3. Heat the vinegar and pour over cabbage. Add the oil. Cover bowl with cling film and shake to cover evenly. Let sit to soften a few minutes.
  4. Toast the walnuts.
  5. Mix the walnuts into the cabbage just before serving.
Honey Chili Sauce

150 ml greek yoghurt
2 tsp crushed chilli
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients.