Veggie meatballs with tomatoes, olives and caper sauce

Ingredients

• plum tomatoes 2 x 400g tins
• dried chilli flakes a large pinch
• caster sugar a pinch
• basmati and wild rice 240g
• roasted red peppers from a jar 3, thickly sliced
• capers 2 tbsp
• pitted green olives a handful, chopped
• red wine vinegar 2 tsp
• flat-leaf parsley a handful, chopped (optional)
• quinoa 75g
• spray oil
• onion ½, finely chopped
• garlic 3 cloves, finely chopped
• sweet smoked paprika 2 tsp
• black beans 400g tin, drained and rinsed
• egg 1
• dried breadcrumbs 30g

Method

• Step 1

  To make the meatballs, cook the quinoa in a large pan of boiling water until just cooked, then drain really well and cool. Spray the base of a deep, non-stick frying pan with oil then cook the onion with a splash of water and a pinch of salt for 5 minutes until the water has evaporated and the onion has softened. Add the garlic and paprika, and cook for few more minutes, then cool.

  Step 2

  Tip the quinoa, onion mixture, beans, egg and breadcrumbs into a food processor with a little seasoning and whizz until smooth-ish.  Use clean, wet hands to form into 20 balls, each about the size of a walnut, put onto a tray and chill for 15 minutes.

  Step 3

  Heat more spray oil in the frying pan and cook the meatballs, in batches, until browned all over, then scoop out onto a plate. Tip the tomatoes into the pan with 200ml of water, the chilli flakes and sugar, and use a masher to crush into small pieces. Season and simmer for 20 minutes until reduced.

  Step 4

  Cook the rice in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water following pack instructions, then drain well.

  Step 5

  Add the meatballs into the sauce along with the peppers, capers and olives. Simmer, stirring, for 10 minutes until the meatballs are piping hot. Add the vinegar, plus a splash of water if it is getting a little dry.

  Step 6

  Divide the rice between bowls and top with the meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle over the parsley, if using, to serve.

Nutritional data

• kcals 488
• fat 5.2g
• saturates 1g
• carbs 81.9g
• sugars 10.6g
• fibre 12.2g
• protein 22.2g
• salt 0.7g