Name: Meatball pasta in creamy green sauce (with kale)
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 cup Dry breadcrumbs; 1/2 cup Milk; 1 Egg; 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese; 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1/4 tsp Black pepper; 1 lb Meat; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 1 lb Pasta; 4 cups Kale leaves; 3 Garlic cloves; 3 tbsp Butter (unsalted); 1 cup Heavy cream; 3 tbsp Flour; 2 tbsp Lemon juice; to taste Salt; to taste Black pepper; 1 cup Pasta water

Recipe at a glance

This dish pairs meatballs and pasta with a creamy green kale sauce. The recipe starts by cooking pasta and reserving some of its cooking water.

Meatball pasta in creamy green sauce (with kale)

This meatball pasta is ready in 30 minutes, and with a short list of ingredients you have a healthy, creamy, vibrantly green, and absolutely delicious dish on your kitchen table.

The meatballs are full of delicious flavor, and the creamy green sauce makes them even softer and juicer. A secret ingredient in the creamy sauce makes this dish healthier than ever! That’s right! Kale - one of the healthiest greens on the planet - adds plenty of vitamins, fiber and color to the creamy sauce for meatball pasta. What a clever way to make your children get the healthy nutrients they need!

Recipe authorVictor Arzutov

Cooking time30 min

Servings6

CategoryMeat recipes

Ingredients How to make it

Step by step

How to make it

1
Step 1
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the water you cooked the pasta in.
2
Step 2
While the pasta cooks, blanch the kale in lightly salted water until tender, rinse in cold water, drain and blend in a food processor or cut into thin ribbons.
3
Step 3
Put ground meat, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, salt, pepper, Parmesan into a large bowl, and mix until thoroughly combined. Add milk if the meatball mixture feel too dry and mix well.
4
Step 4
Roll the mixture into meatballs balls (the size of a chocolate truffle) In a large skillet heat olive oil and 2 tbsp olive oil, then fry the meatballs turning continuously until brown on each side, then turn down the heat and fry more gently until cooked through. Remove to another dish and set aside.
5
Step 5
Put the same skillet to a medium-high heat and add butter, minced garlic and flour to skillet and whisk until it turns brown. Slowly stir in pasta water and heavy cream, stirring until smooth. Add cooked kale ribbons and 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice and bring to a simmer until sauce starts to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for another 1-2 minutes.
6
Step 6
Serve meatballs in green creamy sauce over your favorite pasta. You can top the dish with finely chopped parsley.

Chef’s tips:
● The best way to make meatballs is to mix all your ingredients except the mince first. It is much easier to combine your seasoning, binding agents and flavouring when you finally add the meat.
● Always sear the meatballs on high heat. This locks in the flavors and the sear helps them retain their shape when you add them back to the sauce.
● Feel free to switch meat meatballs for vegetarian ones if you are a vegetarian.
● Store leftover meatballs, either on their own or in a sauce, in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat over low heat in a saucepan or in the microwave.