To celebrate World Meatball day on 9 March, we serve up the humble frikkadel in four fabulous new ways. Move over meatballs in gravy, the weeknight selection is about to get bigger! 

Meatballs baked in tomato sauce 

SERVES 4 

Well worth adding to your repertoire! Simply change it up week-to-week by serving it on mash, polenta, pasta or rice, or toss through vegetable spaghetti. 

Ingredients

For the meatballs  

1 onion, finely diced
1 sprig thyme, leaves picked
1 cup (about 4 small) grated
baby marrows or carrots
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan + extra for serving
2 tsp ground coriander
500g beef mince
Salt and milled pepper  

Glug olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups tomato passata or tomato purée 2 Tbsp sugar
500g cooked pasta or 250g cooked polenta, for serving
Fresh basil and lemon zest, for serving 

Method 

1. Combine the meatball ingredients and shape into golf ball-sized meatballs. Chill for 10 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan and fry the garlic until fragrant. 
3. Add the passata or tomato purée and sugar, then simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and place meatballs in sauce. 
5. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes, turn meatballs over and continue baking for 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and reduced. 
6. Serve meatballs on a bed of pasta or polenta.
7. Garnish with basil and lemon zest just before serving. 

 

Tear-and-share cheesy meatball subs  

SERVES 4-6  

Friday night fare is about to get downright delicious. This oozy sub can also be baked in the air fryer for a quick-fix.  

Ingredients

1 packet (500g) pork mince
2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander 1 tsp paprika
2 spring onions, sliced  

¾ cup dried breadcrumbs Salt and milled pepper
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 can tomato purée  

2 Tbsp sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
4 mini French loaves
2 cups grated cheese (like a combination of Cheddar, Gouda or mozzarella)  

For the slaw

3 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped (optional)
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and milled pepper
1 packet (300g) shredded red and white cabbage
4-5 radishes, sliced
Lime wedges, for serving (optional)   

Method 

1. Combine the pork mince, coriander, paprika, spring onion and breadcrumbs. Season.
2. Roll 2 Tbsp of the mixture into equal-sized balls, creating about 15-18 meatballs.
3. Heat oil in a pan and brown the meatballs in batches for 6-8 minutes or until golden.
4. Add tomato purée, sugar and lemon juice, then cook for 8-10 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 200°C.
6. Place the loaves onto a lined baking tray. Halve each loaf, making sure not to cut all the way through to allow for stuffing.
7. Spread about ¼ cup tomato sauce onto the inside of each loaf.
8. Divide meatballs and remaining sauce between loaves and top with the cheese.
9. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until golden and cheese has melted.
10. Combine the slaw ingredients and season.
11. Place subs onto platters and allow guests to tear and share themselves.  
12. Serve with slaw on the side and lime wedges, if you like. 

 

Frikkadels on unbeetable beetroot raita

SERVES 4-6

Make it a weeknight dinner with meatball pita pockets or serve these as part of a mezze-style feast with flatbreads and a grain salad for
a special occasion.  

Ingredients

For the frikkadels

1 packet (500g) lamb or beef mince 
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup breadcrumbs  

1 egg, whisked
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 tsp each ground cumin and cardamom 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon
Handful chopped fresh mint, parsley and coriander
Salt and milled pepper
Oil, for frying  

For the raita

3-4 cooked beetroots, grated 1 cup double cream yoghurt 1 Tbsp olive oil
Squeeze lemon juice
½ tsp ground cumin
1-2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped (optional)
Chopped salad, rocket or micro herbs, for serving  

Method 

1. Combine the frikkadel ingredients and season.
2. Roll into golf ball-sized balls (about 5cm) and chill in fridge for 15-30 minutes.  
3. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. 
4. Fry frikkadels for 10-12 minutes, until they are golden-brown all over and cooked through.
5. Combine raita ingredients and season. 
6. Spread raita on a platter, top with frikkadels and salad, and serve. 

 

Lemon and herb meatballs  

MAKES 4 

Make these fancy meatballs for your next dinner party. The lemon perfectly offsets the rich lamb mince.  

For the meatballs

3 Tbsp olive oil
3 onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 packet (600g) lamb or beef mince 
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 lemons, zested
½ punnet (15g) fresh mint, chopped + extra for serving  

½ punnet (15g) fresh dill, chopped + extra for serving
4 tsp nine-spice mix (recipe below)
2 tsp ground cumin  

1 Tbsp capers, chopped
Salt and milled pepper
1 packet (200g) green olives, depipped 2 Tbsp capers
1 preserved lemon, chopped
1 tsp honey or pinch of sugar
1 cup beef stock
Crumbled feta, for serving
8 caper berries, for serving (optional)  

Method 

1. Heat half the oil in a pan and sauté́ the onions for 5 minutes over medium heat. 
2. Add garlic and fry for a minute.
3. Combine half of the onion mixture with remaining meatball ingredients, setting half the onion aside.
4. Season meat mixture and shape into 16 balls.
5. Heat remaining oil in a pan and sear meatballs until browned all over.
6. Return remaining onion mixture to the pan and fry with olives, capers and preserved lemon.
7. Add honey and stock and simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
8. Serve meatballs with fresh dill, mint, feta and caper berries (if using).  

 

NINE-SPICE MIX :  

A simple spice mix used in a lot of popular chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s Israel-inspired recipes.   

Combine 3 Tbsp allspice berries
1 ½ Tbsp coriander seeds 
½ Tbsp black peppercorns
5 cloves
½  tsp cardamom seeds
2 blades mace (optional)
2 sticks cassia bark or cinnamon and a pinch of each cumin and grated nutmeg. 
Toast in a dry pan and grind to a fine powder. This all-rounder spice works well with beef, lamb, chicken or pork.