Pea meatballs
Pea meatballs are in the category of recipes I've been making for years, without too much hassle. Usually, I start them on an afternoon when I feel like using what I have in the fridge and freezer. They have the advantage that you don’t have to strictly watch the minutes, and the ingredients are always at hand. Frozen peas are fine all year round. If you also have good potatoes, the meat can be mixed, and greens and eggs are never missing from the house. The recipe is straightforward, everything is done easily, without complicated steps or special techniques.
Quick Info
Total time: approx. 1 hour 30 minutes
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 50-60 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: main dish, lunch or dinner, suitable for any day of the week
Ingredients
400 g frozen peas
1 onion
1 knorr cube (vegetables or meat, as preferred)
250 g ground beef
250 g ground pork
4 potatoes
2 eggs
5 cloves of garlic
dill
salt
pepper
oil
Preparation method
1. Peel the potatoes, wash them, and cut them into cubes. Boil them in cold salted water. Let them boil until you can easily pierce them with a fork, then drain the water. Put the potatoes in a larger bowl and let them cool for a few minutes.
2. While the potatoes are still warm, mix the ground beef well with the pork. Add the two eggs, chopped dill, peeled and crushed garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix everything with the hot potatoes. The mixture should be well homogenized, with no separate pieces of meat or potato. Place the bowl with the mixture in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the pea garnish. Peel the onion, wash it, and chop it finely. In a large frying pan, add a little oil and sauté the onion over medium heat, stirring often to prevent burning. When the onion becomes translucent, add the frozen peas directly to the pan, sprinkle with salt to taste, crumble the knorr cube, and add half a glass of water (about 100 ml). Let it simmer on low heat, covered, until the peas are tender and the sauce reduces, but without drying out completely. Stir occasionally.
4. Take the meatball mixture out of the fridge. Take a tablespoon of the mixture and form balls in your palms, then flatten them slightly, like discs. Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry the meatballs over medium heat on both sides until they become golden brown. Remove them onto a paper towel to eliminate excess oil.
5. Serve the meatballs warm, alongside the pea and onion garnish.
Why I make this recipe often
I prepare it often because it is hearty, suitable for any time, whether for lunch or dinner. The ingredients are simple and accessible. You can prepare everything in a relatively short time without spending too much time by the stove. The mixture is easy to work with, and the meatballs turn out quite tender due to the boiled potatoes. The peas complement everything well, and the leftovers are good the next day.
Tips and variations
Tips
If you want the mixture not to stick to your hands, wet your palms with a little cold water before shaping the meatballs.
Do not let the mixture sit too long at room temperature; ground meat works better when cold.
When sautéing the onion for the peas, don’t rush the heat – the taste will be milder if you let the onion soften over low heat.
Substitutions
You can use only pork or only beef if you don’t have both on hand.
Dill can be left out if it’s not to everyone’s liking, or you can use fresh parsley instead.
If you don’t have knorr, salt and pepper are enough for the peas, but the cube adds flavor.
Variations
For a richer taste, you can add a little crushed garlic to the pea garnish as well.
If you prefer the meatballs to be crunchier, you can coat them in breadcrumbs before frying, but the basic recipe does not specify this.
Serving ideas
The meatballs also work well cold as a snack, or they can be placed in a bun with salad for a quick sandwich.
You can serve with pickles, simple salad, or with a yogurt sauce with greens.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use canned peas instead of frozen?
Yes, you can, but canned peas have a different texture and shouldn’t be boiled as long. Add them at the end, just to warm them up, without keeping them on the heat for too long.
2. Can I bake the meatballs in the oven instead of frying them?
The original recipe is for frying, but if you want less oil, the meatballs can be baked on parchment paper at 190°C for about 25 minutes, turning them halfway. The taste and texture will be different.
3. Do I have to use two types of meat?
No, you can make it with only pork or only beef, depending on what you have on hand or your preferences. The mix provides a balance of flavor and texture, but it’s not mandatory.
4. Can I make the recipe without eggs?
The eggs help bind the mixture, especially with the boiled potatoes in the mix. If you can’t use eggs, try adding an extra small potato or a little flour, but the texture won’t be the same.
5. What do I do if the meatball mixture is too soft?
If you see that you can’t shape the meatballs well, add a bit of breadcrumbs or a tablespoon of flour. If it’s too hard, add a tablespoon of cold water or a little oil.
Nutritional values
Estimate for one serving (out of 4):
Calories: approx. 410
Protein: 26 g
Carbohydrates: 32 g
Fats: 19 g
The values are indicative. Frying in oil can add some extra fats, and the exact amount can vary depending on the type of meat and how much oil remains in the meatballs.
Storage and reheating
The meatballs can be stored in the fridge, in a lidded container, for up to 2 days. They can be reheated in the oven or in a pan over low heat, so they don’t dry out too much. The peas hold up well for a day, reheated in a pan or microwave. If you have leftover meatballs, you can eat them cold, straight from the fridge; they are quite good. For longer storage, I do not recommend freezing after frying, as the texture will not be the same.
Ingredients: 400 g frozen peas, 1 onion, 1 Knorr cube, 250 g minced beef, 250 g minced pork, 4 potatoes, 2 eggs, 5 cloves of garlic, dill, salt, pepper, oil
Tags: pea food peas with meat
