The bean and carrot meatballs are a tasty and flavorful main course: a perfect recipe to cook legumes in an alternative way. The fragrant and appetizing sauce is ideal for dipping your bread! I know many say you shouldn’t do the “scarpetta” (dipping bread in the sauce). But with these meatballs you just can’t resist plunging the bread into that aromatic sweet-and-sour sauce. So if you don’t know what to cook tonight or how to present legumes at the table, here is the recipe for you: the bean and carrot meatballs!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 7 oz Spanish white beans (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 3/4 cup carrots (steamed, sautéed or microwaved)
- 3/4 cup small rolled oats
- 3 tbsp breadcrumbs (about 0.7 oz)
- to taste salt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp potato starch (about 0.5 oz)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup water
Tools
- 1 Food chopper
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Pan
- 1 Steamer for microwave
Steps
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, mixing them with a whisk until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous mixture without lumps. Set it aside.
Peel the carrots, trim the ends, slice them and transfer them to a microwave-safe container. Cover with water and cook at 900 W for 6 minutes, stirring halfway through. Then drain and let cool. If you don’t have a microwave you can simply cook them in a pan with a tablespoon of oil and a little water until soft. Transfer all the ingredients to the chopper and blend until you obtain a nice, non-sticky mixture (if needed, if the dough is hard to blend add a drizzle of oil or some water). Once the mixture is ready form small balls and let them rest in the refrigerator for about half an hour. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan and brown the meatballs for a few minutes until nicely golden. Pour the sauce into the pan, moving it slightly until it thickens: be careful because it takes just a moment. If you get distracted it will become too thick. Serve the meatballs immediately.
