Sausage & Fennel Meatballs with Creamy Butter Beans

Name: Sausage & Fennel Meatballs with Creamy Butter Beans
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 400 g pork sausagemeat or sausages, skins removed; 2 cans butter beans, drained; 400 g canned chopped tomatoes; 100 g ricotta; 70 ml double cream; 20 g parmesan, grated; 20 g panko breadcrumbs; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 cloves garlic cloves, finely sliced; 1 tbsp tomato puree; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 handful fresh basil, finely chopped

Juicy pork meatballs infused with aromatic fennel and creamy ricotta, baked over a rich, velvety tomato and butter bean sauce. This easy one-pan meal is the ultimate comfort food for a cozy weeknight dinner.

Servings4 Portions

Prep Time20 Mins

Cook Time30 Mins

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

pork sausagemeat or sausages, skins removed
400 g
butter beans, drained
2 cans
canned chopped tomatoes
400 g
ricotta
100 g
double cream
70 ml
parmesan, grated
20 g
panko breadcrumbs
20 g
olive oil
2 tbsp
garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 cloves
tomato puree
1 tbsp
fennel seeds
1 tsp
fresh basil, finely chopped
1 handful

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas 4). Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then stir in the tomato puree and cook for another minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan. Swill out the tomato can with a splash of water and add that as well, followed by the drained butter beans. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the sausagemeat, fennel seeds, ricotta, grated parmesan, and panko breadcrumbs. Season with black pepper and mix well with your hands, then divide and shape into 12 balls.

Remove the bean sauce from the heat, stir in the double cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the creamy butter bean sauce into a shallow baking dish and arrange the meatballs on top. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes until the meatballs are golden and cooked through.