Yellow Split Pea Meatballs
Yellow split peas make this tender, flavourful meatball a great addition to pasta dishes, soups, stews, salads, subs or wraps!
Servings 20 meatballs
Calories 276
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry yellow split peas, drained & rinsed
- 1 cup (250 mL) water
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) fine dry bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped cooked spinach
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) drained & chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 2 tsp (10 mL) oil from sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried basil
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 lb (500 g) ground meat (chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, pork)
Instructions
- To cook split peas: in a large saucepan, bring dry peas and water to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and cover then simmer for 30-40 minutes until peas are tender but not mushy, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and boiling over. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a food processor add cooked split peas, bread crumbs, egg, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, oil, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Process until just blended as you want the mixture to be a bit chunky, not a smooth puree. Mixture should pull away slightly from the sides of the processor and will be sticky.
- Remove split pea mixture to a mixing bowl and add ground meat. Combine just until blended; do not over mix or the meatballs will be tough.
- With moist hands, form 2 Tbsp (30 mL) of the mixture into a roughly textured ball and place on prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until bottoms are browned and juices run clear. Do not overcook as they will become dry.
- Serve with spaghetti and pasta sauce or add to subs or wraps for a tasty meal! Will also work as an appetizer with a marinara sauce dip!
Notes
- These freeze well for up to 2 months in an airtight container.
- When cooking pulses such as yellow split peas, increase the amount you need and freeze remaining peas to have ready for other recipes.
Nutrition
Serving Size: 4meatballs with ground chicken or 1/5 recipe | Calories: 276 | Total Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Carbohydrate: 22g | Fibre: 3g | Sugars: 2g | Protein: 22g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 514mg | Iron: 3mg