The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Bold Bean Co Beef Meatballs with Ve'duja Butter Beans & Pine Nuts
Dig into goodness with Mindful Chef x Bold Bean Co. Here you’ll make your own meatballs, made with tender British beef mince, then simmer in a vibrant and hearty stew, starring creamy passata, creamy Queen Butter Beans, fresh-cut basil, leafy spinach and fiery ‘ndujia. To finish, sprinkle generously with a fragrant pine nut crumb - for the perfect crunch! There is nothing more comforting than beans.
High protein
1/3 daily fibre
4 of 5 a day
Serving size
Ingredients
- 20g pine nuts
- 40g baby spinach
- 570g queen butter beans (use half) (Butter beans in their bean stock (water and salt).)
- 200g passata (tomatoes, salt, citric acid)
- 1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 40g vegan 'nduja (Red peppers (26%), Rapeseed Oil, coconut oil, haricot beans, chilli peppers (14%), paprika, red wine vinegar, sunflower oil, salt, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, acidity regulator: citric acid)
- 280g beef mince (british beef mince (10% fat))
- 3 garlic clove
- 1 onion
- 1 courgette
Nutritional Information
Calories: 641
Protein: 44g
Carbs: 37g
Fat: 33g
Ingredients
- 20g pine nuts (use half)
- 1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley (use half)
- 200g passata (use half) (tomatoes, salt, citric acid)
- 40g baby spinach (use half)
- 1 onion (use half)
- 1 courgette (use half)
- 570g queen butter beans (use a quarter) (Butter beans in their bean stock (water and salt).)
- 3 garlic clove
- 140g beef mince (british beef mince (10% fat))
- 40g vegan 'nduja (use half) (Red peppers (26%), Rapeseed Oil, coconut oil, haricot beans, chilli peppers (14%), paprika, red wine vinegar, sunflower oil, salt, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, acidity regulator: citric acid)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 636
Protein: 43g
Carbs: 39g
Fat: 32g
Bold Bean Co Beef Meatballs with Ve'duja Butter Beans & Pine Nuts
Dig into goodness with Mindful Chef x Bold Bean Co. Here you’ll make your own meatballs, made with tender British beef mince, then simmer in a vibrant and hearty stew, starring creamy passata, creamy Queen Butter Beans, fresh-cut basil, leafy spinach and fiery ‘ndujia. To finish, sprinkle generously with a fragrant pine nut crumb - for the perfect crunch! There is nothing more comforting than beans.
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Goodness from natural food - full of fibre
Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- Pull out a large saucepan, a small frying pan, a medium bowl, a measuring jug & a sieve
Prep & fry
- Dice the courgette into 1cm chunks. Finely dice the onion. Finely chop or crush the garlic. Roughly chop the parsley
- In the medium bowl, combine the beef with half the 'nduja and half the garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper
- Mix and form into 10 even-sized meatballs (5 for 1 person)
- Heat the large saucepan with 1 tsp oil on medium high-heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and cook for 3 mins, turning frequently
- Add the courgette and onion and cook for another 3-4 mins, until browned and softened. Season with salt and pepper
Simmer the meatballs
- Stir the remaining garlic into the pan and cook for another 1 min
- Add the passata, the half jar of butter beans (with their stock), the remaining 'nduja (add less if you prefer less heat), half the parsley and 100ml water (50ml for 1 person)
- Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 mins, until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are cooked through
Toast the pine nuts
- Meanwhile, rinse the spinach. Finely chop the pine nuts
- Heat the small frying pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the pine nuts and toast for 2-3 mins, tossing regularly, until golden. Season with a pinch of salt, then remove from the heat
Finish & plate up
- Check your meat is cooked through; it should be golden brown, steaming hot, the juices should run clear when cut and there should be no pink / rare meat inside
- When ready, stir the spinach into the saucepan until wilted. Season to taste. Add a splash of water if it's a little thick
- Share the meatballs and beans between bowls. Sprinkle with the pine nut crumb and the remaining parsley
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