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.
Beef Meatball Gnocchi with Rocket Salad & Toasted Pine Nuts
It doesn’t get more crowd-pleasing than this – juicy British beef and basil meatballs, simmered in a garlic and sundried tomato sauce. You'll spoon it over gnocchi and serve with fresh tomato salad. Sprinkle with toasted pine nut, for the perfect bite. Buon appetito!
High protein
6 plants
Low sat fat
Serving size
Ingredients
- 400g passata (tomatoes, salt, citric acid)
- 40g rocket
- 1 handful of fresh basil
- 20g pine nuts
- 600g potato gnocchi (Potato Puree (Water, Potato Flakes and Potato Starch Equal To 98% Of Potatoes), Salt, Rice Flour.)
- 110g baby tomatoes
- 2 tbsp thickened aged balsamic vinegar (Sulphites) (wine vinegar, concentrated grape must (SULPHITES), xanthan gum E441)
- 4 tbsp sundried tomato paste (Tomato Puree, Sundried Tomatoes, Rapeseed Oil, Water, Pine Kernels, Salt)
- 2 pepper
- 1 onion
- 500g beef mince (british beef mince (10% fat))
- 2 tbsp garlic, basil and parsley paste (garlic puree, basil, rapeseed oil, parsley, sea salt, acidity regulator: citric acid)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 646
Protein: 34g
Carbs: 63g
Fat: 29g
Beef Meatball Gnocchi with Rocket Salad & Toasted Pine Nuts
It doesn’t get more crowd-pleasing than this – juicy British beef and basil meatballs, simmered in a garlic and sundried tomato sauce. You'll spoon it over gnocchi and serve with fresh tomato salad. Sprinkle with toasted pine nut, for the perfect bite. Buon appetito!
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Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- Pull out a large saucepan, a large non-stick frying pan, a small frying pan, a large bowl, a medium bowl & a measuring jug
Make the meatballs
- In the large bowl, mix together the beef, garlic herb paste and a pinch of salt and pepper. Shape into 16 meatballs
- Heat the large saucepan pan with 2 tsp oil on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and cook for 5 mins, until golden brown
Simmer the sauce
- Meanwhile, finely dice three-quarters of the onion, then finely slice the remaining. Dice the peppers into 2cm chunks
- Add the pepper and diced onion to the meatball pan and cook for 3 mins, until softening
- Add the passata, sundried tomato paste, half the balsamic vinegar and 100ml water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 mins, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally until the meatballs are cooked and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper
Build the salad
- Halve the tomatoes, then add to the medium bowl, along with the sliced onion, remaining balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper
Cook the gnocchi & toast the pine nuts
- Heat the large non-stick frying pan with 1 tsp oil on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the gnocchi and cook for 4-5 mins, tossing regularly, until golden brown. Season with salt
- Heat the small frying pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the pine nuts and toast for 2-3 mins, tossing regularly until golden brown
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
- Pick the basil leaves from the stalks, roughly chop and stir into the meatball sauce, along with the gnocchi
- Serve the gnocchi meatballs into bowls. Scatter over the toasted pine nuts. Toss the rocket through the salad and serve alongside
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