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.
Herby Venison Meatballs, Tomato Sauce & Squash Mash
This Italian-inspired dish – drenched in a classic tomato sauce – is the comfort food you’ve been craving! Herby meatballs, made with British venison mince go perfectly with sweet roasted squash and potato mash. Sprinkled with parsley for fresh flavour.
High protein
1/3 daily fibre
5 of 5 a day
Low sat fat
Serving size
Ingredients
- 200g passata (tomatoes, salt, citric acid)
- 1 tbsp thickened aged balsamic vinegar (Sulphites) (wine vinegar, concentrated grape must (SULPHITES), xanthan gum E441)
- 110g baby tomatoes
- 3 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (Dried Inactive Yeast, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Thiamine, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12.)
- 1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp Italian herbs (Thyme, Marjoram, Parsley, Oregano, Sage, Basil)
- 80g baby spinach
- 280g British venison mince
- 1 large potatoes
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 shallot
Nutritional Information
Calories: 542
Protein: 42g
Carbs: 63g
Fat: 15g
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Italian herbs (use half) (Thyme, Marjoram, Parsley, Oregano, Sage, Basil)
- 1 small butternut squash (use half)
- 1 large potatoes
- 1 shallot (use half)
- 1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley (use half)
- 3 garlic clove
- 80g baby spinach (use half)
- 100g seasonal mixed tomatoes (use half)
- 140g British venison mince
- 1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar (use half) (Sulphites) (Aged Balsamic Vinegar (Cooked Grape Must, Wine Vinegar), Xanthan Gum)
- 400g chopped tomatoes (use half) (Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Citric Acid (E330))
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (use half) (Dried Inactive Yeast, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Thiamine, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12.)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 674
Protein: 45g
Carbs: 87g
Fat: 17g
Herby Venison Meatballs, Tomato Sauce & Squash Mash
This Italian-inspired dish – drenched in a classic tomato sauce – is the comfort food you’ve been craving! Herby meatballs, made with British venison mince go perfectly with sweet roasted squash and potato mash. Sprinkled with parsley for fresh flavour.
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Cooking Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 240C / fan 220C / gas mark 9. Peel the squash and potato and cut them into 2cm cubes. Place onto a lined baking tray, then drizzle with 1/2 tbsp oil and season with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 20-25 mins, until golden and cooked through.
- Make the meatballs; in a large mixing bowl, combine the mince with half the dried Italian herbs. Season with sea salt and black pepper and shape into 8 meatballs. Heat a frying pan with 1/2 tbsp oil on a medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, then fry for 5-6 mins, turning regularly, until golden all over.
- Finely dice the shallot. Finely chop or crush the garlic. Halve the tomatoes. Add the shallot and garlic to the meatball pan. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 3-4 mins, until the shallot begins to soften. Then, add the remaining Italian herbs, nutritional yeast, fresh tomatoes and chopped tomatoes. Simmer for another 10 mins, turning the meatballs regularly, until they're cooked and the sauce has thickened.
- Meanwhile, roughly chop the spinach. Finely chop the parsley. Remove the veg from the oven. Use a masher to smash the potato and squash on the baking tray, then toss with half the chopped parsley.
- Before serving, stir the vinegar into the tomato sauce and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in the spinach to wilt.
- Serve the meatballs in tomato sauce alongside the mash. Garnish with the remaining parsley.
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