Meatball and Basil Dumpling Casserole

Meatball and Basil Dumpling Casserole

  • DifficultyCapable cooks
  • Prep0:20
  • Cook0:40
  • Serves 6
Satin
by Satin Last updated on 04/28/2025

Ideal for cold winter's nights, served with pasta or potato.

- Satin
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Ingredients

  • 4 carrots chopped large
  • 500 g beef mince
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • 2 onions chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 750 ml tomato pasta sauce
  • 2 tsp beef stock (powder)
  • 1 tsp Hungarian paprika
  • 200 g canned baked beans
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen sliced beans
  • 3/4 cup frozen corn

Dumplings

  • 2 tbs butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tsp dried basil leaves

Method

  • Step 1
    Put carrots in saucepan with some water, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to steam, cook until almost tender.
  • Step 2
    While carrot is cooking, combine mince, egg and breadcrumbs in a bowl until thoroughly mixed. Using wet hands, shape into small balls approximately 3 cm in diameter.
  • Step 3
    Once all shaped, brown on all sides in a large saucepan.
  • Step 4
    Dumplings: Rub butter into flour until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre.
  • Step 5
    Combine egg, milk and basil together, then add to flour mixture. Mix together to form a soft dough.
  • Step 6
    Add the carrots and cooking water, onion, garlic, pasta sauce, beef stock powder, paprika to the meatballs, and stir well.
  • Step 7
    Add peas, beans, and corn. Return to boil, reduce heat to low and stir.
  • Step 8
    Spoon heaped teaspoonfuls of dumpling dough on to the top of the simmering casserole. Avoid letting the dough touch the sides of the pot, or other dumplings.
  • Step 9
    Cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until the dumplings are cooked through.
  • Step 10
    Serve with pasta or well cooked potatoes.
Recipe Notes

Add enough water so there is a thick sauce.

Add the dough around the edge of the pot first, then work your way in towards the centre.

By the time you have got around the pot, sauce will have come up the sides of the dumplings, so if they touch each other during cooking, they won’t stick to each other much.

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