Hungarian chicken-paprika meatballs over quinoa elbow pasta

Gluten-Free Friendly, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Mediterranean, Lean & Clean, Family-Friendly, <600 Calories, Protein Plus

2 Servings, 590 Calories/Serving

35–50 Minutes

Sweetly pungent paprika punches up this cozy Hungarian supper. We’ve even got some tips on how to turn these into a crowd-pleasing appetizer.

In your bag

1 bag serves 2 (2 bags serve 4)

Sunbasket is proud to source the organic ingredients indicated below. On the rare occasion we are unable to meet our organic promise, we'll put a note in your bag.

5 ounces quinoa elbow pasta
1 pasture-raised organic egg
6 or 7 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
10 ounces ground chicken
Hungarian meatball spice blend (fennel seeds - sweet paprika - granulated garlic - cumin - coriander)
2 tablespoons almond meal
2½ teaspoons arrowroot powder
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup mirepoix (onions - carrots - celery)
½ teaspoon sweet paprika

Nutrition per serving

Calories 590, Total Fat 22g (28% DV), Sat. Fat 4g (20% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholest. 105mg (35% DV), Sodium 380mg (17% DV), Total Carb. 64g (23% DV), Fiber 8g (29% DV), Total Sugars 2g (Incl. 0g Added Sugars, 0% DV), Protein 33g
Contains: Eggs, Tree Nuts

Sodium does not include pantry salt; for reference, ⅛; teaspoon kosher salt per serving averages 240mg (10% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat. Packed in a facility that handles all major food allergens* and gluten.

*Milk, Eggs, Fish, Crustacean Shellfish, Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Wheat, Soybeans, Sesame.

Instructions

2-serving instructions (4-serving modifications in red)

Wash produce before use

Cook the pasta

Bring a medium sauce pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the elbow pasta and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving ¼ cup [½ cup] pasta cooking water.
While the water heats and the pasta cooks, prepare the rest of the meal.

Prep the meatballs

Working over 1 medium and 1 small bowl, crack the egg and separate the white and yolk, carefully dropping the white into the medium bowl and the yolk into the small bowl; save the yolk for another use. [Separate both eggs; save both yolks for another use.]
Strip the parsley leaves from the stems; coarsely chop the leaves. Set aside half for garnish.
Cut a small corner from the ground chicken packages and drain off any excess liquid. Transfer to a plate; pat dry with a paper towel.

In the medium bowl with the egg white, using a whisk or fork, blend the egg white with the meatball spice blend, almond meal, and half the parsley. Add the chicken, season generously with salt and pepper, and mix until just combined. Using wet hands, form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.

Brown the meatballs

In a medium [large] sauce pot over medium-high heat, warm 2 to 3 teaspoons [1 to 2 TBL] oil until hot but not smoking. Working in batches if needed, add the meatballs and cook, turning once, until lightly browned but not yet cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add more oil between batches if needed. Wipe out the pot.

Cook the sauce; finish the dish

In a medium bowl, using a whisk or fork, mix together the arrowroot powder and vegetable broth to form a slurry.

In the same pot used for the meatballs, warm 1 to 2 teaspoons [2 to 4 tsp] oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the mirepoix and paprika, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir the arrowroot slurry to recombine, then add the slurry, reserved pasta cooking water, and meatballs. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the pasta, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve

Transfer the pasta and meatballs to individual bowls, garnish with the remaining parsley, and serve.

Kids Can!

Strip the parsley leaves.
Whisk the slurry.
Garnish with the parsley.

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