Smoky Chipotle Ranch Meatballs

This recipe was created by Plate Up.

Meet your new weeknight hero: smoky, saucy meatballs with a little Dr. Will’s Chipotle Ranch Dressing magic available at Tesco. We love using dressings to easily elevate your midweek meals. This year ranch dressing is hotly tipped to be trending, so let’s get ahead of the crowd. Star of this delicious dinner show is Dr. Will’s Chipotle Ranch Dressing, which we’ve layered through the dish to bring a subtle, smoky warmth at every stage. First, we mix a dash into the meatballs so they’re bursting with flavour from the very first bite, with no lengthy marinating required. Then we swirl a little into the fragrant tomato sauce as it simmers with vibrant frozen peppers, letting the smoky, slightly spicy flavour infuse the veg and sauce. Finally, an optional drizzle over the finished dish adds a last hit of tangy, smoky goodness just before serving. Other reasons to love this recipe? There’s no chopping involved – the only prep is shaping the meatballs – and using frozen sliced peppers keeps it quick, easy, and packed with colour and nutrients. It’s naturally gluten free, ideal for batch cooking, and a great option for meal prep. To make it your own, you can swap the rice for wholegrain rice, quinoa, couscous, or pearl barley, making it flexible for different tastes and dietary needs.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2):
250g beef mince
45ml Dr. Will's Chipotle Ranch Dressing
200g chopped tomatoes
150g frozen sliced peppers, sliced
1/2 handful spinach
250g basmati microwave rice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp smoked paprika

METHOD:

1. In a bowl mix together the beef mince, 2 tbsp Dr. Will's Chipotle Ranch Dressing, the dried oregano & a pinch of salt & pepper.
2. Shape into 5 meatballs per serving (~25g per meatball), if you prefer you can make larger meatballs with 3 meatballs per serving.
3. Heat a dash of your preferred oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook until they're browned on all sides (around 5 minutes). Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Heat another dash of oil in the pan you cooked the meatballs in over a medium heat. Stir in the garlic granules, smoked paprika, chopped tomatoes and the rest of the Dr. Will's Chipotle Ranch Dressing.
5. Stir through the frozen sliced peppers and nestle the meatballs back into the pan. Cover and simmer gently for 6-8 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.
6. After this time, add the spinach and cook until wilted. Check the seasoning and adjust to your taste.
7. Just before you're ready to serve, cook the basmati rice according to instructions.
8. Plate up the meatballs with rice, finishing with an extra dizzle of Dr. Will's Chipotle Ranch Dressing. Tuck in and enjoy!