Kimchi + gochujang meatballs
Meatballs have long been a favourite of mine, and this recipe throws a new riff on the classic Italian dish. Kick-ass Korean flavours of kimchi and gochujang bring umami and heat to both the meatballs and the rich tomato sauce, ready to slurp up with a bed of thick udon noodles.
Top Tip - you can easily swap the udon noodles for regular spaghetti. The sauce packs a bit of heat, so reduce the quantity of gochujang in the sauce if you like it mellow.
hands-on time
30 minutes
1 hour
total time
serves
4
Ingredients
Kimchi meatballs
500g pork mince
100g kimchi, finely chopped
60g fine breadcrumbs
4 cloves garlic, finely grated
1 tbsp oregano leaves, finely chopped
1 egg
1 tbsp gochujang paste
1 tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
50g plain white flour, for coating
Gochujang tomato sauce
250ml red wine
400g can chopped tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
250ml vegetable stock
1 ½ tbsp gochujang paste
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp oregano leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
sea salt, to taste
To serve
500g cooked udon noodles
extra kimchi
oregano leaves
Method
To prepare the meatballs, use your hands to mix the meatball ingredients (except the olive oil and flour) in a large bowl until well combined. Shape the mixture into golf ball-sized balls (approx. 12-16) and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the flour on a plate and roll each meatball in the flour until lightly coated. Place the meatballs into the frying pan. Cook, carefully turning with tongs occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until evenly browned all over. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
For the sauce, return the frying pan to medium-high heat. Add a splash of wine to deglaze the pan then add the remaining red wine, along with the rest of the sauce ingredients (except the salt and pepper). Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to medium. Add the meatballs and coat with the sauce. Simmer for 25–30 minutes, turning the meatballs occasionally to prevent sticking, until the sauce is nicely thickened and the meatballs are cooked through. Taste and stir in a little sea salt if desired.
To serve, toss half the sauce through the cooked udon noodles then divide among serving bowls. Top with the meatballs and remaining sauce, a handful of extra kimchi and oregano leaves.