As one of the most popular dishes to make around the world, every culture has their unique version of meatballs. This Italian version pairs browned beef meatballs with a luxuriously tangy tomato sauce called Napoletana. Served on a bed of steaming basmati rice.
Serving guide
Choose your portion size.
NICE RICE
Place the rinsed rice in a pot with 200ml of salted water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water has been absorbed, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to steam, 8-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cover.
FLAVOURBOMBS
In a bowl, combine the mince, ¼ of the diced Onion, and ½ the NOMU rub. Wet your hands slightly and shape the mince mixture into 4-5 meatballs. Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. When hot, fry the meatballs until browned but not cooked through, 2-3 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan.
START THE SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the remaining Onion until golden, 4-5 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the remaining NOMU rub and the Tomato paste, and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
ALL TOGETHER NOW
Add the cooked chopped Tomato, and 100ml of water. Simmer until slightly reduced, 8-10 minutes. Add the charred meatballs, the rinsed Spinach, a sweetener (to taste), and seasoning.
DISH UP & ENJOY
Plate up the rice and top with the napoletana meatballs. Enjoy!
NICE RICE
Place the rinsed rice in a pot with 400ml of salted water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water has been absorbed, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to steam, 8-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cover.
FLAVOURBOMBS
In a bowl, combine the mince, ¼ of the diced Onion, and ½ the NOMU rub. Wet your hands slightly and shape the mince mixture into 4-5 meatballs per portion. Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. When hot, fry the meatballs until browned but not cooked through, 2-3 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan.
START THE SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the remaining Onion until golden, 4-5 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the remaining NOMU rub and the Tomato paste, and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
ALL TOGETHER NOW
Add the cooked chopped Tomato, and 200ml of water. Simmer until slightly reduced, 8-10 minutes. Add the charred meatballs, the rinsed Spinach, a sweetener (to taste), and seasoning.
DISH UP & ENJOY
Plate up the rice and top with the napoletana meatballs. Enjoy!
NICE RICE
Place the rinsed rice in a pot with 600ml of salted water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water has been absorbed, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to steam, 8-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cover.
FLAVOURBOMBS
In a bowl, combine the mince, ¼ of the diced Onion, and ½ the NOMU rub. Wet your hands slightly and shape the mince mixture into 4-5 meatballs per portion. Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. When hot, fry the meatballs until browned but not cooked through, 3-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan.
START THE SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the remaining Onion until golden, 6-7 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the remaining NOMU rub and the Tomato paste, and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
ALL TOGETHER NOW
Add the cooked chopped Tomato, and 300ml of water. Simmer until slightly reduced, 10-12 minutes. Add the charred meatballs, the rinsed Spinach, a sweetener (to taste), and seasoning.
DISH UP & ENJOY
Plate up the rice and top with the napoletana meatballs. Enjoy!
NICE RICE
Place the rinsed rice in a pot with 800ml of salted water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water has been absorbed, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to steam, 8-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cover.
FLAVOURBOMBS
In a bowl, combine the mince, ¼ of the diced Onion, and ½ the NOMU rub. Wet your hands slightly and shape the mince mixture into 4-5 meatballs per portion. Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. When hot, fry the meatballs until browned but not cooked through, 3-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan.
START THE SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the remaining Onion until golden, 6-7 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the remaining NOMU rub and the Tomato paste, and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
ALL TOGETHER NOW
Add the cooked chopped Tomato, and 400ml of water. Simmer until slightly reduced, 10-12 minutes. Add the charred meatballs, the rinsed Spinach, a sweetener (to taste), and seasoning.
DISH UP & ENJOY
Plate up the rice and top with the napoletana meatballs. Enjoy!
Budget
What this meal costs at Woolies.
Estimated Woolies cost
R169.53
for 4 servings · R42.38 per serving
Pro-rated from each product's pack size. Effectively used; not the full pack price.
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Cooked Chopped Tomato needs 400 gBulk Salad Tomatoes 1.5 kg 1.5 kg at R45.00 · 27% of packR12.00
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Tomato Paste needs 60 mlChilli Tomato Paste 70 g R17.99 · whole pack (size can't be divided)R17.99
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Onions needs 2Cheese and Onion Rings and Balls Maize Snack 25 g R6.99 · whole pack (size can't be divided)R6.99
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White Basmati Rice needs 300 mlFully Cooked White Basmati Rice 250 g R37.99 · whole pack (size can't be divided)R37.99
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Spinach needs 80 gWhole Spinach 350 g 350 g at R19.99 · 23% of packR4.57
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Beef Mince needs 600 gHalaal Regular Beef Mince 1 kg 1 kg at R149.99 · 60% of packR89.99
Not in the Woolies basket — source these elsewhere:
- NOMU Italian Rub
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the preparation time for Napoletana Beef Meatballs?
The preparation time for Napoletana Beef Meatballs with fresh spinach is between 25 and 40 minutes.
What is the total time required to make Napoletana Beef Meatballs with fresh spinach?
The total time required to make Napoletana Beef Meatballs with fresh spinach is between 40 and 55 minutes.
How many servings does Napoletana Beef Meatballs provide?
4 servings
What are the main ingredients in Napoletana Beef Meatballs?
Beef, Beef Mince, NOMU Italian Rub, Onion, Spinach, Tomato, Tomato Paste, White Basmati Rice
What is the nutritional information of Napoletana Beef Meatballs?
Calories: 739, Carbs: 80 grams, Fat: grams, Protein: 36.4 grams, Sugar: 13.5 grams, Salt: 254 grams
How do I prepare Napoletana Beef Meatballs?
START THE SAUCE: Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the remaining onion until golden, 4-5 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the remaining NOMU rub and the tomato paste, and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. DISH UP & ENJOY: Plate up the rice and top with the napoletana meatballs. Enjoy! NICE RICE: Place the rinsed rice in a pot with 400ml of salted water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water has been absorbed, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to steam, 8-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cover. ALL TOGETHER NOW: Add the cooked chopped tomato, and 200ml of water. Simmer until slightly reduced, 8-10 minutes. Add the charred meatballs, the rinsed spinach, a sweetener (to taste), and seasoning. FLAVOURBOMBS: In a bowl, combine the mince, ¼ of the diced onion, and ½ the NOMU rub. Wet your hands slightly and shape the mince mixture into 4-5 meatballs per portion. Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. When hot, fry the meatballs until browned but not cooked through, 2-3 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan.
What should be prepared from my kitchen to make Napoletana Beef Meatballs?
Beef, Beef Mince, NOMU Italian Rub, Onion, Spinach, Tomato, Tomato Paste, White Basmati Rice
How many calories does Napoletana Beef Meatballs have?
739 calories
How much fat content does Napoletana Beef Meatballs have?
grams