Pork, Sage and Apple Meatballs are flavourful, juicy meatballs the whole family will enjoy. Easy to make and packed with goodness, these meatballs are a no-fuss option perfect for lunch or dinner. And versatile too! Serve them with mash and veggies, your favourite salad or turn them into a meatball sub! Whether you’re a parent on the go or just looking for a delicious dinner, these pork meatballs are a winner.
Meatballs for toddlers
Homemade meatballs are the perfect finger-food meal for toddlers. Did you know they can be served to babies from 6 months old if properly prepared? Making your own is a great way to control the size, sodium levels and texture of the meatballs – all important elements when serving to little people.
Meatballs are easy for babies and toddlers to eat, as you can shape or chop them to the appropriate size. They can be a choking hazard [1] for babies and toddlers (if whole meatballs are put into little mouths) and so serving larger meatballs is best. If serving to young children, make at least 2 inch/ 5cm diameter balls to reduce the risk. Using an ice cream or cookie scoop to size them out is really handy! It’s also important that you serve tender meatballs, to further reduce the risk of choking. These pork and apple meatballs tick all the boxes for toddlers!
Ingredients in Pork, Sage and Apple Meatballs
Here’s what you need to make these pork meatballs:
Pork mince/ground pork – I prefer to use lean pork mince, but it is slightly more costly. Choose what’s best for your family.
Apple – Green apple is preferred for this recipe. Granny Smith apples are one of the best cooking apples for their tart flavour.
Onion – I use brown/yellow onion, but you can substitute with white. Grating or finely chopping the onion adds to the moistness of the meatballs. Avoid just roughly chopping it!
Sage – This recipe uses fresh sage. You can substitute with 1 tablespoon of dried herb if needed.
Salt and white pepper – White pepper is milder than black pepper. Leave out the salt if serving to family under 12 months [2] of age.
Bread – One slice of day-old bread with the crusts removed adds lightness to this recipe. White or wholemeal will work best.
Egg – For binding the meatballs.
How to make Pork, Sage and Apple Meatballs
First, grate the apple and onion. Finely chop the sage and bread. Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl, until the mixture comes together. Then, roll into meatballs and bake in the oven until golden brown.
The instructions in the recipe card below are to make these meatballs by hand, but you could also use a food processor to speed up the preparation time. They’re seriously easy either way!
Thermomixer? This is a super fast Thermomix meatball recipe. First, add all meatball ingredients except the pork and egg into your machine. Chop until fine. Then add the pork and egg, and turbo mix until the meatball mixture comes together. Transfer to a bowl, roll into meatballs and bake in the oven until golden brown.
Everyone! Top tip! This meatball mixture is very moist, but if needed roll the meatballs using wet hands. It stops the mixture from just getting stuck all over them.
In terms of cooking, I love the simplicity of baking meatballs, but you can also pan fry rather than oven bake these tender ground pork meatballs. Simply heat a little bit of olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat to medium-high heat and pan fry the meatballs in a single layer until golden brown.
You’ll find the recipe card below, with ingredient amounts and detailed steps for both regular and thermo cooker methods.
Adapting this recipe for babies and toddlers
For baby-friendly Pork, Sage and Apple Meatballs, leave out the salt [2]. Cook until well-done. You can then either chop to a suitable size, or mash or puree for a tasty introduction to solids.
Just remember that some of the ingredients are allergens, so follow paediatric health advice on introducing allergens to baby.
And remember to go large! Make at least 2 inch/ 5cm diameter meatballs to reduce choking risk. When prepared properly, these meatballs are fantastic baby and toddler food, as are Chicken, Lemon and Garlic Meatballs and Lamb and Mint Meatballs. Give them a go next time!
Serving and storing
Serve these pork and apple meatballs hot as finger food, or with your favourite side salad/vegetable sides for an easy weeknight meal.
Store any cooked leftovers (if you have them – not in our house! 🤣) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freezer for up to 3 months. Then, simply reheat in the oven or have them cold. Easy and delicious! They’re great for lunch boxes!
This is also a great recipe to meal prep for busy weeknights – you can freeze uncooked meatballs for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Looking for more meatball recipes? Try these delicious Chicken, Lemon and Garlic Meatballs. They’re zesty and fresh, and a budget-friendly summer meal.
If you make these Pork, Sage and Apple Meatballs, please leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below. I love hearing how my recipes work for you and your family! Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest too for more family-friendly dinner recipes.
Happy cooking,
Chloe x
Pork, Sage and Apple Meatballs
Category: Family MainsTap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 1/2 brown/yellow onion peeled (Thermomixers: halved)
- 1 apple green variety, cored (Thermomixers: roughly chopped)
- 2 slices bread crusts removed (Thermomixers: quartered) (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup packed fresh sage leaves only (5g)
- 1/2 tsp salt for family over 12 months
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 500 g pork mince/ground pork
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray/baking sheet with grease proof paper.
- Grate the onion and apple by hand, or finely chop in a food processor. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Finely chop the sage and bread, and add to the bowl along with salt, pepper, pork and egg. Mix until well combined.
- Form meatballs and place on baking tray. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
- Transfer meatballs onto serving plates. Serve with mashed potato and greens, or your favourite salad items.
Thermomix Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray/baking sheet with grease proof paper.
- Put apple, onion, sage, bread, salt and pepper into the mixing bowl, and chop 5 seconds, speed 7, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl. If large pieces of ingredients remain, chop 2 seconds, speed 7, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl.
- Add pork mince and egg. Using Turbo mode, pulse 2 to 3 times until the mixture combines.
- Transfer to a bowl. Form meatballs and place on baking tray. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
- Transfer meatballs onto serving plates. Serve with mashed potato and greens, or your favourite salad items.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
[1] Mutton for Babies, 2023, Solid Starts Inc.
[2] Infant Feeding Guidelines: Summary, 2013, National Health and Medical Research Council.
One Response
Another winner. I made these the old fashioned way. Juicy and full of flavour!