Recipe from Homemade Happiness – NZ’s bestselling cookbook of 2015!
Sneaky rissoles with potato & leek smash
I call these ‘sneaky’ rissoles because although there are veges hidden within them (and served alongside), no one will care or notice because it’s all so very delicious. Even the beetroot haters won’t mind. If you don’t want to bother with the pan jus, just serve with a dollop of relish or tomato sauce. My bestie Andrea became mildly obsessed with these after I made them for her when I was testing the recipe — she said they were the best thing she’d ever tasted. Bless. I’ll think of her every time I make them now. To make these gluten-free, use GF breadcrumbs.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves: 6–8 (makes about 15 rissoles)
Ingredients
Rissoles
500g beef mince
500g pork mince
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large courgette, grated
1 cup grated peeled beetroot
½ cup dried breadcrumbs (or 2 slices wholemeal toast bread processed to a crumb)
1 large free-range egg
½ cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, sage)
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2–3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
olive oil for cooking
Jus
1 ½ cups beef reduced-salt stock
3 tbsp tomato relish
2 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tsp water
Smash
1kg floury potatoes (such as Agria), scrubbed and halved
50g butter
1 leek, finely chopped
1 cup chopped or baby spinach (optional)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives or parsley
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper
squeeze of lemon
Method
Preheat the oven to 200c (190c fan-bake). Line a roasting dish with baking paper.
Add all the rissole ingredients, except the oil, to your largest mixing bowl and with clean hands scrunch up until mixed evenly. Shape into about 12–15 plump rissoles — the size is somewhere between a meatball and a burger patty. Arrange in the roasting dish, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to set (or until needed).
Add the halved potatoes to a saucepan of cold salted water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and keep warm until needed.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan (or barbecue hotplate) over a medium-high heat.
When the pan is hot, brown the rissoles on both sides in 2–3 batches, so you don’t overcrowd the pan, then return to the roasting dish.
Bake the rissoles in the oven for 13–15 minutes (the beetroot will make them look pink even though they’re cooked).
To make the jus, drain the fat from rissole pan and add the beef stock, scraping all the caramelised meat juices off the bottom. Add the relish and cornflour mixture, simmer rapidly and stir until the sauce thickens a little.
While the rissoles are cooking, add the butter and a splash of olive oil to another saucepan over a medium heat. When foamy, add the leek and cook for about 15 minutes until very soft.
Add the leeks to the potatoes and squash with a fork to smash them up a bit. Stir though the spinach if using, herbs and mustard. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Serve the rissoles on the smashed potato and pour over the pan jus.
Wow I have 8 children under 13yrs and the in laws living with us ,so the recipe was doubled ( didn’t need to do that in the end ! ) … this came out looking like a restaurant meal , I love your flavours ! And was really easy to manage midweek … thankyou .
Would these rissoles work if I made them into burger patties? Would they hold together ok? Looking for a nice burger recipe with hidden veg.
Sure! Give it a go x
Made these for the first time tonight and they were a massive hit. All of the 3 kids scoffed them and hubby and I enjoyed them too. I used beef and lamb mince as the super didnt have pork, but am looking forward to trying them with pork next time. Thanks Chelsea!
I can’t wait to give these rissoles a go for dinner. Do they freeze well? And at what stage would you freeze them?
Shape them and freeze them x
I impressed the in-laws with this rissoles recipe and they loved it very much. I have so many compliments that i might be their favorite daughter in-law.lol Thank you Chelsea
Can I please ask, does the leek smash use dijon or wholegrain mustard as the photo looks like whole grain?? Thanks so much
I discovered your recipes 6 days ago & this is the 2nd recipe I have made. The first time I have cooked with beetroot but it won’t be my last. These were amazing (I accidentally put a tablespoon on mustard in the rissole mix as well) on the night & delicious as leftovers. Look forward to making more of your recipes
What is a good gluten free option, as I can’t use bread crumbs.
This was a huge hit with my family tonight. Master 8 and Miss 5 both LOVED it, as did hubby. I swapped out the spinach and leek for kale & spring onions instead due to my need to follow the FODMAP diet (leeks are a no go) which made super delicious spuds. Thanks Chelsea
oh my word… I made these tonight for the fambamily…. hands down, best meatballs/rissoles EVER! Hubby doesn’t like leak; courgette or much onion…. and he loved it!!!! Kids loved it too. Yummy yummy! thanks Chelsea
Hi Chelsea
Can this recepie be made into a meatloaf and if so what would the cooking times be?
Ps I have all your books…amazing!!!
Thanks
Sheryl
I made these for my family while in Canada and my 14month old grandson couldn’t stuff the rissoles into his mouth fast enough. He loved them, as did the rest of the family!
Can you use tinned beetroot & just mush it up?
Yuuuuuum! I adore this dish and its use of so many whole foods! Thanks Chelsea ❤
Could you do it with turkey or chicken mince?
This recipe is one of the best. I make it regularly and everyone loves it! Tasty, adventurous, but not that hard to whip up. Thanks Chelsea!
Recipe looks amazing! If I’m trying to adapt these for the slow cooker, what would you recommend for the sauce?
Was yum, even my 5year old asked for more, even asked to have the missiles in his lunch at school the next day!
Hi there, just wondering if the rissoles could be frozen?
Yes! x
I made this recipe earlier this week. I had to use grated brocolli stalk and instead of courgette, and accidentally overcooked them a bit (due to the crying baby) but they were delicious! I had them for dinner twice and lunch today.
Hi Chelsea, my husband and son are allergic to egg, I always struggle with crumbing meat and making rissoles, what could I use as a substitute for binding?
Delicious, made this tonight. Miss 8 said it was her favourite dinner ever. Yummy!
Hi Chelsea
Is there a substitute for the beets? Thanks
You could just use extra carrot or courgette.
Made the rissoles for the first time tonight. They were a winner for everyone at the table. Really yum!
Thanks Chelsea
Hi all, please remember if you are wanting to make this amazing recipe (which our family loves) gluten free (especially for Celiacs) you will need to ensure that the breadcrumbs are gluten free also or made from gluten free bread.
Hi Chelsea
We don’t like beetroot. Is there a substitute for it? Also can we just use mince pork and not a mix of beef/pork? Thanks!