Good quality fresh chicken stock works best here, for a richer, fuller flavour. You could try browning your meatballs before poaching, for a more golden colour.
This recipe is perfect as a lunch or light dinner option. If you want to make it more hearty then it would be delicious served with a crusty loaf of bread or with some cooked rice added.
Step 1Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook for 10min, stirring occasionally, until softened. Meanwhile, peel off the sausage skins and discard. Roll the meat into grape-sized balls.
Step 2Add courgette, stock and plenty of seasoning to the pan, turn up heat and bring to the boil. Add meatballs and simmer for 12-15min, until meatballs are cooked through.
Step 3When meatballs are cooked, remove lid and stir through beans. Cook for 10min, then stir through spinach to wilt. Check seasoning. Ladle into 4 bowls and sprinkle over the lemon zest. Serve.
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
