Ginger Pig Pork Meatballs with Creamy Cabbage Sauce

Serves 4
Takes 50 minutes

One of the most popular dishes in our Marylebone deli counter, a recipe created by head cooks Audra & Vida. Guaranteed to warm you all the way to your toes this winter.

Ginger Pig One Pot: First published in 2025 by Mitchell Beazley, an imprint of Octopus Publishing Group Ltd

Photography copyright ©️ Sam A Harris 2025

First, make the meatballs. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together thoroughly; this is easiest to do with your hands. Shape into 12 equal meatballs.

Set a large saucepan (for which you have a lid) over a high heat and add just enough oil to cover the base. Place the meatballs in the pan and briskly brown all over, turning them gently. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Using the same pan, make the sauce. If needed, add a splash more oil to the pan, then set it back over a medium heat. When hot, add the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Sauté gently for 8–10 minutes until golden and soft. Add the cabbage, carrot, bay leaves and beans and pour over enough hot stock to cover the vegetables. Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the meatballs and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Stir in the passata and the cream and bring back to a simmer. Taste, then season with salt and pepper (ideally white pepper). If the sauce looks too thin, whisk the cornflour into a tablespoon of the sauce in a small bowl, then pour it back into the pan, stir well and simmer for a further 2 minutes. Fold the herbs into the sauce just before serving.

olive oil, for frying
½ onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
100g (3½oz) white cabbage, shredded
1 small carrot, grated
2 bay leaves
400g (14oz) tin cannellini beans in water, drained and rinsed
200ml (7fl oz) hot chicken stock
5 tablespoons tomato passata
4 tablespoons double or whipping cream
2 teaspoons cornflour (optional)
3 tablespoons finely chopped dill
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
ground white pepper

For the meatballs

500g (1lb 2oz) pork mince
5 tablespoons breadcrumbs
½ onion, grated
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 small egg
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
freshly ground black pepper