Name: Meatballs with Spiced Edamame Beans
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 12 pcs pre-cooked pork meatball; 400 g frozen edamame beans (soy beans); 2 pcs spring onion, finely sliced; 150 g green beans, cut into piece; 1 tsp dried oregano; 0.5 tsp chili flakes or chili powder; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil

UntrainedChef

Tips from the kitchen

Pull the edamame out of the freezer first thing and let it sit while the oven heats. Half-thawed is what you want, fully frozen will steam in the pan instead of taking on any colour.
Get the pan properly hot before the oil goes in. The beans need that heat to char a little, and a lukewarm pan just leaves them soft and pale.
Add the spice mix toward the end of the frying, not the start. Cumin and chili scorch fast and turn bitter if they sit on hot metal too long.
Check a meatball at the 15 minute mark by cutting one open. They're pre-cooked, so you're heating through to the centre, not cooking from raw.
Slice the spring onion thin so it softens in the few minutes the beans get. Big chunks stay sharp and raw.

Ways to vary it

A squeeze of lime over the beans at the end gives them a bit of brightness if you like that. Optional, but it works with the cumin.
Swap the pork meatballs for chicken or beef ones if that's what's in the freezer. Same oven time, just check the centre.
Toss in a handful of cherry tomatoes with the beans for the last minute or two if you want something juicy in there.

Storage & leftovers

Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. The beans go a touch softer on day two but still taste fine. Reheat in a hot pan for a couple of minutes rather than the microwave, which leaves the beans rubbery.

What to serve with it

A bowl of rice or some flatbread on the side rounds it out. A dollop of plain yogurt with the chili is nice if anyone wants to cool it down.

By Untrained ChefPublished 8 May 2026 · Updated 11 July 2026

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