Description
Delicious and healthy zucchini meatballs made with ground beef, grated zucchini, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. These tender meatballs can be cooked on the stovetop or baked in the oven and are perfect served with marinara sauce, over pasta, or alongside spiralized vegetables for a low-carb meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Mixture
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium zucchini (grated and excess moisture squeezed out)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying) or cooking spray (for oven option)
- Optional: marinara sauce for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, grated zucchini (after squeezing out excess moisture), breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined to avoid tough meatballs.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs, making about 18 to 20 meatballs in total.
- Cook on Stovetop: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Oven-Baking Option: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until browned and fully cooked.
- Serve: Serve the meatballs warm with marinara sauce, over your favorite pasta, or as a low-carb option with spiralized vegetables or a fresh salad.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for a leaner version of these meatballs.
- If the zucchini releases too much moisture, add extra breadcrumbs to help the mixture hold together better.
- Be careful not to overmix the meatball mixture to keep the meatballs tender.
- These meatballs freeze well for meal prep—freeze uncooked meatballs on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop or Baking
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4–5 meatballs
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
