With three kinds of veggies and the texture and flavor that your kids expect, this Healthy Meatball recipe is a perfect family dinner option. And since the baked meatballs taste so good, the kids will be happy to tuck into their plates! (Bonus: They freeze well too.)
Healthy Meatball Recipe
Healthy Meatball RecipeWhile I’m all for continuing to expose our kids to what we want them to eat, there are times when tucking veggies into foods they already love can go a long way towards making us all feel better at mealtime. My whole family loves these easy meatballs, kids and parents both, and I love that we all get an extra serving of vegetables in the process.
How do you make simple meatballs?
This recipe comes together easily in a food processor to ensure that the batter is uniform and comes together without fuss. Yes, you have to wash the food processor, but the evenly chopped meat and veggie mixture is well worth that minimal effort. (And you can always stick it into the dishwasher!)
Are these homemade meatballs healthy?
With three kinds of veggies, lean grass-fed ground beef, and a method that allows you to easily drain off any excess fat, these are a healthy meatball recipe to share with the whole family.
Ingredients in this Healthy Meatball Recipe
Ingredients in this Healthy Meatball RecipeTo make this recipe you’ll need:
- Carrots
- Parsley
- Onion
- Ground beef (I like grass-fed beef for the extra healthy fats)
- Breadcrumbs
- Egg
- Milk
- Grated Parmesan
- Salt (optional)
TIP: This recipe is a version of the one that I grew up eating, only with more veggies in the mix.
How to Make Healthy Baked Meatballs Step-By-Step
How to Make Healthy Baked Meatballs Step-By-StepHere’s a look at the process involved in making these easy meatballs.
- Preheat the oven and gather your ingredients. Grind up the veggies in a food processor.
- Add the remaining ingredients and grind to combine into a smooth mixture.
- Portion into 2-tablespoon size meatballs and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake!
- Drain on a paper towel-lined plate if desired.
- Simmer in marinara sauce if desired.
TIP: To make these gluten-free, simply choose gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Can I make this Ground Beef Meatballs recipe as mini meatballs?
Sure! You can make these with just 1 tablespoon of the mixture and reduce the cooking time to closer to about 18-22 minutes.
TIP: This is a great ground beef recipe for toddlers and kids since it’s very soft and easy to eat, even for babies and younger toddlers.
Can I use ground turkey in this recipe?
If you want to make your toddler turkey meatballs, simply swap in ground turkey for the ground beef in the recipe below. The texture and flavor will be similar, and the meatballs will have a slightly lighter final color. You may need to reduce the cooking time slightly. Aim for an internal temperature of 165 degrees and try not to over cook.
Make-Ahead Meatballs
You can make a batch of these baked meatballs ahead of time, let cool fully, and freeze in a zip top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or simmer in a quart of marinara sauce in a large pot until thawed and warmed through. They’re a great recipe to make a double batch—serve one batch for dinner this week and stash the other into the freezer for a future easy meal!
Baked Meatballs for Baby Led Weaning
Meatballs with hidden vegetables are an excellent food for baby led weaning. You can offer small cubes or mash into marinara or tomato sauce and offer on a preloaded spoon. Your baby will get iron, as well as protein and fiber. And lots of flavor they will love!
TIP: These meatballs have vitamin A and C from the carrots and parsley, as well as fiber and protein.
Tips for Making the Best Healthy Meatball Recipe
- Grind the veggies up before you add the rest of the ingredients to make sure they are all uniform in size. This is key. You’re aiming for the veggies to have a similar consistency as the ground meat.
- Resist the urge to add in more veggies. There is over a cup of veggies in this recipe, which is enough to add extra nutrients, yet you honestly can’t tell. (My husband couldn’t tell either, which was honestly the true test!) If you add more, the texture won’t be as good.
- Serve them with a sauce your family likes, whether that’s marinara, meat sauce, or even ketchup.
- Simmer them in marinara sauce for even more tender and flavorful meatballs, just like grandma would have done! (Or at least, my grandma would have, though you of course don’t have to.)
- Even though there are vegetables tucked into this recipe, I still recommend being honest with your kids about what they’re eating. Let them take a bite, be excited about their dinner, and then share the good news!
- To make these gluten-free, simply use GF breadcrumbs (these are really good) or even cornmeal.
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please comment below!
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With the texture you expect from a traditional meatball, but added nutrition from three types of veggies, your whole family will love these.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup carrots, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves, lightly packed
- 1 small onion, peeled and halved
- 1/2 cup Italian flavored breadcrumbs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Coat with nonstick spray. Place the carrots, parsley, and onion into a food processor. Grind well, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the remaining ingredients and grind to combine into a smooth mixture. Portion into 2-tablespoon size meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with warm marinara sauce and pasta (or ketchup and other simple sides!) as desired.
Notes
To store, let cool fully and store in an airtight container in the fridge or up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Grind the veggies up before you add the rest of the ingredients to make sure they are all uniform in size. This is key. You’re aiming for the veggies to have a similar consistency as the ground meat.
Resist the urge to add in more veggies. There is over a cup of veggies in this recipe, which is enough to add extra nutrients, yet you honestly can’t tell.
Serve them with a sauce your family likes, whether that’s marinara, meat sauce, or even ketchup.
Simmer them in marinara sauce for even more tender and flavorful meatballs.
Even though there are vegetables tucked into this recipe, I still recommend being honest with your kids about what they’re eating. Let them take a bite, be excited about their dinner, and then share the good news!
To make these gluten-free, simply use GF breadcrumbs (these are really good) or even cornmeal.
Serve them diced or mashed to younger toddlers and babies as needed.
Sub in ground turkey if desired.
Love this recipe! I want to make it for my daughter who is allergic to eggs… do you think if I replaced the eggs with “flax eggs” that it would still turn out well? Thank you!
★★★★★
I think I would leave out the eggs and add a little more milk. I don’t think you need the flax eggs!
Hi. We’re dairy free. What alternative can I use instead of parmasen? Or can I just leave the cheese out of the recipe? 🙂
You can leave it out or use a df equivalent. If you leave it out, you may need a little extra salt and the meatballs won’t have the same flavor but they should still work to make them that way!
Do you think I can use part carrot and part zucchini? Or will the zucchini mess with the consistency?
Yes, I think you could do half and half, just squeeze the zucchini dry so the meatballs don’t wind up too moist.
Hi! My baby is allergic to dairy. What kind of alternate milk do you think will taste good as a substitute for milk in the recipe? Thanks!
you could use any plain unsweetened nondairy milk
My oven is broken, can I cook this on the stove instead?
Yes, you can pan saute them in a small amount of olive oil, turning as they brown and cook through, or poach them directly in a pot of simmering marinara sauce.
Could I ask what food processor you use? Thanks!
Just made these in the pressure cooker (5 mins on high) with a cup of veggie sauce. So tender and so delicious! Another hit—baby ate 2! Thank you!
★★★★★
Loved the meatballs. But wondering if it will hold a shape for meat loaf. Add more breadcrumbs? Can if remain free form loaf shape?
★★★★★
I haven’t tried it as a meatloaf but I think it would work well as a free form loaf shape that’s fairly short. Maybe add a bit more breadcrumbs just to be on the safe side!