Baked Meatballs with Sneaky Veggies

These healthy baked meatballs are full of flavor, moist, and packed with nutrition thanks to the sneaky carrot, zucchini, parsley, and chives. Even the pickiest of eaters will love them! Serve with our Pesto Sauce or Marinara Sauce alongside your favorite pasta.

What Makes These Meatballs Healthy?

These delicious meatballs are healthier than most for a few reasons:

1. Sneaky Veggies and Whole Grains: This recipe includes virtually tasteless zucchini, carrots, parsley, and chives, plus whole wheat bread crumbs. I developed this recipe over a decade ago when my kids were super picky eaters. Although I always offered veggies at each meal, they just weren’t getting the recommended 5+ servings (that’s hard for most of us!). So, I began finding ways to incorporate vegetables into all their favorite meals. These meatballs were and continue to be one of our favorite healthy recipes!
2. Healthier Cooking Method: Rather than pan-frying these meatballs, I will instruct you to place them on a baking rack over a rimmed sheet pan. While they bake in the oven, the fat will drip below. They turn out crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.
3. Healthier Meat: I suggest using lean grass-fed, grass-finished beef like from ButcherBox. Or you can use ground turkey instead.

For even more nutrition, serve these meatballs with Homemade Marinara Sauce or Pesto Sauce (say hello to even more sneaky vegetables) over whole-grain spaghetti for added fiber, protein, and nutrients.

I’d suggest doubling your ingredients for this recipe, so you can make an extra batch for the freezer. These are so delicious and freezer-friendly!

• Whole wheat bread crumbs – You can use store-bought dry breadcrumbs or make your own. Using whole-grain bread for your bread crumbs adds extra fiber and nutrients. If you are gluten-free, try subbing almond meal or homemade gluten-free bread crumbs.
• Grated Parmesan cheese – This adds saltiness, and savoriness, and acts as a binder in addition to the bread crumbs.
• Fresh parsley and chives – These finely chopped herbs add fabulous fresh flavor and a little pop of color. Don’t forget these also add extra nutrition, too.
• Finely shredded carrot and zucchini – Use a box grater (the finest grate side) or your food processor to shred or grate these virtually tasteless veggies. If you have picky eaters, I’d suggest making sure they are very finely shredded. Squeeze out most of the moisture before adding to the meat mixture.
• Egg – Be sure to beat this large egg before adding to the meat mixture. It also helps bind the mixture.
• Ketchup – This is a quick way to add extra flavor and moisture. Preferably buy organic or be sure to check the label for all ingredients you recognize (avoid the ones with high fructose corn syrup!).
• Lean ground beef – I use grass-feed, grass-finish ground beef from ButcherBox for these but you could also use ground turkey.
• Garlic powder – I found this works better than fresh garlic, so you don’t bite into a chunk of garlic in the meatballs.
• Salt and pepper – Key to adding the right balance of flavors.

How to Make Healthy Meatballs

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil for easy clean-up. Optional: Place a cooking rack on top of the sheet pan to let the fat drip below.

In a large bowl, use a fork to stir together the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, parsley, chives, carrot, zucchini, beaten egg, and ketchup.

Add in the ground beef by pinches (to break it up a bit) and then sprinkle the salt, pepper, and garlic powder evenly over the top of the beef. Use your hands to combine the mixture but do not over mix.

Using a heaping tablespoon of mixture per meatball, roll into 1 1/2 inch meatballs.

Place them on the sheet pan (or on top of a cooking rack), leaving a little room between each one. I prefer to place them on a rack so the fat drips below and stays behind.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through. (If your meatballs are on a rack, they may take a few extra minutes.) Cut one open and make sure there is no pink in the middle to assure doneness. Internal temp should be 160°F.

Serve with Pesto Sauce for dipping, with Marinara Sauce over pasta, or on Meatball Subs.