Moist and tender, these bite-sized meatballs are classic comfort food made healthy. Grated zucchini adds fiber and helps bind without breadcrumbs. Make them as far as four days ahead, as they re-heat well. You can double the recipe freeze the extra for up to three months. For meat choose, ground grass-fed beef, dark ground turkey, bison, or a combination.
1 tablespoon measure or 2050 size disher (see post)
Ingredients
1smallzucchinicoarsely chopped
1poundlean ground beef, 93% turkey or bison
1smallshallotfinely chopped, ⅓ cup
3garlic clovesfinely chopped
3tablespoonsground flaxseed
1largeegg
2teaspoonsdried Italian herb mix
1teaspoonsanise seed or fennel seedoptional
¼teaspoonred pepper or Aleppo pepper flakesoptional
¼teaspoonsea salt
¼ teaspoonground black pepper
1 tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
4-5cupsyour favorite marinarasee quick sauce recipe on this site
Instructions
Place the zucchini chunks in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Spoon zucchini into layers of paper towels and squeeze out the moisture. Put it back in the food processor. Add the meat, shallot, garlic, flaxseed, egg, herbs, salt and pepper. Pulse until the combination is well blended, about 12 times. The meatball mixture will be soft.
Cover a rimmed baking sheet or cookie sheet with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon or a #50 disher (see note below) to portion out the meatball mixture and roll into balls. Meatballs will be about the size of small golf balls. You should get approximately 32 meatballs. Note - the meat is a bit sticky and the meatballs soft because they are grain-free.
Add the oil to a large non-stick sauté or frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs. Cook until the meatballs are browned on one side, 2-3 minutes. Roll them over to the other side to brown.
To Finish on Stove
Pour in the sauce, bring to a simmer, cover and turn heat to low. Cook for 15-18 minutes, until no longer pink in the center.
To Finish in Oven
To finish in the oven, pre-heat oven to 350°F, place the browned meatballs in a casserole in a single layer, top with the sauce, cove wtih foil, and bake for 18-20 minutes.
Serve meatballs hot over pasta, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or cauliflower puree, or cool completely to refrigerate or freeze.
Notes
Meatball Tool TipFor making round meatballs quickly, use an inexpensive tool called an EZ Disher. It looks like an ice cream scooper. The #50 makes 1-ounce meatballs. Find it online at many cooking stores or at a restaurant supply. If you don’t like handling raw meat, use disposable kitchen gloves. They come in handy pop-up boxes and are great for many uses.