These flavorful meatless meatballs are made with fresh shredded zucchini, Italian bread crumbs and grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
Several years ago we dined at an area restaurant and tried their meatless meatballs made with eggplant. They were delicious; however, when I tried to recreate them at home they didn't turn out well.
This time I experimented with zucchini meatballs and these little gems were AMAZING!
The best part is that they are super light and airy, meatless and tossed with some of your favorite sauce, make a deliciously quick weeknight meal.
Zucchini will soon be in abundance at your local stores, farmers markets and even your own gardens.
There are so many ways to enjoy zucchini like Rosemary Grilled Zucchini Wedges, Grilled Zucchini Lasagna; and of course, these meatballs.
This recipe makes 12 meatballs and are perfect for those following a vegetarian diet.
We ate our zucchini meatballs in a spicy vodka sauce; then placed them on top of some cooked spaghetti and served it with a side salad. ~Enjoy!
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients Needed
To make these meatballs you're going to need the following ingredients:
Zucchini (aka courgette)
Large Eggs
Italian Flavored Breadcrumbs
Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
Baking Powder
Garlic Powder: You can also use fresh minced garlic.
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Canola Oil: Or other light oil for frying.
Gather and prep all of your ingredients before making these zucchini meatballs!
Prep the Zucchini
Using a vegetable brush, scrub the skin of the zucchini under cold water to remove any excess dirt. Pat dry; then trim the ends.
Next, shred the zucchini using a box grater; then add to a mixing bowl.
Form the meatballs
Divide the mixture into twelve portions using a 2-Tablespoon Cookie Scoop; then roll them in your hands to form solid meatballs.
You can fry them right away or store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 day ahead of time.
Fry the Zucchini Meatballs
When you're ready to fry the meatballs, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meatballs and fry 8-10 minutes, turning to make sure all sides are brown.
Sauce Suggestions
Drain any excess oil; then add your favorite sauce to the pan like marinara, vodka sauce, alfredo or pesto and stir to coat; then serve hot.
Substitions
- If you want these zucchini meatballs to be gluten free, simply substitute gluten free breadcrumbs
- Substitute shredded Eggplant (skin peeled) or Yellow Squash in place of the zucchini
- For a little extra cheesiness, you add in some shredded Mozzarella cheese
VISIT THE RECIPE INDEX TO SEARCH FOR MORE RECIPES BY CATEGORY.
More Meatball Recipes
- Italian Meatballs in a Vodka Sauce
- Homemade Chicken Marsala Meatballs
- Steak Diane Meatballs
- Cheesy Italian Sausage Meatballs
- Asian Style Party Meatballs
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Zucchini Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini (1 cup shredded)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup italian flavored breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated pecorino romano cheese
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 cups sauce (marinara, vodka, alfredo, pesto, etc)
Instructions
- Using a vegetable brush, scrub the skin of the zucchini under cold water to remove any excess dirt. Pat dry; then trim the ends.
- Next, shred the zucchini using a box grater; then add to a mixing bowl.
- Divide the mixture into twelve portions using a 2-Tablespoon Cookie Scoop; then roll them in your hands to form solid meatballs. (You can also use a heaping kitchen soup spoon)
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs and fry 8-10 minutes; turning to make sure all sides are brown.
- Drain any excess oil; then add your favorite sauce to the pan like marinara or vodka sauce and stir to coat; then serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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