I’ve been experimenting with different ways to make meatballs and I think I’ve finally mastered my ideal “healthy” meatball. Meatballs can have all sorts of things in them to make them taste amazing, mainly breadcrumbs and cheese. I wanted my meatballs to taste just as amazing but with slight modifications to make them “healthier”. I replaced traditional bread crumbs with panko crumbs as they are much lighter and I omitted cheese. That being said, if you do want some extra creaminess, parmesan cheese is worth it if you can spare the calories or you’re just looking for
Whether it’s zucchini noodles or regular pasta these meatballs are a great source of protein to add to any dish. I like the zucchini noodles for when I’m feeling like a low-carb meal. Otherwise, large rigatoni noodles are my ultimate fave 😍. It’s all about balance!! Eat what you love.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 1/2 cup panko crumbs
- 4 tbsp almond milk
- 1 egg
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 tbsp fresh parsely
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1/4 tsp pepper
optional for an added punch flavour & dairy:
- 1 tsp of oil from sundried tomato jar
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Combine the panko crumbs and almond milk, set aside for 5-10 minutes until mixture is thickened
- In a small bowl, crack your egg and whisk until well combined
- Finely chop your garlic, onion and fresh parsley
- In a large bowl combine all ingredients, including the panko mixture that has been sitting for 5-10 minutes and your whisked egg
- Mix all the ingredients together, being careful to only mix until combined, do not over-mix
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil
- Spoon meatball mixture from bowl and roll into 1.5 – 2 inch size balls, place evenly on lined baking sheet
- Cook for 12-15 minutes
- Add to your favourite pasta or have as a side dish!
For zucchini noodles:
- Spiralize your zucchini – I just bought this spiralizer and I love it! So quick and easy
- Add your spiralized zucchini to a frying pan over medium heat
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili flakes
- Sautee for only a few minutes – you don’t want your zucchini to be soggy, it should still have some crunch to it
- Transfer to your a bowl/plate, top with your favourite sauce and The Best Meatballs recipe!