Here at The Sylvia Center, we love our veggies. So much so that we like to recreate traditional meat dishes with them. Such is the case for this meatless meatball made from zucchini! This recipe is sourced from SkinnyTaste.com and is the perfect way to add more vegetables to your diet, along with the added potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, fiber, and vitamin C that zucchini is so rich in. Nutritional benefits aside, zucchini is also loaded with water.
The key to this dish is cooking and straining water from the zucchini before forming the meatballs. This recipe is versatile and could easily be made gluten-free with gluten-free breadcrumbs or dairy-free with cheese substitutes. These meatballs can be enjoyed on their own, in a pasta dish with beans for additional protein, or as served above as zucchini meatball parmesan.
Zucchini Meatballs
Sourced from SkinnyTaste.com
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1¼ lbs unpeeled zucchini, grated
½ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp basil, chopped (plus more for garnish)
1 cup Italian seasoning breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
¼ cup Pecorino Romano cheese (plus more for serving)
2 cups marinara sauce
Ricotta or mozzarella cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Coat a baking sheet with extra oil or cooking spray.
2. Place olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add minced garlic and saute until golden, about 30 seconds.
3. Add grated zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and cook on high heat until all the water evaporates from the skillet, 5-7 minutes.
4. Transfer to a colander to get rid of any excess water, then to a large bowl along with breadcrumbs, beaten egg, romano cheese, and chopped basil.
5. Form the zucchini mixture into 16 balls about 1 oz. each, rolling tightly, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Spray the top and bake until firm and browned, about 20-25 minutes.
