Baked Meatballs

We love a good meatball. Always have. But honestly, meatballs get kind of a bad rep these days. People hear “meatball” and immediately think of meatballs fried in oil or something drowning in a gallon of sauce.

But growing up, our mom and we were always making veggie-packed baked meatballs—Not for health reasons, not for any trendy diet, just because that’s how we roll (meatball pun 100% intended).

Now that we’re both on a weight loss journey these meatballs have become our go-to meal. Like multiple times a week. They fit into our macros without any drama, they’re straightforward to make in big batches, and you can pair them with anything—rice, salad, pasta – or eat them straight up on their own (no judgment).

No frying, no heavy sauces—just juicy flavorful, veggie-filled meatballs that somehow feel like comfort food but still help you hit your protein goals without crying over another plain chicken breast.

What stands out

These tender and juicy meatballs are downright addictive! on their own or with our mom’s vibrant Red Cabbage Slaw these nutritious flavor bombs leave you feeling completely satisfied without punishing your waistline. They’re PACKED with veggies, and the ground pork adds just the right amount of juiciness to the lean ground turkey. (You won’t find dry, bland meatballs here!) Grated parmigiana brings all the flavors into balance with its rich umami taste. You can have these meatballs on the plate in 35 minutes AND you can meal prep them ahead of time. In fact, this mixture is even better the next day once the flavors have had time to marry! Go ahead and make a double batch – you won’t regret it!

How to Prepare

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Next, peel and grate the potatoes and carrots.

Add the onion and garlic to a food processor and process until it looks like a paste. Transfer the paste into a bowl and add in the finely chopped bell pepper.

Then, add the ground meat to a mixing bowl.

To the meat, add the potato, carrots, onion, garlic, bell pepper, egg, grated parmigiana cheese salt and dry oregano.

With clean hands, mix well. Once mixed, take an ice cream scooper and form into equal size balls.

Once the meatballs are shaped, add them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 15-18 minutes and then turn the oven on BROIL for a few minutes (top burner only) and keep an eye on them until they are lightly golden on top. Enjoy!

Tips For The Best Baked Meatballs

• Don’t overwork the meat – Mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the meatballs dense and tough instead of tender and juicy.
• Grate your veggies finely – Potato and carrots add moisture and texture. No need to drain the starch from the potato!
• Let it rest (optional) – Cover the meat mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight to let the flavors develop. Totally worth it if you’ve got the time.
• Use an ice cream scoop – This helps make evenly sized meatballs, so they cook at the same rate.
• Use a thermometer – If you want to be precise, the internal temp should hit 160°F (71°C) for ground beef or turkey to ensure they’re fully cooked but not overdone.
• Double the batch – If you’re already making the mess, go big and freeze half. They reheat like a dream and future-you will be grateful.
• Test a mini patty first – Cook a tiny piece of the mixture in a pan to taste for seasoning before committing to the whole batch. Adjust salt/spices if needed!

Kitchen tip

Before forming the meatballs, we like to add a touch of oil or water to our hands so that the meat mixture doesn’t stick to our fingers.

Baked Meatballs Variations and Substitutions

1. If you don’t have ground turkey on hand, ground chicken also works well in this recipe.
2. Instead of dried herbs feel free to use fresh oregano, basil, or parsley.
3. It’s always a great idea to use what veggies you have on hand! Sweet potatoes, zucchini and spinach are good substitutes for potatoes and carrots.

Serve it with

• Our mom lost 13 lbs in a month eating these meatballs with Red Cabbage Slaw!
• These meatballs are the high-protein topping for Spaghetti Squash Pasta.
• Serve them as small bites at your next cocktail party.
• Enjoy them with a side of mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash.

Questions

Can we swap the turkey for a different kind of protein?

Of course! Ground chicken complements the flavor profile of these meatballs perfectly.

Can we prep these meatballs ahead of time? How long will they keep?

Yes! You can place the covered mixture in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before making. The cooked meatballs will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze them raw or cooked.

Can we cook these in the air fryer instead of baking in the oven?

Yes, although the oven method is recommended as the air fryer could make them slightly more dry. To air fry, preheat to 375F and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 165F.

Can we add a different kind of cheese to this recipe?

This recipe calls for grated parmigiana, though any grated hard cheese would work. Feta also works well in this recipe.

Do we need to add BREADCRUMBS to this recipe?

It’s not necessary. The egg and veggies will act as the binder, so breadcrumbs aren’t needed.

How do you make the meatballs all the same size?

Try our strong mark ic mark strong e cream scoop hack! Scoop the mixture and level off the top to get uniform sized meatballs every time!

Ingredients

Makes 18 meatballs

• 454 grams ground turkey
• 454 grams ground pork
• 1 small potato, grated
• 1 onion, grated or food processed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, grated
• ⅓ cup bell peppers, finely diced or food processed
• 1 medium egg
• ⅓ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
• 2 teaspoons salt, to taste
• 2 teaspoons oregano, dry

Equipment

• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Rotary Grater
• Cookie Scoop
• Cordless Food Chopper
• Mixing Bowls
• Redmond Real Salt
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Next, peel the potato and grate it. We like to use a rotary grater for ease and we don't drain the starch from the potato. Now, do the same for the carrots.
3. Add the onion and garlic to the food processor and process until fine. We like to scrape down the sides a few times in between and process until it looks like a paste. Remove the paste into a bowl and add in the bell pepper.
4. Finely chop the bell pepper (or do this step by hand). We like all the veggies grated or chopped into tiny pieces.
5. When the veggies are all prepped, add the ground meat to a bowl. Feel free to use any ground meat of choice as any combination will work for this recipe.
6. To the meat, add the potato, carrots, onion, garlic, bell pepper, egg, grated parmigiana cheese, salt and dry oregano.
7. With clean hands, mix really well. Once mixed, take an ice cream scooper and form into equal size balls. Tip: we like to add a touch of oil or water to our hands so that the meat doesn't stick to our hands.
8. Note: before shaping into meatballs, you can cover the meat mixture with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge so the ingredients can get to know each other. You can let it sit for an hour to overnight before shaping. For this recipe, we make them right away:).
9. Once the meatballs are shaped, add them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
10. We like to bake them at 400F for 15-18 minutes and then turn the oven on BROIL for a few minutes (top burner only) and keep an eye on them until they are lightly golden on top.
11. We enjoy these meatballs with a side of cauliflower mashmashed potatoesred cabbage slaw or our regular healthy coleslaw recipe.

Kitchen notes

• Protein: If you don’t have ground turkey on hand, ground chicken also works well in this recipe.
• Herbs: Instead of dried herbs, feel free to use fresh oregano, basil, or parsley.
• Veggies: It’s always a great idea to use what veggies you have on hand! Sweet potatoes, zucchini and spinach are good substitutes for potatoes and carrots.