Best 6 Summer Zucchini Meatballs Recipes

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Calling all zucchini lovers! Get ready to embark on a culinary journey with our tantalizing Summer Zucchini Meatballs. These delightful morsels are a symphony of flavors and textures, combining succulent zucchini, aromatic herbs, and savory ground beef. Each bite offers a burst of freshness from the zucchini, complemented by the heartiness of the beef and the vibrant notes of herbs and spices.

In this article, you'll find three variations of these zucchini meatballs, each with its own unique twist. The classic Zucchini Meatballs offer a straightforward yet satisfying experience, while the Baked Zucchini Meatballs provide a healthier alternative with a crispy exterior and tender interior. And for those seeking a vegetarian option, the Zucchini and Chickpea Meatballs deliver a delicious and protein-packed treat.

No matter your dietary preferences or cooking skills, these Summer Zucchini Meatballs are sure to impress. They're perfect as an appetizer, main course, or even a quick and easy snack. So gather your ingredients, preheat your oven or skillet, and let's dive into the world of zucchini meatballs!

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

ZUCCHINI MEATBALLS RECIPE BY TASTY



Zucchini Meatballs Recipe by Tasty image

Here's what you need: zucchinis, salt, large egg, ricotta cheese, bread crumbs, italian seasoning, fresh basil, fresh parsley, pepper, olive oil, medium onion, garlic, cooked pasta, marinara sauce

Provided by Pierce Abernathy

Categories     Dinner

Yield 5 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

4 zucchinis
1 tablespoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups cooked pasta
marinara sauce

Steps:

  • Cut off the bottoms of each zucchini and use a cheese grater or box grater to shred into a large bowl. Sprinkle salt on top, toss, and let rest in a colander in the sink for 20 minutes to pull out excess moisture.
  • Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
  • Using a dish towel, squeeze out excess liquid from the shredded zucchini. Move the zucchini to a dry bowl and add the egg, ricotta bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, basil, parsley, pepper, olive oil, onion, and garlic. Stir until evenly mixed, then form the mixture into golf ball-sized balls.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until browned, flipping halfway through.
  • Serve over pasta with marinara sauce.
  • Enoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 832 calories, Carbohydrate 138 grams, Fat 16 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 31 grams, Sugar 11 grams

ZUCCHINI MEATBALLS



Zucchini Meatballs image

Provided by Food Network

Time 50m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 large zucchini, chopped
1 cup/250 ml smoked scamorza, cubed, or as much as you need
1 cup/250 ml Pecorino cheese, cubed
Small bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
2 eggs
1 cup/250 ml bread crumbs, plus extra for coating
1 1/2 cups/375 ml extra-virgin olive oil, for frying
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 fresh basil leaves, torn
Salt
1/4 cup/50 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Steps:

  • For the meatballs: Add the chopped zucchini to salted boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain the excess water from the zucchini. Transfer the zucchini to a baking dish and allow to cool. Squeeze out the excess water from the boiled zucchini.
  • In a mixing bowl, add the zucchini, scamorza cheese, Pecorino cheese, fresh mint leaves, eggs, and bread crumbs. Mix well until the ingredients are evenly distributed. With your hands, shape the meatballs into the size of golf balls. Coat the meatballs in the bread crumbs.
  • Heat olive oil in a deep frying pan. Gently place the meatballs into the hot oil and let fry until golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with an absorbent paper towel to drain the excess oil. Serve with the tomato salad.
  • To make the tomato salad: Add the cherry tomatoes, basil, and salt to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and mix together.

ZUCCHINI MEATBALLS



Zucchini Meatballs image

Summer is upon us. (Maybe, I did see a ton of sweater and coat comments in my FB feed last night from my friends.) One of the things that I love about summer is the fresh produce, farmer's market and being able to get great prices of fruits and veggies throughout the summer. One veggie in particular is usually easy to find a super low prices...zucchini. Zucchini is super easy to grow, and is often in abundance, hence the low prices. I once visited a farmer's market in NYC, 2 years ago I think, and the stack of zucchini was priced at $0.99/lb. That's CHEAP for NYC prices, and it wouldn't be unusual to find it as low as $0.49/lb. in other parts of the country. If I had to "pick a price", I wouldn't pay more than $0.79/lb. for zucchini in the summer...and stock up when you see it any lower than that. Zucchini is an easy veggie to stock up on because you can shred it and freeze it. It's perfect for baking bread, and also for using in these meatballs! (Especially if you have to sneak in the veggies to your kiddos' diets!)

Provided by ElizabethKnicely

Categories     Meatballs

Time 40m

Yield 16 large meatballs, 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 medium zucchini, shredded (about 1 1/4 cup)
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (homemade or store bought)
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce, to top meatballs
pasta
spaghetti sauce

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, zucchini shreds, egg, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Form into large meatballs, mine were about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter and I made 16 meatballs. Place into a glass baking dish (I used a smaller 7x11-inch glass dish, what you see above. Then top each meatball with a little pasta sauce.
  • Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through. Cooking time will vary depending on size and thickness of the meatballs.
  • Cook the pasta as directed.
  • Serve Zucchini Meatballs over pasta and sauce with a side of veggies. We had green beans!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 460.6, Fat 28, SaturatedFat 10.7, Cholesterol 162.5, Sodium 879.8, Carbohydrate 13.9, Fiber 1.7, Sugar 3.5, Protein 35.9

SUMMER ZUCCHINI MEATBALLS



Summer Zucchini Meatballs image

I am always looking for a way to use up my zucchinis! This made a yummy and moist meatball. I use grass fed beef which can sometimes be dry This recipe produced 10 meatballs all just slightly larger then a golf ball. 5 meatballs per serving. Cal 236 Total fat 12.5 grams Sat Fat 4 Carbs 16 grams Protein 17 Fiber 2 grams

Provided by Wicked Step Foodie

Categories     Meatballs

Time 35m

Yield 8-10 meatballs, 2 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

1/4 lb ground beef (i use grass-fed beef)
8 saltine crackers, crushed
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 medium zucchini, grated
3 basil leaves, large leaves (about a TBLS chopped fresh, less if dried)
garlic salt

Steps:

  • In a bowl mix with your hands the first 5 ingredients. Set aside.
  • Meanwhile shred the zucchini and sprinkle with garlic salt. Put shredded zucchini in a colander and put a weight on top to help drain as much liquid as possible in 15 minutes.
  • Chop the basil.
  • Add the basil and the drained zucchini to the meat mixture and mix well using your hands.
  • Roll into balls and put on a sprayed baking sheet and into a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. iIf using a high fat meat bake for 20 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

CHICKEN-ZUCCHINI MEATBALLS WITH FETA



Chicken-Zucchini Meatballs With Feta image

These meatballs harbor a secret: They're half vegetable, half chicken. More than just a surprise, the grated zucchini provides moisture that ground chicken can lack. Roast more zucchini next to the meatballs on the sheet pan, then top everything with feta tossed with lemon juice. For an easy starch, add chickpeas to the feta, or toast bread or pita on the free rack in the oven.

Provided by Ali Slagle

Categories     dinner, weekday, poultry, main course

Time 45m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 large zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 large shallot, halved
1/2 cup panko
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, basil, parsley or dill, plus more for serving
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing and drizzling
3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
4 ounces feta

Steps:

  • Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut 2 of the zucchini into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer to a plate, season with salt, and set aside.
  • Working over a large bowl, using the large holes of a box grater, grate the remaining zucchini. Grate 1 shallot half into the bowl as well. Add the panko, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and use your hands to toss until combined. Add the chicken and herbs and toss gently until combined.
  • Lightly grease a baking sheet. With wet hands, form the chicken mixture into 16 meatballs (around 2 to 3 tablespoons each) and place them on one side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, pat the sliced zucchini dry, then lightly coat with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with pepper.
  • Coarsely chop the remaining shallot half and transfer to a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, season with salt, and stir to combine.
  • Add the sliced zucchini to the other half of the baking sheet, moving the meatballs over, if necessary. Bake until the meatballs are cooked through and the zucchini is golden on the underside, another 15 to 20 minutes. For more browned meatballs, broil for a few minutes, if desired.
  • Meanwhile, crumble the feta into the shallot mixture. Add the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes. Stir, breaking up the feta a bit, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Eat the meatballs and zucchini with a drizzle of the feta sauce and more fresh herbs.

SUMMER MEATBALLS & SPAGHETTI



Summer meatballs & spaghetti image

Make a quick and easy meal for two with these pork meatballs, served with spaghetti, courgette ribbons, lemon and parmesan - perfect for summer evenings

Provided by Elena Silcock

Categories     Dinner, Main course, Supper

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion , finely chopped
2 garlic cloves , crushed
1 tsp fennel seeds
250g pork mince
large handful parsley , leaves chopped, stalks finely chopped
1 large courgette , peeled into ribbons all around the edge, centre grated or finely chopped
200g spaghetti
½ a lemon , zested and juiced
grated parmesan , to serve

Steps:

  • Heat ½ tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and soften for 5 mins, then add the garlic and fennel and cook for 2 mins longer. Tip into a bowl. Add the pork mince, parsley stalks and grated courgette to the bowl, season well, mix, and shape into 10 meatballs. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan, add the meatballs and fry for 5-8 mins, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Set the pan aside.
  • Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti for 1 min less than pack instructions. Using tongs, transfer the pasta to the pan of meatballs, sloshing in some of the cooking water as you go. Add the courgette ribbons to the pan and put it back over the heat. Toss the pasta and meatballs with the courgette ribbons in the pan with a ladleful of pasta water and add the lemon juice. Season well, tip into bowls and scatter over the chopped parsley leaves, lemon zest and a generous grating of parmesan.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 726 calories, Fat 25 grams fat, SaturatedFat 6 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 82 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 8 grams sugar, Fiber 7 grams fiber, Protein 39 grams protein, Sodium 0.2 milligram of sodium

Tips:

  • For the best flavor, use fresh zucchini. If you don't have fresh zucchini on hand, you can use frozen zucchini, but be sure to thaw it completely before using.
  • Grate the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater. This will help to release the moisture from the zucchini and make the meatballs more tender.
  • Be sure to squeeze out as much excess moisture from the zucchini as possible before adding it to the meatball mixture. This will help to prevent the meatballs from becoming too mushy.
  • Use a combination of ground beef and ground pork for the meatballs. This will give the meatballs a more flavorful and juicy texture.
  • Add some grated Parmesan cheese to the meatball mixture for extra flavor and richness.
  • Be sure to season the meatball mixture well with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. This will help to enhance the flavor of the meatballs.
  • Form the meatballs into 1-inch balls and place them on a baking sheet. Bake the meatballs in a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, or until they are cooked through.
  • Serve the meatballs with your favorite dipping sauce, such as marinara sauce or tzatziki sauce.

Conclusion:

These summer zucchini meatballs are a delicious and easy way to use up fresh zucchini. They are perfect for a summer cookout or party. The meatballs are tender and juicy, and they are packed with flavor. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!

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