You don’t need meat to make meatballs! These vegetarian Zucchini Meatballs make a delicious meatless meal paired with pasta and your favorite sauce.
Add some zucchini meatballs to your Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe. Or serve them with your favorite Olive Garden salad and garlic bread!
Vegetarian Meatballs
The search for the perfect meatless Monday dinner is over with these Zucchini Meatballs! So here’s what you want to ask me: DO THEY TASTE LIKE MEAT?
No. They don’t. I’ll be honest. But they taste AMAZING. Just as hearty and satisfying as biting into a meaty meatball but with a lighter twist.
In fact, I prefer meatless options that don’t try to imitate the taste of meat. It’s entirely it’s own thing! Pile your Zucchini Meatballs onto a sub or a bowl of pasta and you have a healthier alternative to meat that’s truly delicious.
The texture of these meatballs is wonderful. The breadcrumbs help hold them together, and baking them browns them up slightly. Zucchini meatballs are an easy vegetarian dinner idea that everyone at the table will enjoy.
Ingredient Notes
- Zucchini – Use our guide on how to shred zucchini for best results. We leave the skin on for this recipe, but if you prefer you can peel them first.
- Breadcrumbs – White or whole wheat breadcrumbs (not Panko) work best. For a low carb alternative, substitute ground chickpeas or pork rinds!
- Parmesan cheese
Easy Instructions
Cook Zucchini. The perfect meatless meatballs start like so many good things: sauteeing garlic in olive oil! Add the zucchini to create a tender texture and infuse it with that irresistible garlic flavor.
Most of the moisture will cook out of the zucchini as you saute it but you’ll still need to squeeze the extra water out using a colander or clean towel.
Make “meatball.” Combine the zucchini with the other ingredients for the meatballs, then roll the mixture into balls.
Bake. Place the meatballs on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes or until firm and lightly browned.
Serve over pasta or Zoodles with a flavorful spaghetti sauce or on a toasted hoagie. Don’t forget the extra cheese on top!
Tips and Tricks
- Do not skip the draining of the zucchini process. Unless, of course, you want soggy meatballs that fall apart!
- For an even browner meatball, you can flip them over after the 20 minutes, and brown them on the other side for an additional ten minutes. The extra baking time will also dry them out even more, giving them a chewier texture. I enjoy them both ways!
- I use a 2 Tablespoon scoop to make my perfect meatballs. Scoop the “meat” then use your hands to press and roll them into a ball. Place them on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Once these are cooked, add your sauce and enjoy warm. OR, let them cool, place them in a freezer safe ziploc bag and freeze until ready to use! Each batch makes about 20 meatballs.
Recipe FAQs
I don’t recommend it as the flavor won’t be nearly as vibrant. The fresh basil adds an amazing dimension to these meatballs.
Yes, swap out the breadcrumbs for a gluten free variety or ground up pork rinds for an easy gluten free option!
No. The cheese and egg in the meatballs make these unsuitable for vegan diets, but they are 100% vegetarian.
More Vegetarian Dishes
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Zucchini Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves pressed
- 4 cups shredded zucchini
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- several cranks of black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with non stick foil. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, drizzle olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Add in shredded zucchini.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, until most of the water in the skillet has evaporated. Transfer to a colander and press out remaining liquid.
- In a large bowl combine bread crumbs, egg, seasoning, basil, and parmesan cheese. Mix with the zucchini until fully blended.
- Using a 2 Tbsp scoop, form 20 balls, rolling tightly, and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until firm and lightly browned.
- Serve meatballs with your favorite sauce on pasta, zoodles, or a hoagie with cheese! ENJOY!
Notes
- Do not skip the draining of the zucchini process. Unless, of course, you want soggy meatballs that fall apart!
- For an even browner meatball, you can flip them over after the 20 minutes, and brown them on the other side for an additional ten minutes. The extra baking time will also dry them out even more, giving them a chewier texture. I enjoy them both ways!
- I use a 2 Tablespoon scoop to make my perfect meatballs. Scoop the "meat" then use your hands to press and roll them into a ball. Place them on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Once these are cooked, add your sauce and enjoy warm. OR, let them cool, place them in a freezer safe ziploc bag and freeze until ready to use! Each batch makes about 20 meatballs.
Nutrition
Meatless Monday might just become your favorite day of the week when Zucchini Meatballs are on the menu! Whether you eat them with pasta, in a sub sandwich or on their own, these meatballs are heaven for vegetarians and meat eaters alike.
Our son is lactose intolerant. Can I omit the cheese or maybe sub for something else?
Why not panko?
Fantastic!! I saved this recipe to make again! My husband was shocked when I told him they were vegetarian. He loved them! I shred zucchini ahead of time and let it set in the refrigerator. Most of the water is released into the bowl. I sqeezed and measured 3 cups before adding to the skillet. It was practically dry then. Didn’t need to squeeze again after cooking. Followed recipe exactly after that. Texture was spot on! I got 15 meatballs. I served them in my home canned pizza sauce topped with a sprinkle of mozzarella.
These exceeded my expectations! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed them!
Could you make these and then freeze them?
Absolutely!
These were easy, straightforward, and so so good! Everyone enjoyed them, including my meat loving boys.
These are delicious- I can’t get over how easy they are to make! Definitely adding them into the rotation as I’m trying to eat more vegetarian meals.
Hi! I haven’t made these just yet but I’m positive they will be delicious. Could these be made and frozen for freezer meal prep? Any suggestions for how to store them or any additional tips for this method? Thanks! -Mary
These were so delicious it’s ridiculous! I can’t stop eating them! However, I changed it up a bit by using a flax egg and Panko breadcrumbs… thank you for this great recipe!
Have you (or anyone) baked these in an air fryer? Trying not to use the oven as it’s still warm where I live, so I think an air fryer may be the second best option for me. I’m wondering what temperature I would use & how long to cook them for? Thank you.
These were delicious. I did add shredded onion to the mixture also, because I love Onion and garlic in many things. And I sprinkled the top with a little paprika to give it a little bit of Thank you
So happy to hear it 🙂