Meat and Vegetable Meatballs

Meat and vegetable meatballs are a delicious and versatile dish, ideal for many, even as a way to get children to eat vegetables. Here is the recipe with an Italian twist:

Ingredients

• 500 g of ground meat (beef, pork, or a mix of the two)
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 egg
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 50 g of breadcrumbs
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley, to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying or for baking

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, put the ground meat.
2. Add the carrot, zucchini, onion, and garlic to the meat. Mix well to evenly distribute the vegetables.
3. Incorporate the egg, grated Parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper. If you like, add some chopped parsley. This will give additional flavor and freshness to the meatballs.
4. Add the breadcrumbs and knead until the mixture becomes homogenous and firm enough to form meatballs.
5. Shape the meatballs into the size of a walnut or according to your preference and place them on a plate or tray.
6. Heat oil in a pan to fry the meatballs or, if you prefer a lighter cooking method, preheat the oven to 180 °C and arrange the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. For frying, cook the meatballs until they are golden and crispy on all sides. If you choose to bake them, let them cook for about 20-25 minutes until they are also golden in this case.
8. Once cooked, place the meatballs on paper towels to remove excess oil if fried.

Curiosity

Meatballs have ancient origins and represent a traditional recipe in many countries around the world, often with variations of ingredients according to local habits. In Italy, they are a comfort food that adapts to many variations, some of which include the addition of bread crumbs soaked in milk to make the mixture softer and more succulent.