Mushroom and Zucchini Meatballs

Mushroom and zucchini meatballs are a delicious main course or a vegetarian appetizer. Here is the recipe with an Italian touch:

Ingredients

• 300 g of champignon mushrooms
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
• 1 egg (or an egg substitute if you are vegan)
• 4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese (exclude or substitute with vegan cheese if necessary)
• 40 g of breadcrumbs (plus a little extra if needed)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing

Preparation

1. Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth to remove any soil residues. Cut them into small pieces.
2. Wash the zucchini and grate it with a coarse grater.
3. In a pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add the whole clove of garlic. Sauté for one minute.
4. Add the mushrooms to the pan and let them cook until they release all their water and it has evaporated.
5. Remove the garlic and transfer the mushrooms to a bowl. Add the grated zucchini, chopped parsley, egg, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs. Mix well until you get a homogeneous mixture. If necessary, add more breadcrumbs to reach the right consistency for forming the meatballs.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Form the meatballs with your hands, then roll them in the extra breadcrumbs.
8. You can cook the meatballs in different ways: fry them in hot oil, bake them at 180 °C (350 °F) for about 20 minutes, or cook them in a pan with a little oil.
9. Once ready, serve your mushroom and zucchini meatballs hot, perhaps accompanied by a tomato sauce or a cheese cream for dipping.

Curiosity

Meatballs are an extremely versatile dish and are consumed in many cultures with local ingredients and spices. The vegetarian version, as proposed here, is a lighter variant suitable for those following a vegetarian diet or looking for alternatives to classic meat meatballs.