Name: Italian Meat(less) Balls
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 cups juice pulp (, loosely packed (preferably carrot or beet based)); 1 egg (, beaten); 3 oz . crumbled feta ((preferably goat's milk)); 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

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Growing up, I was never a fan of meatballs.

While my friends in elementary school all eagerly anticipated the cafeteria’s “spaghetti & meatball day” each week, I always opted for the peanut butter and jelly “brown bag” instead. I didn’t like ground beef, and I certainly didn’t like marinara sauce.

In fact, I didn’t even try a meatball until I was a waitress in college. I was a border-line vegetarian at this point, but the chef insisted that I try his grandmother’s recipe. So, I did, and it was life-changing. I’ve been a fan of meatballs ever since.

These particular meatballs are a far-cry from the ones served in a school cafeteria.

They’re also a far-cry from the meatballs I tried in college.

But since they’re ball-shaped and served in marinara sauce… let’s just go with it, okay?

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Italian Meat(less) Balls
makes 10 balls

Ingredients:

2 cups juice pulp, loosely packed (preferably carrot or beet based)
1 egg, beaten
3 oz. crumbled feta (preferably goat’s milk)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375F. In a medium bowl, combine the juice pulp and seasonings. I used dried herbs, to keep the mixture from getting too wet. Think of them as a “substitute” for the breadcrumbs that are in traditional recipes. (I used the pulp from Austin’s morning juice– a mix of carrots and cucumber– but beet pulp would give these a lovely red color, too!)

Add in the crumbled feta and egg, and mix well to create a uniform batter. Scoop the batter into 2″ balls, and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, at least an inch apart from each other.

Place in the middle of the oven, and bake for 15 minutes at 375F.

After 15 minutes, remove from the oven and gently flip them over. The bottoms should be slightly golden brown. Return to the oven, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until firm.

The finished meat(less) ball should be crisp on the outside, and somewhat tender on the inside. Almost like a veggie-fritter! Delicious on their own, these little bites could be served as an appetizer with a warm marinara dipping sauce, but I prefer them tossed in marinara sauce, over a bed of pasta or steamed vegetables.

Italian Meat(less) Balls

5 from 8 votes

A veggie-based meatball, featuring juice pulp!

prep15 mins cook30 mins total45 mins

Servings:2

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Ingredients

2 cups juice pulp , loosely packed (preferably carrot or beet based)
1 egg , beaten
3 oz . crumbled feta (preferably goat's milk)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375F. In a medium bowl, combine the juice pulp and seasonings. I used dried herbs, to keep the mixture from getting too wet. Think of them as a "substitute" for the breadcrumbs that are in traditional recipes. (I used the pulp from Austin's morning juice-- a mix of carrots and cucumber-- but beet pulp would give these a lovely red color, too!)
Add in the crumbled feta and egg, and mix well to create a uniform batter. Scoop the batter into 2" balls, and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, at least an inch apart from each other.
Place in the middle of the oven, and bake for 15 minutes at 375F. After 15 minutes, remove from the oven and gently flip them over. The bottoms should be slightly golden brown. Return to the oven, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until firm.
The finished meat(less) ball should be crisp on the outside, and somewhat tender on the inside. Almost like a veggie-fritter! Delicious on their own, these little bites could be served as an appetizer with a warm marinara dipping sauce, but I prefer them tossed in marinara sauce, over a bed of pasta or steamed vegetables.

Nutrition

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: appetizer, healthy, paleo

Per Serving: Calories: 164, Fat: 10g, Carbohydrates: 7g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 12g

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Hope you all enjoy them!

Reader Feedback: Was there a food you hated as a child, but LOVE now? I can’t believe I hated marinara sauce– it’s one of my favorite things ever now!!