The best healthy meatball recipes to serve as snacks, appetizers, or main courses. Whether you’re craving a Greek-inspired recipe, want Asian-inspired favors, or are just looking for something new, I’ve got an option for you!
The Best Healthy Meatball Recipes
If you’re looking for a little dinner or meal prep inspiration, look no further! I’ve compiled a list of my all-time favorite meatball recipes to choose from.
Each and every option on this list has been tried and tested. Not only are they made on repeat in my house, but these are reader favorite meatball recipes, too! There’s a little something for everyone on this list from more traditional Italian meatballs to more unique flavors.
The one thing all of these meatballs have in common is that they are super easy to make. You can even prepare batches ahead of time and pull them out for a quick meal in a pinch! Whichever you choose, I know they’ll be a hit!
Can Meatballs Be Healthy?
Absolutely! While traditional Italian-inspired meatballs are typically made with fattier meats and breadcrumbs (which are delicious!) they don’t have to be if you want to keep things on the lighter side. There are endless ways to create meatballs with leaner proteins and healthy fats, and you can even sneak in some veggies.
Meatball Making Tips and Tricks
- When forming meatballs try using a cookie dough scoop to scoop the meatball mixture and then roll in between your hands. This makes things so much easier!
- Before rolling the meatballs lightly wet your hands to prevent the mixture from sticking.
- For perfectly cooked meatballs every single time use a meat thermometer to ensure that each meatball cooks all the way through.
- Want to make dinner time easy? Try making a double batch of your meatball mixture. After everything has mixed, but before scooping and rolling, transfer half the mixture to a freezer-safe storage container, and freeze for later. Then, all you have to do is thaw, scoop, and cook!
What Not to Do When Making Meatballs
- Not seasoning the meat – it’s important to mix seasonings in with the meatball mixture, not just add them on top. Otherwise, your meatballs will be bland!
- Not adding any moisture – meatballs need moisture-containing ingredients like eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, or almond flour to act as binders and hold the meat together. If no moisture is present, the meatballs will crumble and fall apart.
- Overmixing – you want to combine the ingredients for the meat mixture well enough that they’re evenly distributed but not so well that the mixture becomes mushy. You want a little bit of texture for the meatballs to hold their shape!
- Creating unequal meatballs – the key to creating perfectly cooked meatballs is to ensure they’re all the same size. This allows them to all bake at the same time, preventing them from drying out or being undercooked.
The Best Healthy Meatball Recipes
Chicken Meatballs
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Greek Chicken Meatballs
- Chicken Pesto Meatballs
- Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- Sesame Ginger Meatballs
- BBQ Chicken Meatballs
- Orange Chicken Meatballs
Beef, Lamb, and Pork
- Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
- Sticky Ginger Scallion Meatballs
- Cheesy One Skillet Italian Baked Meatballs
- Greek Lamb Meatballs
- Sweet and Sticky Pork Meatballs
Turkey Meatballs
- Red Curry Meatballs
- Greek Turkey Meatballs
- Pesto Turkey Meatballs
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Cranberry BBQ Meatballs
I hope you give a few of these recipes a try! They are all so delicious and there’s something for everyone on this list.
If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating on that recipe. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.
