Veggie-Packed Meatballs

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Kid-friendly, veggie-packed meatballs made from beef mince and grated vegetables, cooked in a homemade tomato sauce. Serve with freshly cooked spaghetti.

A plate of spaghetti topped with tomato sauce, meatballs, and garnished with a sprig of parsley.

These Veggie Packed Meatballs and spaghetti are a family-friendly favourite. They're loaded with vegetables that are finely grated and well-disguised, making them perfect for picky eaters. The meatballs stay juicy and flavourful, and kids love them served with spaghetti and cheesy tomato sauce. If you want to get ahead, you can easily double the recipe and freeze half for another day. You could even use leftover meatballs in our Meatball Subs, a great fuss-free dinner.

Ingredient notes:

Ingredients for spaghetti bolognese arranged on a counter, including minced meat, spaghetti, vegetables, cheese, tomato passata, honey, herbs, and tomato paste.

Beef Mince: Kid-friendly, beef mince is a great got-to for these meatballs. You can also use lamb, pork or a combination of different minces if you prefer.
Carrots: Adds natural sweetness and moisture.
Mushrooms: Finely chopped, the mushrooms are disguised well into the mince. You can't really taste them but they add moisture and help to fill out the meatballs.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.

Step by step instructions:

Preheat the oven to 220°C fan bake and boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta on the stovetop. Make the meatballs first. Peel and grate the carrot, grate the courgette and mushrooms. (Optional - finely chop the vegetables until very small.)

Grated carrots, zucchini, and chopped mushrooms arranged in separate piles on a black cutting board.

A close-up of a metal bowl filled with finely chopped or grated carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms mixed together.

Add the vegetables to a large bowl with all of the remaining meatball ingredients. Mix well to combine.

A metal bowl containing raw ground meat, an egg yolk, shredded carrots and zucchini, tomato sauce, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.

A close-up of raw ground meat mixed with chopped vegetables and seasonings in a metal bowl.

Portion into meatballs using an ice cream scoop or about 1½ Tbsp per meatball. Lightly wet your hands, roll into balls and place on a baking tray lined with paper and a drizzle of oil. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

A baking tray lined with parchment paper holds five rows of uncooked meatballs, evenly spaced and ready to be cooked.

A frying pan with tomato sauce, chopped onions, and dried herbs being stirred with a wooden spoon on a stovetop.

Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to packet instructions. To make the tomato sauce, heat oil in a frying pan over low heat. Cook the onion for a few minutes until well softened, beginning to brown. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute.

A hand blender is blending tomato sauce in a large black pan on a stovetop, with green tiles visible in the background.

A frying pan filled with tomato sauce and meatballs sits on a stovetop, with green tiles and a wooden trim visible in the background.

Stir in the passata, stock cube and herbs. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, adding honey and salt and pepper to taste. (Optional - use a stick blender to blend the sauce till smooth). Add the meatballs and mix to coat.

A pan filled with meatballs in tomato sauce, with a wooden spoon resting on the edge and some spaghetti visible on a plate in the corner.

Drain the spaghetti, top with the meatballs and serve with grated cheese and freshly chopped parsley if you like.

Close-up of spaghetti topped with tomato sauce and meatballs, one meatball cut open to show its vegetable filling, garnished with a parsley sprig.

Recipe FAQs:

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes, the meatballs can be cooked in advance and reheated in the sauce when ready to serve. Or you can have the raw meatballs covered in the fridge before cooking them fresh if you want to prepare them earlier.

Are these suitable for toddlers?

Yes, they're soft, mild in flavour and packed with vegetables. You can skip the stock cube or reduce the salt if needed.

Can I make these meatballs without an oven?

Yes, the meatballs can be pan-fried over medium heat until cooked through, then added to the sauce.

Storage:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

The cooked meatballs and sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave until piping hot. Or microwave from frozen. Best to cook the pasta fresh.

Top tips:

If you have fussy kids that are not veggie fans, finely chopping the grated vegetables helps them disappear into the meatballs.
You can peel the courgette before grating to remove the green colour and disguise them more. You can also blend the tomato sauce before adding the meatballs so it's smooth and has no onion bits they will notice.
Lightly wetting your hands makes rolling the meatballs much easier, reducing the mixture sticking to the hands.
Any leftover sauce can be frozen separately for quick meals.

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Veggie Packed Meatballs

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Kid-friendly, veggie packed meatballs made from beef mince and grated vegetables, cooked in a homemade tomato sauce.

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 cup courgette, grated (125g)
1 cup carrot, grated (125g)
1 cup button mushrooms, grated (100g)
500g beef mince
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oil
500g spaghetti

Tomato Sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 large jar passata (700g)
1 cup chicken or beef stock
½ tsp mixed dried herbs
1-2 Tbsp honey (optional)

To serve

Cheese, grated
Fresh parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 220°C fan bake and boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta on the stovetop.
Make the meatballs first. Peel and grate the carrot, grate the courgette and mushrooms. (Optional - finely chop the vegetables until very small.)
Add the vegetables to a large bowl with all of the remaining meatball ingredients. Mix well to combine.
Portion into meatballs using an ice cream scoop or about 1½ Tbsp per meatball. Lightly wet your hands, roll into balls and place on a baking tray lined with paper and a drizzle of oil.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to packet instructions.
To make the tomato sauce, heat oil in a frying pan over low heat. Cook the onion for a few minutes until well softened, beginning to brown. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the passata, stock cube and herbs. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, adding honey and salt and pepper to taste. (Optional - use a stick blender to blend the sauce till smooth). Add the meatballs and mix to coat.
Drain the spaghetti, top with the meatballs and serve with grated cheese and freshly chopped parsley if you like.

Notes

Lightly wetting your hands makes rolling the meatballs much easier, reducing the mixture sticking to the hands.

Any leftover sauce can be frozen separately for quick meals.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 451Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 554mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 30g

Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.

Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya