Blue Zone
Easy Meatball Recipe
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
30 minutes
Yield
4 -6
This Easy Meatball Recipe is a delicious and simple one-pan meal that you'll want to make every weeknight when you just have to many things on-the-go to spend all your time in the kitchen!
This delicious and Easy Meatball Recipe is the perfect recipe when you want a healthy, nutritious meal without the labor that often goes along with it. This recipe can be whipped up in a flash and you can feel good about serving it to your family because it’s made with healthy ingredients that taste good and are good for you.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Easy Meatball Recipe
- Quick Prep: Prep this Easy Meatball Recipe in only 20-minutes and let your oven do the rest
- Healthy: This recipe is made with flavorful, healthy ingredients that are good for you and your whole family
- One-Pan: Make this recipe on one-pan to minimize dishes
🍲 Ingredients
Ground Chicken – Ground chicken is a lean protein that is a great source of amino acids. What I love about ground chicken is that it’s budget-friendly and so versatile. You can make meatballs like this recipe, add it to a stirfry, fry it up with some seasoning to add it to bowls or top salads with, the options are endless.
Gnocchi – This recipe is made with gnocchi which can be baked or boiled. I love to throw gnocchi on a sheet pan meal because it adds a carb to the meal and it’s easy to cook all on one pan. Gnocchi are little pillowy potato dumplings that are so tasty and versatile. If you’re a gnocchi fan you should try my Baked French Onion Soup with Gnocchi.
👩🍳 How to Make This Easy Meatball Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Mix the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
- To a large sheet pan add: gnocchi, olives, leeks and feta. Drizzle with all of the dressing and add a big pinch of salt and toss to combine. Set aside.
Make the meatballs
- Top with cherry tomatoes, fresh minced dill and fresh minced chives and serve.
- To a medium bowl add the ground chicken, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon zest, egg and avocado oil. Set aside.
- To a food processor add the spinach and breadcrumbs. Pulse a few times until combined and everything is in tiny pieces. Add the feta and pulse 1-2 times to combine. Add this spinach mixture to the bowl with the ground chicken and mix until combined.
- Scoop about 2 tbsp at a time and form into meatballs. Nestle the meatballs in between the ingredients on the sheet pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Prepare the meatballs in advance and just throw them on the tray with the other ingredients when you’re ready to cook
- If you like this recipe, you’ll love our Sheet Pan Gnocchi or Sheet Pan Greek Meatballs & Lemon Potatoes
🗒 Substitutions
- Avocado Oil: If you don’t have avocado oil, you can substitute with olive oil
- Vegetables: Mix and match the vegetables to your tastes – if olives aren’t your favourite, substitute with bell pepper for example.
- Gnocchi: You can omit the gnocchi and just make the dish without it then serve on top of rice or your fav grain instead that you cook separately
- Ground Chicken: Swap the ground chicken for ground turkey instead
🗒 Best served with
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
🤔 Common Questions
These meatballs have hidden veggies which is great for the picky eaters in your fam. These meatballs have spinach in them which gives them their green color.
To check if your meatballs are done, cut one open. If your ground chicken is still pinkish, keep cooking them. If you aren’t sure, the internal temperature should be 165F.
Easy Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- juice of one lemon
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp minced fresh dill
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 small yellow onion, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- zest from one lemon
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 142 g (5 oz) fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
For the sheet pan
- 500 g store bought potato gnocchi
- 1/2 cup green olives
- 3 large leeks, sliced into half inch rounds
- 1/2 cup cubed feta cheese
Garnishes
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
- 1/4 cup fresh minced chives
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Mix the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
- To a large sheet pan add: gnocchi, olives, leeks and feta. Drizzle with all of the dressing and add a big pinch of salt and toss to combine. Set aside.
Make the meatballs
- To a medium bowl add the ground chicken, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon zest, egg and avocado oil. Set aside.
- To a food processor add the spinach and breadcrumbs. Pulse a few times until combined and everything is in tiny pieces. Add the feta and pulse 1-2 times to combine. Add this spinach mixture to the bowl with the ground chicken and mix until combined.
- Scoop about 2 tbsp at a time and form into meatballs. Nestle the meatballs in between the ingredients on the sheet pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Top with cherry tomatoes, fresh minced dill and fresh minced chives and serve.
Video
Notes
- If you don’t have avocado oil, you can substitute with olive oil
- Mix and match the vegetables to your tastes – if olives aren’t your favourite, substitute with bell pepper for example.
- If you like this recipe, you’ll love our Sheet Pan Gnocchi or Sheet Pan Greek Meatballs & Lemon Potatoes
