Instructions

• I added the pumpkin in the form of a light pumpkin soup.
  Alternatively, you can simply boil the pumpkin and blend it or mash it with a fork to make a puree.

  Clean the pumpkin
  Wash the pumpkin.
  Cut the pumpkin into slices.
  Remove the skin and seeds.

  Sometimes, for convenience, I buy the pumpkin already cleaned – only pulp – in a tray.

  Cut the pulp into pieces or cubes: the smaller they are, the faster they will cook.

  Light pumpkin soup with water, without cream and potatoes
  Place the pulp in a saucepan and cover with water.
  Bring to a boil and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes until the pulp becomes tender.
  Turn off the heat, add a vegetable broth cube [optional] and stir until it dissolves among the pumpkin.
  Adjust the salt and grind the pepper.
  Blend with an immersion blender directly in the saucepan until you obtain a smooth and creamy texture.

  

• In a bowl, combine:
  – the minced meat;
  – breadcrumbs or whole wheat breadcrumbs, a 15 g measuring spoon or 1 heaping tablespoon;
  – grated cheese, a 15 g measuring spoon or 1 heaping tablespoon;
  – garlic powder [optional];
  – a pinch of salt;
  – a pinch of pepper;
  – chopped parsley if you like;
  – light pumpkin soup in quantity as needed to obtain a soft but moldable dough, just like when adding eggs;
  and mix the ingredients well until you get a homogeneous mixture.

  

• With your hands, form balls, compact them by rolling them between your palms, and place them on a plate or tray.

  To get equal meatballs, you can use a 7.5 g or 15 g measuring spoon according to the desired size.

  

• You can vary the size and shape according to taste: small or medium, round or flattened.

  If you’re not in a hurry, put them in the fridge to set for at least half an hour.

  Your light meat and pumpkin meatballs without eggs are ready to cook.

  

• You can cook your light meat and pumpkin meatballs in the oven or in an air fryer, in a pan, and in sauce.

  Since it’s a ground meat-based preparation, the meatballs must always be well-cooked and not rare to avoid the risk of foodborne illnesses from pathogenic microorganisms.

  Oven cooking
  Preheat the oven.
  Bake in a ventilated oven at 356°F for about 20 minutes.

  Air fryer cooking
  Follow the instructions – program, temperature, and times – indicated in your appliance’s user manual.
  Check the level of cooking from time to time.
  For detailed step-by-step instructions, you can read the complete recipe by clicking on the following link: Meatballs without eggs in an air fryer.

• Cooking in sauce
  For detailed step-by-step instructions, you can read the complete recipe by clicking on the following link: Meatballs without eggs in sauce.

  In general, cooking times may vary based on the shape and size of your meatballs.
  Turn them halfway through cooking to even out the color.

  The meatballs are an easy second course to balance with preferably whole carbohydrates [bread, pasta or rice] and vegetables, thus composing a balanced meal or unique dish that helps keep blood sugar stable.

• – meatballs;
  – meatloaf;
  – hamburgers and mini hamburgers;
  – fillings and stuffings.