Few steps and even fewer ingredients to make these tasty, healthy, fiber- and plant-protein rich meatballs. This is a vegan and gluten-free main course, thanks to the addition of pea flour, which I now produce at home with the help of a home stone mill that I have often mentioned! If you don’t have it, you can easily purchase this flour at well-stocked supermarkets or hypermarkets, or replace it with another type of flour as suggested in the notes at the end of the recipe. The advantage of preparing these meatballs is undeniable; besides being quick, they are a light and nutritious meal, perfect for those who wish to consume light dishes in the summer without feeling heavy! They are made with legumes and green vegetables like zucchini and peas, making them suitable for the whole family, even to get your kids to eat vegetables. I accompanied them with my trusty tzatziki sauce, which I discovered years ago on my first trips to Greece, and it matches wonderfully, but if you wish, you can simply accompany them with a fresh seasonal salad, and lunch or dinner will be well solved!
If you are a fan of meatballs but are looking for genuine alternatives without meat or fish, here are some other ideas to get inspiration from:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: about 18 meatballs
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Autumn
Ingredients:
- 2 zucchini (medium)
- 250 g frozen peas
- 1/2 red Tropea onion
- 3 tablespoons pea flour (or chickpea or rice flour)
- A few leaves mint
- 2 teaspoons gomasio (homemade, or salt to taste)
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- as needed pepper
Tools:
⚠ IN THIS RECIPE THERE ARE ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; buying them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!
- 1 Grinder
- 1 Small Pot
- 1 Grater
- 1 Dish Towel
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Slotted Spoon
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Blender
- 1 Baking Tray
- 1 Parchment Paper
Steps:
To make the green meatballs requires a few steps: first, blanch the frozen peas for 5 minutes in boiling salted water.
In a large bowl lined with a dry and clean dish towel, grate the zucchini with a large-hole grater.
Squeeze them well to release all their water.
Then, grate the half red onion directly onto the squeezed zucchini.
Once the peas are drained with a slotted spoon, transfer them into a blender, add a few mint leaves, and a ladle of cooking broth.
Blend in stages until you obtain a thick and homogeneous puree.
Transfer this puree to the rest of the ingredients.
Add the pea flour and gomasio or two pinches of salt instead.
Mix directly in the bowl with your hands, adjusting with an extra tablespoon of flour if the mixture seems too soft.
You should get a soft yet workable mixture, which you will allow to firm up for at least 15 minutes in the fridge.
After this time, take about a tablespoon at a time of the mixture and form your meatballs with your hands.
You can flatten them slightly, forming small patties.
Or leave them round a little larger than a walnut, your choice.
Place your meatballs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, drizzle them with a little oil on top, and bake at 356°F for 20 minutes, turn them gently with a spatula, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until fully golden.
Once ready, remove from oven and let them cool slightly before serving.
And voilà… your green meatballs are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉 You can store the green meatballs with pea flour in the fridge in suitable refrigeration containers for 2-3 days maximum.
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣 You can replace the flour with chickpea flour or lentil flour for a protein-rich and nutritionally complete version or add rice flour if you want to keep it gluten-free. Otherwise, all-purpose flour will work just fine!
