Healthy Meatball Recipes

Find healthy, delicious meatball recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Easy Italian Chicken Meatballs

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These meatballs are flavor-packed--thanks to a little sausage added to the ground chicken mix--and all-purpose: serve them with spaghetti for a healthy dinner, on a toothpick with dipping sauce as an easy appetizer or stir them into a soup to make it more satisfying.
By Adam Hickman

Greek Meatball Mezze Bowls

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With a variety of flavors and textures (and a whopping 30 grams of protein!), these Mediterranean-inspired meal-prep bowls will keep you fueled all afternoon. The turkey meatballs are adapted from Greek Turkey Burgers with Spinach, Feta & Tzatziki by Hilary Meyer. Look for premade tzatziki near the specialty cheeses and dips at your grocery store or make your own (see Associated Recipes).
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Nonna's Spaghetti & Meatballs

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The meatballs and sauce are cooked in the slow cooker for this traditional Italian spaghetti and meatballs recipe. You could also serve the meatballs over creamy polenta or on a sandwich with melted provolone.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Italian-Style Beef & Pork Meatballs

This foolproof meatball recipe makes enough to stash away for another day. They're great to have on hand for easy dinners (see 3 ways to use them, below), but also make good impromptu appetizers.
By Hilary Meyer

Italian Wedding Soup

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This Italian Wedding Soup recipe is Italian comfort food at its best, and this easy soup recipe lends itself to countless variations. Substitute spinach, chicory, chard or any other leafy green for the escarole or kale, and any leftover cooked (or canned) beans for the white beans in this healthy Italian wedding soup recipe.
By Joyce Hendley

Tamari-Ginger Meatball & Eggplant Casserole

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Eggplant soaks up the flavors of ginger, garlic and tamari in this Asian-inspired casserole recipe. A hot pepper in the topping adds a bit of heat, but opt for sweet if you prefer.
By Hilary Meyer

Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs

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With this spaghetti squash and meatballs recipe, you can reduce the carbohydrates and increase the vegetable servings by skipping pasta and serving the Italian-seasoned turkey meatballs and quick, homemade marinara sauce over thin strands of cooked spaghetti squash instead. Cooking the squash first in the microwave and then in a skillet to cook off the extra moisture, gives the squash a more spaghetti-like texture.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mediterranean Meatballs

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Save on meal prep time by making a double batch of these delicious meatballs. Freeze them to have on hand for lunches and dinners.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Turkey Albondigas Soup

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Albondigas, Spanish for “meatballs,” star in the traditional broth-based Mexican soup. Our version uses turkey rather than beef or pork for the meatballs, and we've pumped up the volume of fresh vegetables in the mix.
By Jessie Price

Italian Turkey Meatballs

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In this healthy turkey meatball recipe, a base of sautéed mushrooms, celery and garlic adds flavor and helps keep calories in check and portions hearty. Serve these meatballs with marinara as an appetizer, on top of spaghetti or on a roll for a healthy meatball sub.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Turkey Meatballs with Green Beans & Cherry Tomatoes

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The flavor of the turkey meatballs is enhanced by the Asiago and prosciutto. We love keeping this turkey meatball recipe on hand for meal prep, since meatballs can be used in sandwiches, salads, pasta and more.
By Cooking Light

Meatball & Creamed Spinach Skillet

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Spaghetti and meatballs is a no-brainer, but pairing meatballs with a pile of creamed spinach topped with marinara and cheese is a flavorful twist. Pick your favorite frozen meatballs--beef, chicken or veggie--for this healthy dinner recipe.
By Carolyn Malcoun
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Inspiration and Ideas

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs
Looking for a pasta that's lower in carbohydrates? Look no further than spaghetti squash. Mix it with homemade meatballs and lower-sodium pasta sauce, and you will quickly love this healthy swap.
Meatballs with Roasted Green Beans & Potatoes
Meatballs, green beans and potatoes happily coexist while roasting together on a large sheet pan. Seasoned with fresh rosemary and Italian seasoning and served with pasta sauce and Parmesan, this one-dish meal is one you'll want to make again and again.
Cranberry-Orange-Glazed Turkey Meatballs
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Neapolitan Meatballs

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A touch of cinnamon distinguishes these delicious tomato-sauced meatballs. Adding whole-grain bulgur allows you to use less meat, resulting in meatballs with less than half the total fat and saturated fat of the original. Plus a vibrant-tasting combination of fresh and canned tomatoes in the sauce helps reduce the sodium by two-thirds. Serve with pasta, polenta or even on a whole-grain roll with a bit of melted part-skim mozzarella for a meatball sub.

All Healthy Meatball Recipes

Chipotle Meatball Torta with Roasted Veggies

Enjoy homemade meatballs for multiple dinners with this big-batch recipe.
By Hilary Meyer

Slow-Cooker Spicy Plum-Glazed Meatballs

Tender, tangy, spicy, sweet--these slow-cooker meatballs might become your new go-to dish. They cook in the crock pot for only about an hour and a half, so they're a great dinner solution on days when you don't have much time for dinner prep. Consider wearing gloves when shaping the meatballs to make cleanup a cinch.
By Cooking Light

Szechuan Braised Meatballs

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We braise these spicy beef meatballs and Chinese cabbage in a bit of beef broth. Make it a meal: Ladle over brown rice or noodles with steamed broccoli and carrots on the side.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Old-Fashioned Spaghetti & Meatballs

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To stretch the ground beef, we use high-fiber bulgur and whole-wheat breadcrumbs in the meatballs, which are baked rather than fried.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Classic Marinara Meatballs

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You can't go wrong with these classic marinara meatballs filled with applesauce, zucchini, and green onions.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Ultimate Spaghetti and Meatballs

Simply toss the ingredients together and sit back while your slow cooker prepares this ultimate spaghetti and meatball dish.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Saucy Vegetarian Meatballs

Cauliflower, mushrooms, bulgur and seasonings combine to form the base of this healthy vegetarian meatball recipe. A quick homemade tomato-basil sauce replaces the traditional marinara to save sodium. Serve over whole-wheat spaghetti with a green salad.
By Carolyn Casner

Spicy Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

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These succulent meatballs can be served on little plates with plenty of bread for sopping up the rich tomato sauce or simply with toothpicks (and a napkin!). They are best served warm.
By Victoria Abbott Riccardi

Japanese Chicken Meatballs (Tsukune)

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Chicken meatballs called tsukune are a Japanese-restaurant favorite--they're essentially a chicken sausage mixture flavored with garlic and ginger. Use flat sword-shaped skewers instead of traditional round bamboo skewers to keep the meatballs from slipping when you try to turn them. Serve with bowls of steamed rice on the side.
By Bruce Aidells

Turkish Lamb Pita Burgers

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Heavy on exotic spices, this decadent sandwich is a great way to familiarize yourself with the joys of Turkish cooking. Lean turkey blended with lamb lightens the mix. Stuff the patties into warm pita bread or roll the mixture into meatballs and serve with the yogurt sauce on the side as an hors d'oeuvre.
By Bruce Aidells

Slow-Cooker Turkey Florentine Meatballs Over Orzo

Slow-cooker turkey meatballs are a refreshing departure from typical beef meatballs. The chunky marinara sauce and tender orzo will put this entrée on your list of easy weeknight favorites. Garnish with crushed red pepper, if desired.
By Cooking Light

Greek Lamb Meatballs

Sautéed mushrooms, celery and garlic add flavor and help keep calories in check and portions hearty in this easy lamb meatball recipe. We like to serve these meatballs Middle Eastern-style: with warm pita, cucumbers, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce or hummus.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Lion's Head Meatballs

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This is a famous dish along the Yangtze, with regional variations. In Shanghai, the sauce will be sweet and sour. In Chongqing, it will be hot and spicy. And in Wuhan…well, it will depend on the season and the mood of the chef.
By Ying Chang Compestine

Asian Beef Meatballs

Sautéed mushrooms, celery and garlic add flavor and help keep calories in check and portions hearty in this easy Asian beef meatball recipe. Serve as the base for lettuce wraps or on top of steamed brown rice with baby bok choy for a quick dinner.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Slow-Cooker Middle Eastern Meatballs with Raita

This meal features dense and tender lamb meatballs, creamy and refreshing cucumber raita--a traditional Indian sauce made with yogurt and vegetables--and whole-wheat couscous, a grain-like pasta that can be found at most supermarkets. Garnish these slow-cooker meatballs with fresh dill sprigs, and serve with lightly toasted pita, if desired.
By Cooking Light

Tuscan Pork Meatballs

Sautéed mushrooms, celery and garlic add savory flavor and help keep calories in check and portions hearty in this easy pork meatball recipe. Try the Italian-flavored meatballs tucked into a toasted baguette with sautéed peppers and onions or over creamy polenta for a quick dinner.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Turkey Meatball & Feta Lunchbox

This easy lunchbox lunch is inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean, including feta, hummus and cucumber. Turkey meatballs are dipped in a homemade creamy yogurt-dill sauce, but ranch dressing would also work well in its place.
By Hilary Meyer

Meatball Banh Mi

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This banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) is filled with a zingy slaw and chicken-and-pork meatballs spiked with fresh herbs. Look for chile-garlic sauce and fish sauce near other Asian ingredients in most supermarkets.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Swedish Cabbage Soup with Meatballs

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A slightly sweetened chicken broth gives this cabbage soup its delicate flavor. Make it a meal: Swedish rye crisps are the perfect accompaniment.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Saucy Porcupine Meatballs

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These meatballs are stuffed with plenty of rice, which, as it cooks, pokes out of the meatballs, making them look like prickly little porcupines. The little meatballs are cooked in a mildly tangy tomato sauce that's a sure crowd-pleaser.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Meatballs with Honey-Mango Barbecue Sauce

This honey-mango barbecue sauce is a perfect sweet topping for meatballs. The touch of cinnamon and dash of cayenne pepper add just the right amount of spice.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Sweet-&-Sour Turkey Meatballs

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Ground turkey makes tender meatballs. If you do not have Italian seasonings on hand, substitute a mixture of 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram and 1/4 dried teaspoon basil.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Turkey-Apple Meatballs with Spaghetti Squash

Classic spaghetti and meatballs gets a major makeover in this 1-hour main dish recipe! Instead of regular pasta, we opt for low-calorie, low-carb spaghetti squash, and we switch out the beef meatballs with homemade turkey-apple meatballs, which are lower in saturated fat. It's a healthy meal your whole family will enjoy.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Versatile Saucy Meatballs

These versatile meatballs can be served for lunch in a meatball sandwich or for dinner over pasta. If you're looking for an easy healthy dinner that's low in calories and carbs, try serving them over cooked, shredded spaghetti squash instead of pasta!
By Diabetic Living Magazine
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