Golden, oven-baked zucchini "meatballs" in a bright tomato sauce-simple, hearty, and weeknight-friendly. No fuss, big flavor, and everyone asks for seconds.
In One Glance
- 🍽️ Recipe name: Zucchini Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
- ⏱️ Prep time: 30 minutes
- 🔥 Cook time: 20 minutes
- 🕒 Total time: 50 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 4
- ⚡ Calories: ~350 per serving (estimate)
- 🥒 Main ingredients: zucchini, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, passata, tomatoes
- 😋 Taste: savory, herby, gently sweet tomato, crisp-edged bites
- 💚 Why make it: budget-friendly, bakes in the oven, great meatless main
- 🍴 Difficulty: easy: grate, mix, bake, simmerContent
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Baked Zucchini Meatballs With Parmesan
January stays busy in our house of five. Three sons drift in and out, my husband asks what's for dinner, and the cat claims the warmest chair while the chickens gossip outside.
And I just wanted something cozy without feeling heavy, so zucchini stepped in. The balls bake crisp on the outside and stay soft in the middle, and the sauce wraps them in gentle, herby tomato.
Plates came back clean, and one of my kids asked if there were "extras for later." That's the sign I was hoping for.
This recipe is adapted from skinnytaste.com.
What Do You Need?
You can find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.
- Zucchini: Coarsely grate two medium zucchini; sautéing first dries them so the balls hold their shape. Alternative: yellow squash.
- Garlic: Two cloves flavor the mixture; another clove flavors the sauce. Alternative: ½ teaspoon garlic powder in the balls if fresh is out.
- Breadcrumbs: About 1 cup binds the mix and adds crunch after baking. Alternative: panko for extra crisp.
- Italian herbs: A simple dried blend keeps flavors cozy and balanced.
- Egg: One large egg brings everything together so the balls don't crumble and fall apart.
- Parmesan cheese: Finely grated cheese adds saltiness and a nutty finish. Alternative: Grana Padano or Pecorino (sharper flavor).
- Olive oil: A little oil to sauté the zucchini and to bake the balls golden.
- Shallot: Mild onion note that melts into the sauce. Alternative: ½ small yellow onion.
- Tomato paste: Two tablespoons deepen the tomato taste and give body to the sauce.
- Passata: Smooth tomato base that simmers quickly into sauce. Alternative: crushed tomatoes.
- Whole peeled tomatoes: One 14-oz can brings soft chunks and fresh tomato flavor.
- Bay leaf + Italian herbs: Gentle depth and flavor.
How to Make It
You can find the full step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Sauté grated zucchini with garlic until dry and lightly tender; cool. Mix zucchini with breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, herbs, salt, and pepper.
- Step 2: Form balls, brush with oil, and bake at 350°F until golden.
- Step 3: Cook shallot and garlic, stir in tomato paste, then add passata, peeled tomatoes, herbs, and bay; simmer until rich.
- Step 4: Warm the baked zucchini balls in the sauce for a couple of minutes and serve.
Top Tips
- Squeeze or cook off moisture from zucchini so the balls don't fall apart.
- Chill the formed balls for 10 minutes if the mixture feels soft.
- Keep baked balls separate if making ahead; heat gently in sauce right before serving.
- Want more crunch? Finish under the broiler for 1 minute.
- Serve with spaghetti, polenta, or crusty bread.
Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I love to see what your creation looks like and regularly share the most beautiful photos of you! Did you like this recipe? Then leave a rating on the recipe card! Your feedback helps other home cooks and me enormously.
Need more inspiration?
- You can find video recipes on my YouTube channel.
- And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest, so you can easily find them again next time!
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Crisp-edged zucchini meatballs in a rich tomato sauce-easy, budget-friendly, and ready for weeknights. Get the recipe!
Ingredients
Zucchini Meatballs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, mashed
- 2 zucchini , coarsely grated (about 4 cups)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons Italian herbs
- 1 egg, size L, beaten
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Tomato Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic , finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1⅔ cups passata, sieved tomatoes (about 14 oz)
- 14 oz. Whole peeled tomatoes, 1 can, crushed by hand
- 1 teaspoon Italian herbs
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper, at taste
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
Zucchini Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cloves garlic
- Stir in the grated zucchini and cook 5-10 minutes until most moisture has evaporated.2 zucchini
- Transfer zucchini to a colander to drain and cool slightly.
- Combine cooled zucchini, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, egg, and Parmesan in a bowl. Mix until evenly combined.½ teaspoon sea salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons Italian herbs, 1 egg, ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- Roll the mixture into small balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
- Brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Bake 20-25 minutes until golden and set.
Tomato Sauce
- For the sauce, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Fry the shallot for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the chopped garlic and fry for 30 seconds.1 shallot, 1 clove garlic
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, stirring.2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Pour in the passata and the crushed, peeled tomatoes.1⅔ cups passata, 14 oz. Whole peeled tomatoes
- Sprinkle Italian seasoning into the pan and add the bay leaf.1 teaspoon Italian herbs, 1 bay leaf
- Simmer 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper.salt and pepper
- Add the baked zucchini meatballs to the sauce. Warm for 2 minutes.
- Serve with extra Parmesan and fresh herbs if you like.2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Notes
1. My balls fell apart. What happened? They likely had too much moisture. Cook zucchini drier, add 1-2 tablespoons more breadcrumbs, or chill formed balls before baking.
2. Is Pecorino okay? It is, but it’s saltier. Reduce added salt a touch.
3. Storage
- Fridge: Up to 3 days (store balls and sauce separately for best texture).
- Freezer: Sauce up to 3 months; baked balls up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Simmer the sauce, then warm the balls gently for 2-3 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 370kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 15gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 1000mgFiber: 6gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1181IUVitamin C: 41mgIron: 6mg
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