These juicy, flavorful pork meatballs are toddler-friendly and have hidden vegetables mixed right in with the ground pork, but you would never know it. These gluten-free meatballs without breadcrumbs are baked, and they are a staple in our house—they taste fantastic and are easy to make!
I know you'll love them too. Give them a try!
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Meatballs with hidden veggies
You will love this recipe if:
- You are always trying to get your toddlers or kids to eat more recipes with veggies - even if they're just hidden in their food!
- Want a delicious toddler friendly meatballs recipe that the whole family will love
- Need a tried and tested gluten-free meatball recipe without breadcrumbs
This ground pork meatballs recipe is one of our favorites. Our son is allergic to beef, and since we started making pork meatballs we actually like them better than any other kind!
These meatballs are baked in the oven, and that is my preferred way of making meatballs. Baking meatballs in the oven is the easiest and the most hands-off way to make meatballs!
More hidden vegetable ideas for kids: Breakfast Recipes with Hidden Vegetables
The hidden veggies
These meatballs have the following vegetables mixed into the ground pork meatball mixture:
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic
We typically think of garlic and onions as seasonings and forget that they are as nutritious as vegetables, but YES, onions and garlic have lots of vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber. I absolutely count them as a vegetable!!
Both the onion and the garlic should be minced finely for this recipe in order to hide their texture in the meatballs.
The carrot has to be grated on a microplane zester or the small side of your box grater in order to get it small enough to not be noticed in the meatballs.
The grated carrot and diced onion get sauteed for a few minutes before being combined with the ground pork. This softens the carrot and mellows out the sharp flavor of the onion, making the veggies completely undetectable to picky eaters! The carrots and onion also help make these meatballs juicy and delicious instead of dry.
Ready to make these?
Ingredients
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely grated using a zester or the small side of your box grater
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground pork
- ½ cup quick cooking or instant oats (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1 egg
- ½ tablespoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
More toddler-friendly meal ideas: Tuna Nuggets
Special equipment
In addition to a mixing bowl and measuring cups/spoons, you'll need a large baking sheet and parchment paper for this recipe. I also like to have a small bowl of cold water when forming the meatballs. Dipping my hands into the water helps keep the ground pork mixture from sticking to my hands and makes nice even meatballs.
More kid-friendly dinner ideas: Cheetos Chicken Nuggets
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush or spray with olive oil.
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the finely grated carrot, diced onion, and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, not allowing the veggies to burn.
In a large bowl, combine the sauteed carrot mixture with the rest of the ingredients (ground pork through salt & pepper). Mix well with a fork until all the seasonings are well incorporated into the ground pork.
Use your hands to form small meatballs - about 2 tablespoons of the ground pork mixture per meatball. Tip: it's easier to do this with wet hands, so wet your hands in cold water after every 3-4 meatballs. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked to at least 165F. Serve warm with your preferred sauce.
More kid-friendly dinner recipes: Mini Chicken Quesadillas
How to serve pork meatballs
Pork meatballs are just as versatile as beef or turkey meatballs. They're great in meatball subs or added to your favorite pasta sauce as it's simmering, then served over pasta. They also make a great pizza topping if cut into quarters or crumbled into pieces.
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Pork Meatballs with Hidden Vegetables
Make pork meatballs from scratch with this easy recipe! This recipe has a hidden veggie to get some extra nutrients into you and your family.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely grated (see notes)
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 lb ground pork
- ½ cup instant oats or 1 minute oats
- 1 egg
- ½ tablespoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush or spray with olive oil.
- In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the finely grated carrot, diced onion, and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Don't allow veggies to burn.
- In a large bowl, combine the sauteed carrot mixture with the rest of the ingredients (ground pork through salt & pepper). Mix well with a fork to make sure to salt and seasonings are fully mixed in.
- Use your hands to scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the pork mixture and form small meatballs Tip: wet your hands in cold water after every 3-4 meatballs so the pork mixture doesn't get stuck to your hands.
- Place on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked. Serve warm with your preferred sauce.
Notes
- Use a zester or the fine side of the box grater to grate the carrot. Use the same zester to grate the garlic.
- You can use less salt if cooking for younger babies
- Time-saving tip: start cooking the veggies, then while the veggies are cooking, grab the rest of the meatball ingredients and add them to the bowl.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
5 meatballsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 380Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 153mgSodium: 639mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 22g
The nutritional information provided is just an estimate and will vary based on the actual ingredients you use. If you are tracking nutrition for yourself or your child, check with a nutritionist, dietitian, or pediatrician about whether this recipe is right for you or your child.