Meatballs are such an easy picky eater pleaser 🙂 Here you are four reasons why I love them
1 – They are super versatile: you can really add anything you want and hide tons of veggies inside!!
2 – They are Super Easy to prepare. The concept is very basic: trow all the ingredients in a bowl + mix + create tiny balls with your hands + bake. And even if the balls are not perfectly round…that’s fine 🙂
3 – They freeze perfectly. I usually double the quantities of the recipe, prepare the meatballs on two trays, bake one and freeze the other. Once frozen (after 2/3 hours) I remove the meatballs from the tray and place them in a freezer plastic bag or container as it takes less room.
When I’m in a hurry for dinner (or I do not want to cook – yes, it happenes to me too!!!!), I simply place them back on a baking sheet, drizzle some Olive oil on top and bake them directly from frozen just adding 6/8 more minutes to the usual baking time.
4 – They are a wonderful leftover. The next day they are a perfect school lunch idea or they can be mixed with some fresh marinara sauce and be a lovely dressing for a pasta (aka Pasta with meatballs)
Now you know why I love meatballs and I keep sharing with you new recipes how to make them 🙂
Today I wanted to try a different texture and flavor.
I added quinoa (super healthy super food, naturally gluten free) and few spices.
I also added an unusual ingredient for meatballs: grated apple. The apple keeps the meatballs moist and balances the spices flavor.
Considering the ingredients and the texture, this is a wonderful toddler recipe (or a baby recipe starting from 10 months due to the grainy texture of the meatballs).
- 16 oz. Organic ground beef 500gr.
- 3 Cups cooked quinoa 900gr.
- 1 large Fuji apple grated
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste no salt
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 egg
- 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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Preheat the oven at 350F/180C
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Place all the ingredients in a big bowl in the sequence you prefer
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Mix everything
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Place one tablespoon of mix in your hands and roll it forming a small ball
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Place the meatballs on a parchment paper on a baking sheet
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Drizzle some Extra Virgin Olive Oil on top of the meatballs
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Bake for 30 minutes
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Enjoy!
51 Comments
Did you make this recipe? Share the love, tag @buonapappa on Instagram and hashtag it #buonapappa I would love to see your creations!
Arlene Ophof
June 9, 2016 at 8:39 pmI made this recipe for my 11 month old grandson who was visiting and I followed the printed list of ingredients and then after mixing all the ingredients together to include the “uncooked” quinoa, I relooked at your video that said to use “cooked” quinoa.
I ended up throwing the whole mix away after baking them since the uncooked quinoa did not cook! You might want to change the printed version to say ..cooked quinoa!
Barbara Lamperti
June 9, 2016 at 10:37 pmHi Arlene! I’m so sorry for the misunderstanding. I usually start from 1 Cup of uncooked quinoa, I cook it and I obtain 3 Cups of cooked quinoa. I changed the ingredients’ list from uncooked to cooked quinoa (changing the quantities too) to avoid any more misunderstandings.
Thank you so much for your comment and I hope you will try the recipe again. Ciao! B
Kat
August 4, 2016 at 3:13 amI loved making this treat and I loved tasting it to make sure it was safe for my 11mo. I can’t wait for her to try it and hope she enjoys it as much as I did when I first tried it! Thank you for your amazing, healthy, and fun videos. My little one loves watching me cook your recipes and especiallyyyy when I’m able to give her a taste (of fruits or veggies) before all is put together.
Barbara Lamperti
August 18, 2016 at 6:18 pmHi Kat!! Thank you so much for watching BuonaPappa and I’m so glad your little one is enjoying my recipes!!!!! xoxo, b
Chelsie Makus
October 4, 2016 at 6:36 pmCan I bake these and then freeze them?
Barbara Lamperti
October 17, 2016 at 10:05 pmIf you used all fresh ingredients, sure, you can freeze them. My suggestion is to prepare them and bake only the quantity that you are going to enjoy right away. Freeze the rest and than, when you need them, bake them directly from frozen just adding 4/5 more minutes. You will not notice the difference!!! Thanks for watching!! b
lia
October 25, 2016 at 1:50 amIs anyone concerned that meatballs are choking hazards??? Especially for children just starting to eat solid food?
Barbara Lamperti
November 1, 2016 at 6:21 pmHi Lia! I totally understand your concern. When you serve meatballs to a young toddler you usually break them with a fork in tiny tiny bites. In addition to that consider that meatballs have a grainy texture, so it means that even the tiny bite will be broken in even smaller pieces when your toddler will start mashing it with his lower gums or teeth if he has some 😉
The suggestion is, no matter what your baby/toddler is eating, always supervise and be there to help him enjoying his food. I hope I was helpful and let me know should you have any questions! ciao 😉 b
Katie
November 1, 2016 at 4:48 pmMy Daughter is allergic to eggs- can i make these without the egg?
Barbara Lamperti
November 1, 2016 at 6:17 pmHi Katie! sorry to hear that, allergies are no fun at all. The egg in this recipe has a binding role, I would say, yes, you can skip it. The balls will just come out less compact, but still yummy!! Let me know if she likes them, ciao!!! and thank you for watching BuonaPappa!! b
Shannon Stambach
June 18, 2019 at 6:12 pmMy son is also allergic to eggs and I usually sub flaxseed- I tablespoon water to 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed. I plan on trying that when I make this recipe
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November 3, 2016 at 2:14 pm[…] image credit: buonapappa / Barbara Get the recipe here for this Quinoa Beef Meatballs […]
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November 8, 2016 at 5:40 pm[…] Ingredients like Fuji apples, eggs, virgin olive oil, tomato paste and spices parade through this recipe with a single goal in mind: to create a mouthwatering beef baby meal. Give Quinoa and beef meatballs a try by clicking here. […]
Joanne
December 3, 2016 at 7:58 pmCan this be put into meatloaf pan and baked and cut up into slices?
Barbara Lamperti
December 3, 2016 at 10:06 pmThat’s a brilliant idea! It might result not too compact when you slice it, but if you don’t care a lot about the slice presentation will be fine 😉
b
karen li
February 22, 2017 at 8:57 pmif i dont want to use tomato paste, paprika and cumin, can i still make the meatballs?
Barbara Lamperti
February 22, 2017 at 10:31 pmHi Karen! yes, they will taste differently but the consistency and texture will be the same. Let me know how it goes!! ciao, b
astrid
March 3, 2017 at 1:51 amis it possible to leave out the apple?
Barbara Lamperti
March 3, 2017 at 6:49 pmHi! yes, they simply give a sweet touch to the recipe. For a more savory taste, simply skip them. Ciao! b
Effie
April 11, 2017 at 3:20 amCan I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?
Barbara Lamperti
April 11, 2017 at 3:47 amHi! yes, sure. The turkey is a bit drier than the beef as it is leaner, but I think the quinoa mix is moist enough to balance it. Enjoy! b
Marina
May 31, 2017 at 9:13 amThese came out so good! Even though a once in a lifetime event happened when I ran out of cumin in my pantry. I made them with some turmeric and a bit of sweet basil flakes instead. My 1yr old miss loved them!
Amanda
June 2, 2017 at 5:58 pmI misread the directions and baked before freezing. Can you heat in the micro from frozen?
Navkiran
January 24, 2018 at 2:07 amI just made these today and my 11 month old loved them. He ate 3 of them. Thank you for the recipe. Once baked, how long are these good in the fridge?
Barbara Lamperti
February 23, 2018 at 5:19 pmawww, I’m so happy to hear that!!! I would keep them in the refrigerator for max 2 days or freeze them for max 3 months. Thank you so much for following BuonaPappa!!! ciao, b
Jacque
February 17, 2018 at 9:48 pmCan this be made egg free?
Barbara Lamperti
February 22, 2018 at 10:08 pmYes, the egg has a binding role in the recipe, you can substitute it with 1 Tbsp flax meal and 3 Tbsp water. Mix them, create a paste and add to the mix. Ciao! b
Veneta
May 16, 2018 at 7:06 pmAre you sure it’s 900gr of quinoa? I had only 500gr in the cupboard and after cooking it and mixing the whole thing, the quinoa was about 3 times more than all the other ingredients.
I’m going to be throwing them away now, because my son doesn’t like them. I think the quinoa is overpowering and they’re falling apart. Such a shame!
Barbara Lamperti
May 30, 2018 at 6:44 pmHi! I think the misunderstanding is about cooked or not cooked 🙂 You will need 3 cups (more or less 900gr) of cooked quinoa. That means 1 abundant cup uncooked quinoa. Usually quinoa more than doubles its quality once cooked. Sorry if I was not clear in the recipe 🙁 ciao, b
Tal
November 14, 2019 at 6:54 pmI made this and the mixture was too watery and didn’t hold. The flavor was very good, though. Perhaps the Apple was too juicy or the cooked quinoa had too much moisture in it.
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June 17, 2018 at 7:42 pm[…] Quinoa Beef Meatballs by Buona Pappa […]
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July 13, 2018 at 6:30 am[…] Be rest assured that your baby will reach out for seconds. We know we would. Image: buonapappa.net […]
Ashleigh
July 20, 2018 at 2:20 amI loved them, they taste great – but Mine are crumbling apart while eating – is this usual, or can you suggest what I may have done incorrect?
Barbara Lamperti
August 17, 2018 at 8:20 pmHi! It’s the quinoa texture, it always stays a bit grainy 🙂 I’m glad you liked them!! ciao, b
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July 27, 2018 at 10:16 am[…] Quinoa and Ground Beef Meatballs – Evelyn LOVES meatballs and on the road I’ll buy her frozen ones but I hate her eating packaged and processed frozen meat. So while I have access to a good oven I’m giving these a try. Making them tomorrow so will update the post with her thoughts. […]
Tracy
August 26, 2018 at 7:56 amHi can I substitute some of the quinoa for veggies like broccoli and carrots or add them on top of the 900g of quinoa?
Barbara Lamperti
September 11, 2018 at 10:35 pmHello! I would add them on top of the quinoa. The final consistency will be softer and creamier! Thank you for watching, ciao. B
yingchang
October 4, 2018 at 3:28 amWhat temperature should i use to bake?
Barbara Lamperti
October 4, 2018 at 10:20 pm350F or 180C
Hope you will like them! ciao, b
Angelique Wong
October 16, 2018 at 9:05 pmCould parmesan be added to this?
Barbara Lamperti
October 16, 2018 at 9:59 pmSure! I would add Parmesan cheese to any savory recipe 🙂
Alex
January 13, 2019 at 7:59 amI made these today for my 10 month old and he just loved them! They crumble apart just enough that he didn’t have any trouble eating them. My husband and I also tried them and thought they were delicious. Thanks for the great recipe!
Polly
January 30, 2019 at 7:57 pm350 or 400?
Barbara Lamperti
February 8, 2019 at 2:57 am400F or 180C. Ciao! b
Natalia
April 26, 2019 at 2:25 pmI just made them! Delicious and easy! Thank you for sharing the recipe with us. How long can I keep them in the freezer?
Barbara Lamperti
September 26, 2019 at 3:16 pmHi Natalia! I’m so happy you liked them!!! You can freeze them for up to 3 months. Thank you and ciao!! B
Yamile
June 16, 2019 at 8:46 amGreat recipe ! Silly question , the 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil is it to b added along with the other ingredients or is it only to drizzle over the meatballs before baking ?
Just tried cooking it and they are a bit dry on the outside and falling apart but I still like them and I hope my baby will enjoy it too !
Thank you for your wonderful recipes 🙂
Barbara Lamperti
September 25, 2019 at 6:17 pmHi Yamile! Good question indeed and sorry if it was not clear in the recipe. The oil is to drizzle on top before baking so that the surface will not dry out too much. I’m so glad your little one liked the meatballs, even if a little dry 🙂
Ciao! B
Kristine
October 21, 2019 at 7:02 pmI made some changes to recipe. Instead of bear I added turkey and not as much quinoa since babies don’t really like it. No olive oil and no spices. Still tasty.
MeiLing
September 4, 2020 at 4:21 amMy toddler loved this recipe! He doesn’t eat much and these are perfect for a healthy snack or meal, so thank you! I only made half the recipe and it still made enough to stock the freezer
Barbara Lamperti
October 19, 2020 at 5:31 pmYeah!! So happy to hear that. I love freezable recipes as they save so much time 🙂