Oven-Baked Italian Meatballs with Vegetables and Rhubarb (Dairy-Free)

These oven-baked meatballs are inspired by Italian cuisine but don’t have cheese and breadcrumbs. I replaced the cheese with nutritional yeast and added more texture and nutritional value by using mushrooms, lots of fresh herbs, and cassava flour. To build a healthy platter with these meatballs, roast some vegetables and add rhubarb if in season.

One oven, two half sheet pans, one dinner

I love to cook, but I’m also pretty happy to reduce the time I spend in the kitchen cooking and cleaning, if possible. So instead of cooking my vegetables in a pan on the stove, I used the baking sheet where I cooked the meatballs to cook the vegetables. I didn’t even wash them (the pans, not the vegetables).

Meatballs are a staple in Romanian cuisine, so I’m familiar with the basics, but there are endless variations on this theme. I usually change things depending on the flavor I want, trying to keep it simple. My mom cooks the onions and garlic before adding them to the meat, and I didn’t even do that. I mixed all the fresh veggies and herbs with the meat, two eggs, some cassava flour, and nutritional yeast, shaped and baked them.

Regarding the serving size, the meatballs will last you a few days or will feed a big family, but the vegetables are just for two – hard to fill the serving size in the recipe.

Italian meatballs served with baked rhubarb

Baked Rhubarb is nice because it is tart and compliments the sweetness of the vegetables and meat. And it’s the season. Add whatever else you feel to the serving bowl. I added a mixed green salad, watermelon radishes, and some savory crepes I experimented with (recipe to come soon).

Ingredient list

• 1 lb 100% ground grass-fed beef
• 1 big red onion
• 2 big garlic cloves
• 1 big bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 1 bunch of fresh basil leaves
• 5 medium button mushrooms
• 2 pasture-raised eggs
• 1 tbsp cassava flour for the mixture, more for coating of meatballs
• spices: dry oregano, salt (about 1 tsp) and pepper
• 2 – 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• extra virgin olive oil – for the pan
• 2 cups riced cauliflower
• 2 cups broccoli slaw
• 1 cup chopped rhubarb
• spices: Italian herbs OR herbs de Provence, salt, pepper and oregano
• extra virgin olive oil

How to make oven-baked Italian meatballs

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Chop the red onion, parsley, garlic, mushrooms, and basil in a food processor (I have a very small one, so I do them separately, but it’s easier if you put them all together).

Add the chopped vegetables to a mixing bowl, add the ground beef, the two eggs, the cassava flour, spices, and salt. Mix well (I do it with my hands).

Prepare two half-sheet pans or one big one by adding olive oil.

Add some cassava flour on a plate, and start rolling the meatballs, about one heaped tbsp of mixture for each. After you roll each of them, coat it with cassava flour and add it to the sheet pan. Repeat with all of them. Drizzle olive oil on top.

Bake them at 375F for 20 minutes, flip them, and bake for another 5 minutes.

Take the meatballs out on a plate and add the cauliflower rice, broccoli slaw, and rhubarb to the pan without washing it; you can scrap any burnt pieces from the pan if you have any. (or the two pans, since I used the half-size). Generously drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with the spices, salt, and pepper and bake for about 15 minutes.

Take out and serve with the meatballs, salad or fresh vegetables, and a hot sauce (or a sauce of your choice). We used Kimchi Sriracha.

More healthy meatballs recipes

If you like this oven-baked Italian meatballs recipe, you should also check out my:

• Za’atar Chicken Meatballs with Hemp Seeds (Gluten-Free)
• Veggie Loaded Kimchi Sriracha Meatballs with Creamy Cauliflower Rice
• Lectin-Free Scandinavian Meatballs with Curry Sauce.

And have you ever tried boiled meatballs? This is an easy method that also produces tender, juicy and wholesome meatballs. Check out this recipe Boiled Meatballs, Scandinavian Style.

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Print Recipe

Almost Italian Meatballs with Baked Vegetables and Rhubarb

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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By Claudia Curici – Serves: Many

Prep Time: 20 minutes – Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lbs 100% ground grass-fed beef (I used sirloin)
• 1 big red onion
• 2 big garlic cloves
• 1 big bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 5 medium button mushrooms
• 2 pasture-raised eggs
• 1 tbsp cassava flour for the mixture, more for coating of meatballs
• spices: dry oregano, salt (about 1 tsp) and pepper
• 2 - 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• extra virgin olive oil - for the pan
• 2 cups riced cauliflower
• 2 cups broccoli slaw
• 1 cup chopped rhubarb
• spices: Italian herbs OR herbs de Provence, salt, pepper and oregano
• extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 375F.

2

Chop the red onion, parsley, garlic, mushrooms and basil in a food processor (I have a very small one so I do them separately, but it's easier if you put them all together).

3

Add the chopped vegetables to a mixing bowl, add the ground beef, the two eggs, the cassava flour, spices and salt. Mix well (I do it with my hands).

4

Prepare two half sheet pans or one big one by adding olive oil.

5

Add some cassava flour on a plate, and start rolling the meatballs, about one heaped tbsp of mixture for each. After you roll each of them, coat it with cassava flour and add it to the sheet pan. Repeat with all of them. Drizzle olive oil on top.

6

Bake them at 375F for 20 minutes, flip them, and bake for another 5 minutes.

7

Take the meatballs out on a plate and add the cauliflower rice, broccoli slaw and rhubarb to the pan, without washing it; you can scrap any burnt pieces from the pan if you have any. (or the two pans, since I used the half size). Generously drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with the spices, salt and pepper and bake for about 15 minutes.

8

Take out and serve with the meatballs, salad or fresh vegetables, and a hot sauce (or a sauce of your choice). We used Kimchi Sriracha.