Broccoli Parmesan Meatballs

Published: May 10, 2015 · by Nicole · Updated: Aug 2, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

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I think it's time for more meatballs. (Or maybe it's always time for more meatballs? I'm not sure.)

I've done Lentil Mushroom Meatballs before and if there's one thing I learned from that post, it's that you guys love meatballs. And that's good, because I do too. In a world full of veggie burgers, veggie meatballs are a little harder to come by, so I think I'm going to make it my personal mission to post as many meatless meatball recipes as I can.

All meatballs! All the time!

Okay, no, that won't happen. So: Some meatballs! Some of the time! Like thesebroccoli parmesan meatballs.

Although it's not in the name of the recipe, the star ingredient of these meatballs is ground almonds. You don't want to process them into a flour and you don't want them chunky enough that you know these meatballs are made with nuts--they need to be a coarse crumb. These crumbs are what give my Broccoli Parmesan Meatballs their meaty texture. Well, maybe meaty isn't quite the word I'm looking for, but without the ground almonds, these would be a little soft and mushy. The ground almonds are combined with chopped broccoli and shredded Parmesan cheese, formed into cute little meatballs, and then baked in a mini muffin tin.

Why a mini-muffin tin? Well, it helps the meatballs hold their shape! And it keeps them from rolling all over the place too. If you don't have a mini-muffin tin, don't worry--a regular muffin tin will do just fine. Since this recipe makes 12 meatballs, you might want to double it if you have a meatball lovin' household. (And if it's just you lovin' meatballs, you can still double the recipe and freeze the leftovers--yes, these freeze well!)

Like all of my vegetarian remakes, these broccoli parmesan meatballs aren't really meant to taste like actual meatballs. They just share the shape and function of meaty meatballs. They're much tastier than the bland faux meat versions you can buy at the grocery store and I feel like I can say this with authority because Chris used to be hooked on those things and after I started making them myself, he completely changed his mind.

With the broccoli and Parmesan, these meatballs are an obvious addition to pasta, but we used some of ours to make meatball subs. I put them on a sub roll and topped them with chunky marinara sauce, some shredded cheese, and chopped basil. Broccoli parmesan meatballs are total comfort food.

This post was originally published June 3, 2013

Recipe

Vegetarian meatballs made with raw almonds, broccoli, and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for adding to your next bowl of pasta!

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: broccoli parmesan meatballs, vegetarian meatballs

Servings: 12 meatballs

Calories: 74kcal

Author: Oh My Veggies

Ingredients

½ cup raw almonds
1 large head broccoli cut into florets and steamed (about 2 cups)
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg lightly beaten
Olive oil mister or cooking spray

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Place the almonds in a food processor. Process until they're coarsely ground (see image in post--it's important to not under- or over-process!). Transfer ground almonds to a medium bowl.
Now place the broccoli florets in the food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the chopped broccoli, cheese, and garlic to the almonds and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the egg.
Spray a mini-muffin tin with olive oil or cooking spray. Form the broccoli mixture into 12 balls, squeezing them a little to make sure they hold their shape, and place each one in its own cup in the muffin tin. Bake until meatballs are golden on the outside and heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove tin from oven and run a butter knife along the edges of each muffin cup to loosen meatballs before gently popping them out.

Nutrition

Calories: 74kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 89mgPotassium: 213mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 368IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 1mg

Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Courtney @ The Fig Tree says
June 14, 2013 at 12:29 am

These are fantastic! Such a great recipe! I've been wanting to make homemade meatballs, because I know the soy based ones we buy are filled with processed crap and salt. *haha* These will definitely be a staple in our weekly menu plan! 🙂
Reply
- Kiersten says
  June 14, 2013 at 6:36 pm
  
  Yeah, we stopped buying those after I started making them myself. You can make double or triple batches and freeze them--they heat up just like the frozen store-bought ones do. 🙂
  Reply
Gila says
June 18, 2013 at 1:31 am

All I can say is OMG! Easy and delicious. WAY better than the garbage you can buy, disguising as good nutrition. I just dropped them in the shape of mini burgers on a parchment paper covered pan. then after baking I froze them.
Reply
- Kiersten says
  June 18, 2013 at 9:12 pm
  
  I'm so glad you enjoyed them! I love freezing them too--you can't beat homemade convenience food. 🙂
  Reply
Jessica says
June 20, 2013 at 11:46 am

I just wanted to let you know that I made these for dinner last week, served them with pasta & peperonata, and they were delicious! So simple but they had a real wow factor. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe.
Reply
- Kiersten says
  June 21, 2013 at 6:40 pm
  
  Thanks for your comment--I'm glad they turned out well for you! 🙂
  See Also
  Easy Garlic Ranch Pretzels Recipe Easy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe with Cake Mix - Meatloaf and Melodrama 35 Vegan BBQ Recipes (Every Course!)Our 47 Best 4th Of July Recipes For Summer Eating
  Reply
  - Maggie Baker says
    January 12, 2014 at 11:49 am
    
    wondering if you can use panko bread crumbs if you have a nut allergy?
    Reply
    - Kiersten Frase says
      January 12, 2014 at 8:01 pm
      
      You could give it a try, but I can't say if it would turn out, since I developed the recipe using almonds.
      Reply
Cathryn says
June 24, 2013 at 11:23 am

Made these last week and they were delicious. Carnivorous husband and small child loved them too - thanks so much!
Reply
- Kiersten says
  June 24, 2013 at 9:01 pm
  
  I'm glad they were a hit! 🙂
  Reply
M T says
June 26, 2013 at 10:18 am

The only problem with these is that parmesan isn't actually vegetarian. A lot of supermarkets have a cheap "Italian Hard Cheese" which is vegetarian but parmesan is NEVER veggie (in order to be called that, you need to use calf rennet in the production).
Reply
- Kiersten says
  June 26, 2013 at 10:31 am
  
  That's a rule in the EU that doesn't apply in the US, where I (and nearly all of my readers) live. In the US, there are domestic cheeses labeled as Parmesan that are made with microbial rennet. Here's the brand I use: http://www.organicvalley.coop/products/cheese/parmesan/.
  Reply
Kelly says
June 28, 2013 at 12:17 pm

I gave them another go and they came out perfectly!! I realized that I didn't steam the broccoli last time!! So yum.
Reply
- Kiersten says
  June 28, 2013 at 4:00 pm
  
  Oh good, I'm so glad they turned out this time! 😀
  Reply
munchkin says
July 02, 2013 at 4:34 pm

great idea, looks yummy cant wait to make it
Reply
Brenda Williams says
July 06, 2013 at 7:54 pm

OMG...these sound totally awesome! I have a brand new mini muffin tin and this is just the recipe to break it in:)
Reply
livingreen2 says
July 08, 2013 at 2:20 pm

Yep, these are AMAZING! Just made them last night. They reheated beautifully for my lunch at work. Thanks!
Reply
- Kiersten says
  July 13, 2013 at 4:51 pm
  
  I'm glad you enjoyed them--thanks for your comment! 🙂
  Reply
ashlee says
July 09, 2013 at 10:17 am

i am out of almonds. would regular breadcrumbs work. I do have Cashews?
Reply
- Kiersten says
  July 13, 2013 at 4:27 pm
  
  I haven't tried the recipe with breadcrumbs or cashews, so I can't say for sure whether they'd work or not.
  Reply
felicia says
September 23, 2013 at 1:44 pm

Looks awesome!! Can these be frozen anyway??
Reply
- Kiersten says
  September 23, 2013 at 9:20 pm
  
  Yes, they freeze well! Bake them first, then after they've cooled, you can pop them in a freezer bag.
  Reply
  See Also
  THE BEST Smoked Salmon Chowder Recipe | Montana Happy
Jennifer says
October 08, 2013 at 6:02 pm

There's a meatball shop near me that makes similar veggie balls only they use mostly cauliflower. There are whole pine nuts & golden raisins in them too. They're amazing. I need to try your recipe as it's the closest I've seen so far.
Reply
- Kiersten says
  October 09, 2013 at 7:10 pm
  
  If you try making these with cauliflower, let me know! I'm really curious about how they'd turn out. 🙂
  Reply
  - Jennifer says
    November 06, 2013 at 7:28 pm
    
    I finally got around to making these. They’re delicious. So creative. I tried with green cauliflower and a nut mix. Added whole pine nuts & raisins. Think I need more salt. And maybe the green variety of cauliflower is more mild than the white? But good, fun & creative nonetheless. Have you tried with roasted eggplant?
    Reply
    - Kiersten says
      November 07, 2013 at 8:10 pm
      
      I think the green variety is crossed with broccoli, right? So yes, I could see it having a milder flavor. It's been quite a while since I've had it myself! And no, I haven't made eggplant meatballs, but I want to soon!
      Reply
Wendy says
October 15, 2013 at 12:18 pm

Dinner tonight! If I had any doubts after reading the recipe (which I really didn't) all of these glowing comments closed the deal! 🙂 I found this at the perfect moment. My vegetarian daughter is attempting to go gluten free/ soy free (for health reasons) . This recipe meets ALL of her requirements! Thanks!
Reply
- Kiersten says
  October 16, 2013 at 1:57 pm
  
  Yay, I hope you enjoy it! And good luck to your daughter--cutting out gluten and soy can be difficult since it's hidden in so many things!
  Reply
Rina says
November 12, 2013 at 4:29 am

My sister sent me the link to these yesterday and made them tonight, YUMMO!! I used cashews in place of the parmesan cheese as my son has a dairy allergy. Will be making these on a regular basis.
Reply
- Kiersten says
  November 12, 2013 at 8:09 pm
  
  I'm glad they worked out with the cashews--thanks for the feedback!
  Reply
Melanie says
December 02, 2013 at 3:00 pm

Holy Shamoly these are tasty! We are not vegetarians but due to my husbands declining health, we are looking for some healthier alternatives. He's a meat and potatoes kind of guy and even HE loves them! We'll be making these again. Added a little Italian seasoning.
Delish! Thanks!
Reply
- Kiersten says
  December 04, 2013 at 8:25 pm
  
  I'm so glad you and your husband enjoyed them! My mom went vegan this year because of health issues she was having and she was able to reverse them through diet alone--changing the way you eat is really tough, but I hope your husband will see results too!
  Reply
Kirb says
January 04, 2014 at 9:08 am

Just made these and they were amazing. Great texture and flavour. Use of mini muffin pan is genius as it ensures a perfect crust.
Made a few slight changes as I didn't have all ingredients on hand:
Only had small broccoli head so used stalk too.
No fresh parmesan, used a combo of tasty and colby plus dried parmesan.
Added about 2 chopped walnuts because they were handy.
Fantastic recipe that I will surely modify a million times and continue to enjoy. Well done!
Reply
- Kirb says
  January 04, 2014 at 10:15 am
  
  oh, i added a little feta too, but reduced the added table salt. And I added a few chillis because i love spicy food.
  Reply
- Kiersten says
  January 05, 2014 at 7:12 pm
  
  Thanks for your feedback--I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe! I've heard from others who've added feta too. 🙂
  Reply
Anne Gazzard says
January 06, 2014 at 12:55 am

Have just found your website and am so excited - easy recipes, vegetarian AND vegan, lots of reader input, user friendly website! Am looking forward to cooking many of your recipes - am starting with these yummy meatballs!
Reply
- Kiersten Frase says
  January 06, 2014 at 9:35 pm
  
  I'm glad you found us! 🙂 And I hope you like the recipe! It's one of my favorites.
  Reply
Laura says
January 07, 2014 at 2:58 pm

I would like to use these just as an appetizer, is there a good sauce that you would recommend using as a dip?
Reply
- Kiersten Frase says
  January 07, 2014 at 9:01 pm
  
  I would just use a high-quality marinara--either homemade or store-bought. 🙂
  Reply
Marci says
January 08, 2014 at 8:04 pm

loved these, thanks!
Reply
Komal says
January 14, 2014 at 11:49 am

Hii,
Made these last night and turned out delicous. Simple to make and full of flavor, served with spaghetti with Rao's sauce. Perfect dinner. Thank you for the recipe.
Komal
Reply
- Kiersten Frase says
  January 14, 2014 at 8:21 pm
  
  Thanks for your comment--I'm glad you enjoyed them!
  Reply
rekha says
January 14, 2014 at 10:52 pm

Hi,
What would you recommend as a substitute for the egg?
Reply
- Kiersten Frase says
  January 15, 2014 at 8:39 pm
  
  You could try using a flax egg replacer, but it probably wouldn't bind quite as well.
  Reply
Emily says
January 23, 2014 at 12:56 pm

Thanks for this recipe!! These were great - I served them with a pasta sauce I already had in the fridge. Taste great leftover too!
Reply
- Kiersten Frase says
  January 24, 2014 at 8:35 pm
  
  I'm happy to hear they were a success! 🙂
  Reply
amanda says
January 26, 2014 at 7:15 pm

I just made these, and they are fabulous! I used my vitamix to chop the almonds, and I think it provided the consistency suggested in the recipe. Since I had it out, I also used the vitamix to chop 3/4 of the broccoli and hand chopped the other 1/4. Because of all this vitamixing, I neglected to steam the broccoli! Ooops! I needed two eggs and one more clove of garlic to make the balls firm enough to stick together. However, they turned out fantastic. I baked them for 25 minutes.
Reply
- Kiersten Frase says
  January 26, 2014 at 7:36 pm
  
  I'm glad they worked out! I've never tried chopping broccoli in my Vitamix before--I am intrigued. 🙂
  Reply
lori says
February 01, 2014 at 12:15 am

what are the orange little pieces?
Reply
- Kiersten Frase says
  February 02, 2014 at 8:20 am
  
  They're pieces of cheese that browned in the oven.
  Reply
Greg says
February 09, 2014 at 9:11 pm

Delicious! I only had roasted almonds and they worked fine. I also love curry. 1/2 to 3/4 tbs adds a great taste. I also substituted half the Parmesan with oatmeal the 2nd time to lessen that flavor.
Reply
- Kiersten Frase says
  February 11, 2014 at 7:42 pm
  
  Thanks for your feedback--I'm glad you enjoyed them!
  Reply

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