These beef and mushroom meatballs are easy, quick and sure to become a household favorite! Full of flavor, yet made with just 7 ingredients, they are Whole30, Paleo, gluten free, egg-free, and dairy-free.
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If you are just starting to dip your toe into the world of veggie-loading, these beef and mushroom meatballs are, hands down, one of the best places to start. So easy to make, and the flavor combo of beef and mushrooms together is seriously unreal! Plus, if you have a “mushroom-resistant ” eater at your dinner table (I certainly have one at mine), the mushrooms kind of disappear into the meat (both visually and texture wise) so that they can enjoy mushrooms in a whole new, unintimidating way!
Benefits of mushrooms
Okay, yes. I know that mushrooms are botanically considered a fungus ….but people eat them like a vegetable. And, mushrooms are super nutrient dense, like a veggie!
Mushrooms are loaded with fiber, B vitamins, selenium and potassium. There is even some protein hanging out in mushrooms! (source). There have even been studies that show that mushrooms help to boost your immune system. SO, this fungus is as awesome as any veggie in my book.
Adding mushrooms to ground meat is also a great way to not only get more plants into your diet, but also help your meat to stretch. The mushrooms take on a similar texture and flavor of the meat, helping them to naturally blend into these meatballs and adding more bulk to your dinner!
How to serve these beef and mushroom meatballs
Meatballs are my go-to “emergency” protein. I like to have a batch on hand in the fridge or freezer to throw into any meal for a healthy serving of protein. Here are some ways I enjoy these beef and mushroom meatballs…
- Over my favorite pasta (we eat a gluten free lentil pasta since it has more protein)
- Over spirialized veggies with 30-Minute Veggie-Loaded Tomato Sauce
- With your favorite rice, cauliflower “rice” and roasted veggies
- Over a salad
- As a protein-packed snack!
Tip
- Sautee the mushrooms first. Mushrooms can hold onto a lot of moisture and cooking them first not only helps to bring out their flavor, but release some of that moisture that might cause your meatballs to fall apart.
Suggested Adaptations
- Cook them as burgers. Not in a meatball mood? Form these into patties and enjoy them as burgers instead!
- Use your favorite mushroom. I used cremini mushrooms, but portobello, oysters mushrooms or whatever you find at the market will work well.
- Use whatever ground meat you like. Mushrooms go well with and add flavor to just about any ground meat you like. However, ground chicken and turkey are often much blander in flavor then beef or pork, so you may need to up the seasoning.
Other veggie-loaded meatball recipes you are going to love
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Beef & Mushroom Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped cremini mushrooms or your favorite mushrooms
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup flax meal
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400℉.
- Place a skillet over medium and add a little cooking oil. When oil is hot, add the chopped mushrooms and minced garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for a moment to cook.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add mushroom/garlic mixture to the bowl.
- Using clean hands, mix all of the ingredients throughly until everything is incorporated.
- Once mixed, portion out the mixture and roll the meat into a smallish golfball size
- Arrange the meatballs in a single layer in a large baking dish.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until meat is cooked through
- Remove from oven and enjoy over spiralized veggies, your favorite pasta, rice, salad or just as a protein side to any meal. Once cool, store leftovers in your fridge for 3-4 days or in freezer!
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
Comments
Total win. My mushroom hating husband said these were the best meatballs he’d ever had!
Yes! Love winning those husbands over!
Could I use bread crumbs or rice crumbs in this instead of the flax?
Great favor, non mushroom-y taste. Family approved.
Yay! My mushroom-iffy daughter loves these too…a great veggie-loading go-to
Could these be prepared ahead of time and cooked later, Could they be cooked ahead and warmed up later? Wanting to serve at a family gathering and didn’t want to spend the whole time preparing and cooking
I’ve had a lot of lucky cooking them ahead and rewarming these!
As a life-long mushroom-hater, I herby certify this as a fantastic recipe!! I used about a tablespoon of dried parsley instead of fresh and teaspoon of dried oregano instead of chives. I also substituted the flax meal with ground oats (a la my coffee grinder). Otherwise, I stuck to the recipe and I was not disappointed. Even my veggie-loathing husband tried them and liked them. I had mine with spaghetti squash and peas, delish! We will definitely be making these again!
How awesome, Kaya! I’m so glad that these meatballs helped you enjoy mushrooms in a way that felt good to you. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review.