• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Natural Nurturer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Home
  • Info
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
  • Recipes
    • Recipes by Type
      • Breakfast
        • Muffins
        • Oatmeal
        • Pancakes & Waffles
      • Desserts
      • Dinner
      • Dips, Sauces & Spreads
      • How To
      • Salads
      • Side Dishes
      • Smoothies & Drinks
      • Snacks
      • Soups
    • Recipes by Diet
      • Dairy-Free
      • Gluten-Free
      • Grain Free
      • Nut-Free
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
    • Recipes by Cooking Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Instant Pot
      • Meal Prep
      • No Cook
      • Roasted
      • Slow Cooker
    • Recipe Search
    • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Stories
  • Shop
    • Ebooks and Meal Plans
    • Recommended Products
  • Blog
    • Food For Thought
Home » Recipes » Dinner » Chicken Cauliflower Meatballs {Paleo, Whole30, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free}

Chicken Cauliflower Meatballs {Paleo, Whole30, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free}

By Taesha Butler January 1, 2019 (Updated August 6, 2021) 7 Comments

Servings18 meatballs
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time35 mins
Jump to Recipe
5 from 5 votes

So simple and made with only 7 real food ingredients, these delicious Chicken Cauliflower Meatballs are the perfect thing to make for a protein-packed and veggie-loaded addition to any meal! And they are gluten free, dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30, egg-free and nut-free too! So yeah, they are basically magic in edible form and are bound to become a new staple!

Delicious Chicken Cauliflower Meatballs served in a big cute bowl with a forn on top and a white tray with more meatballs on a wooden board

“If you hadn’t told me there was cauliflower in these meatballs, I would have never guessed it was in them,” a friend said last night at dinner as she carefully examined her half eaten meatball and then processed to pop the rest of it in her mouth.

Chicken Cauliflower Meatballs

We had been invited over her house for dinner with her family and I eagerly brought my newest chicken cauliflower meatballs recipe to share….and to admittedly test out on a crowd that was not my immediate family.

All the ingredients in one shot including chicken meat, green onions and cauliflower

“Score!” I thought to myself as I smiled and continued on with my dinner. Mission accomplished. Another veggie-loaded recipe that is easy to make but serves up all kinds of healthy goodness in a tasty little way!

Cauliflower… to eat or not to eat

Truth be told, cauliflower is not the most loved veggie in my house. Not by me. Or my husband. And most definitely not our 7-year-old daughter.

However, you will notice that these are multiple recipes like this chicken cauliflower meatballs on The Natural Nurturer that have cauliflower as one of their main ingredients….and my crew loves every single one of them!

Because that is kind of what veggie-loading is all about. Finding creative and delicious ways to enjoy veggies…..even the veggies you do not currently love. To get those nutrient dense plants that are full of vitamins into our bodies, without having to choke them down.

A big tray full of the dish with chopped onions on top and more fresh veggies ready to be used next to the tray

Take cauliflower for example. It is a vegetable most people can find year-round (though its peak season is fall) and is high in fiber. It is an excellent source of antioxidants, is high in choline (a nutrient that many people are low in and that is important in maintaining the integrity of cell membranes and brain development (source)), and is rich source of vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin B6, folate, potassium, and manganese.

Ummmmm can you see why I don’t want to miss out on the amazingness of cauliflower….even though I don’t particularly care for it?

Veggie-loaded meatballs

So, I veggie-load it into things like Creamy Cauliflower & Blueberry Smoothie, 20-Minute Pork Fried Cauliflower Rice and now….meatballs! Oh-so delicious, oh-so easy and oh-so veggie-loaded meatballs. You read about them….now go and make them and enjoy all the goodness that cauliflower holds!

Baked hot chicken cauliflower meatballs straight out of the oven with green onions next to the tray and a head of cauliflower on a wooden table in the background

Suggested adaptations

  1. Use whatever ground meat you prefer! I have made this cauliflower meatballs recipe with ground beef, ground turkey and ground chicken! It’s delightful and delicious no matter what your meat base!
  2. Be sneaky with the cauliflower or leave it out there for all to see! This could definitely be considered a “hidden veggie” kind of recipe if you need that (for yourself or someone else) since finely riced cauliflower can easily disappear into the chicken. However, if you are trying to make yourself or a family member more comfortable with cauliflower in your food, perhaps consider using a chunkier rice cauliflower in these meatballs so that the flavors still blend together nicely. This is a great stepping stone for individuals who are learning to embrace vegetables into their diet.

Love veggie-loaded recipes as much as I do? Check out my ebook, Veggie-Loaded Love, for oodles of veggie-packed recipes…including Flourless Chocolate Protein Muffins (with hidden greens) that will change your breakfast game….even with those picky eaters!

Other amazing recipes you are going to love…

  • Kid-Friendly Cauliflower Recipes
  • Healthy Meatball Recipe round-up (veggie-loaded)
  • Instant Pot Garlic Herb Pulled Chicken

Loving these chicken cauliflower meatballs and hungry for more?

Sign up so that my newsletter is delivered straight to your inbox. And be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all kinds of veggie-loaded living ideas!

Delicious Chicken Cauliflower Meatballs served in a big cute bowl with a forn on top and a white tray with more meatballs on a wooden board
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Chicken Cauliflower Meatballs

These Chicken Cauliflower Meatballs are simple and made with only 7 real food ingredients. Gluten free, dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30, egg-free and nut-free too!
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time35 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower meatballs recipe, chicken meatballs with cauliflower, healthy cauliflower recipe
Servings: 18 meatballs
Calories: 40kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups riced cauliflower (if using frozen, defrost first and drain off extra liquid)
  • 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Time to get messy! Using your (freshly washed) hands, mix the ingredients until everything is well blended.
  • Gently roll the meat into golfball size portions. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer in a large baking dish. Note: Using a baking dish or a baking sheet with a lip is important, as the vegetables will give off some liquid during the cooking process.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until meat is cooked through.
  • Enjoy warm on their own, with 30-Minute Veggie-Loaded Tomato Sauce over zoodles, over a salad, your favorite pasta or save fore later! Store leftovers in fridge for up to 5 days or in freezer for a month.

Notes

  1. You can use whatever ground meat you prefer! I have made this recipe with ground beef, ground turkey and ground chicken! It’s delightful and delicious no matter what your meat base!
  2. Be sneaky with the cauliflower or leave it out there for all to see! This could definitely be considered a “hidden veggie” kind of recipe if you need that (for yourself or someone else) since finely riced cauliflower can easily disappear into the chicken. However, if you are trying to make yourself or a family member more comfortable with cauliflower in your food, perhaps consider using a chunkier rice cauliflower in these meatballs so that the flavors still blend together nicely but the cauliflower isn’t so visually masked. 

Nutrition

Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

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!

Sharing is caring!

559 shares
  • Share68
  • Tweet

Filed Under: Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Meal Prep, Paleo, Whole30 Tagged With: cauliflower

Previous Post: « Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Carrot Bread
Next Post: Kid-Friendly Cauliflower Recipes »

Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. lee

    July 18, 2019 at 1:42 am

    thanks for the recipe . Will surely try them one of these days. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Andrea

    June 2, 2020 at 9:49 pm

    5 stars
    Super easy meatball that makes enough to enjoy for dinner and freeze leftovers for quick lunchbox ideas!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      June 3, 2020 at 4:29 pm

      I’m glad you enjoyed them as much as we do!

      Reply
  3. ปั้มไลค์

    June 27, 2020 at 11:20 am

    5 stars
    Like!! I blog frequently and I really thank you for your content. The article has truly peaked my interest.

    Reply
  4. Meghan N

    July 8, 2020 at 2:24 am

    Super Easy Meatballs!
    I increased italian seasoning to 1Tb, left out the green onion and added onion powder, just cause that’s what I had on hand. I made it with turkey which left the meatballs a smidge dry but all in all they were great. Can’t emphasis enough how easy they were. My 2year old gobbled them up.

    Reply
  5. Mia

    October 30, 2020 at 9:23 am

    5 stars

    Reply
  6. Helena

    December 12, 2020 at 4:45 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve got to say that this is one of the most brilliant ways to load cauliflower! 😉

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Categories

Newsletter

Subscribe to our email list.

Never miss a new veggie-loaded recipe or natural living rambling.

Once you have subscribed, you will receive an email asking you to confirm. Please click "yes" and you'll be added to my list. And just my list. Your privacy is important and I totally respect it. I won't be sharing your email with anyone else....no matter how nicely they ask.

Footer

As seen in…

As seen in brand wall collage

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

© 2023 The Natural Nurturer - Privacy Policy - Accessibility Policy - Support by Foodie Digital

  • 68