Greek Zucchini “Meatballs”

Vegetarian Greek Zucchini Meatballs are a healthy dinner idea even picky eaters love. Serve them with a side of pita bread and tzatziki for a hearty, flavorful meatless meal!

If you’re looking for delicious recipes without meat, you’ll love our Vegetarian Chili too. These Cauliflower Wings are another surprisingly delicious dish you need to try.

Brown bowl with meatleass meatballs made with zucchini and greek seasoning.


Why this Recipe Works

Remember that time I made delicious, healthy Zucchini Meatballs? Well I’m back with a new twist!

  • Greek Zucchini Meatballs have a toothsome texture with a crisp exterior.
  • Packed with the flavor of garlic, herbs and zesty spices.
  • Oven baked in under 30 minutes.
  • Delicious on pita bread with classic Greek toppings!

We were recently looking for a meal that uses zucchini, that wasn’t zoodles. Those zucchini meatballs were a hit with everyone! We enjoyed them over noodles with spaghetti sauce, and on meatball sub sandwiches.

After making gyros recently, I was inspired to use some of the aromatic Mediterranean flavors we love to give some Greek flair to zucchini meatballs.

You guys. These are fantastic. Even if you’re NOT vegetarian you’ll enjoy them!

Pita bread with greek zucchini meatballs and tzatziki sauce.

Ingredient Notes

  • Shredded zucchini. If you’re not sure how to shred zucchini, we put together an easy guide with everything you need to know!
  • Greek seasoning. This blend of herbs and spices usually includes oregano, paprika, garlic and pepper. We like Cavender’s brand for these meatballs.
  • Bread crumbs. Use plain, unseasoned bread crumbs for best results. Do NOT use panko bread crumbs.
  • Garlic. For extra garlicky flavor, we added two cloves of peeled, minced garlic to the zucchini meatball mixture.
  • Tzatziki sauce. I love this sauce so much I created a whole post to teach you how to make the best Greek yogurt sauce.
glass bowl of homemade tzatziki sauce

Tips and Tricks

  • The less liquid in the zucchini the better. Cook your zucchini first then use a mesh strainer or clean kitchen towel to wring out the excess water.
  • Make sure “meatballs” are evenly sized and shaped. I use a 2 tbsp cookie scoop to evenly portion out the zucchini mixture to ensure they bake evenly.
  • Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Do not skip this part, as these do tend to STICK. Reynold’s non-stick foil is amazing too!
  • Eat immediately or freeze. Greek zucchini meatballs taste best hot and fresh. If you won’t eat all of them right away, freeze the remaining “meatballs” in a gallon freezer bag.
  • Make the tzatziki sauce ahead of time. Plan ahead and mix together the sauce in the morning or the night before you plan to eat it. The longer the flavors mingle, the better it tastes.
  • Make sure you dice your onion and cucumber SMALL. You want them to smoothly integrate into the yogurt sauce with no big chunks. Smaller chopping also releases even more flavor!
Brown bowl with zucchini meatballs and a side of tzatziki sauce.

Recipe FAQs

I’m in a rush. Can I eat the tzatziki sauce right away?

You sure can. It does taste better the longer the flavors have to blend, but you’ll still enjoy it if you don’t have the time to spare.

Can zucchini meat balls be made ahead of time then baked before serving?

I don’t recommend making the balls ahead of time. The longer they sit the mushier they will become.
If you need to make them in advance, bake them right away and store them in the freezer.

How do I reheat frozen zucchini meatballs?

These can be reheated in the oven until heated through. You can microwave them too but the consistency will be softer.

What sides go well with Greek zucchini meatballs?

Round out your meatless meal with a side of cucumber tomato salad or some sweet potato fries. This rolled baklava would make a perfect dessert for your Greek inspired meal too.

Greek Zucchini Meatballs #healthy #vegetarian #meatless #zucchini #greek #recipe #tzatziki #healthyrecipes

Love Greek food?

Have you tried making homemade hummus yet? This Lemon Hummus sounds bizarre but it’s my FAVORITE flavor, hands down!

This Greek Rice from A Family Feast is seriously on my menu for the week. Doesn’t it look amazing?

I’ve also got this American Greek Salad from Kalyn’s Kitchen on the menu (for the same night). LOVE how easy it is to make.

More Meatballs

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section below!

Greek Zucchini Meatballs

5 from 4 votes
By: Aimee
This meatless, healthy dinner recipe will satisfy even your hungriest and pickest eaters. These vegetarian Greek Zucchini Meatballs are packed with flavor, and even the texture is perfect. Serve them up with a side of homemade tzatziki sauce and pita bread!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 20 “meatballs”

Ingredients 

For the “meatballs”:

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves pressed
  • 4 cups shredded zucchini
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • several cranks of black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons greek seasoning
  • 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese

For the tzatziki sauce:

  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 ½ cup diced cucumber about 1 cucumber
  • ½ cup onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic pressed
  • 1 teaspoon greek seasoning
Save this Recipe?
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe straight to your inbox!

Instructions 

  • Prepare the tzatziki sauce first, ahead of time. I prefer to make my sauce in morning, and allowing it to sit in the fridge all day until dinner. The longer time it has to sit, the better the flavor. But don’t worry, if you forgot to make it ahead of time, it will still taste amazing.
  • For the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. Be sure to dice your onions and cucumbers SMALL.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with non stick foil. Set aside.
  • In a large skillet, drizzle olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Add in shredded zucchini.
  • Cook for about 5 minutes, until most of the water in the skillet has evaporated. Transfer to a colander and press out remaining liquid.
  • In a large bowl combine bread crumbs, egg, seasonings, and parmesan cheese. Mix with the zucchini until fully blended.
  • Using a 2Tbsp scoop, form 20 balls, rolling tightly, and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until firm and lightly browned.
  • Serve meatballs with tzatziki sauce on a pita! ENJOY!

Notes

  • Greek seasoning. This blend of herbs and spices usually includes oregano, paprika, garlic and pepper. We like Cavender's brand for these meatballs.
  • The less liquid in the zucchini the better. Cook your zucchini first then use a mesh strainer or clean kitchen towel to wring out the excess water.
  • Make sure "meatballs" are evenly sized and shaped. I use a 2 tbsp cookie scoop to evenly portion out the zucchini mixture to ensure they bake evenly.
  • Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Do not skip this part, as these do tend to STICK. Reynold's non-stick foil is amazing too!
  • Eat immediately or freeze. Greek zucchini meatballs taste best hot and fresh. If you won't eat all of them right away, freeze the remaining "meatballs" in a gallon freezer bag.
  • Make the tzatziki sauce ahead of time. Plan ahead and mix together the sauce in the morning or the night before you plan to eat it. The longer the flavors mingle, the better it tastes.
  • Make sure you dice your onion and cucumber SMALL. You want them to smoothly integrate into the yogurt sauce with no big chunks. Smaller chopping also releases even more flavor!
  • Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1meatball, Calories: 55kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 394mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Greek
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

    Everyone loves meatless Mondays when these Vegetarian Greek Zucchini Meatballs are on the menu!



    Avatar photo

    About Aimee

    Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

    Learn more about Aimee.

    Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**

    Learn How To Become a Better Home Baker
    Sign up for the Shugary Sweets FREE Email Course Today—soon you’ll say, "I made it from scratch!"

    Categories:


    Posted on January 3, 2018

    Comments & Reviews

    1. I made these and loved them! I made them for the week and they kept really well! With fresh pita and all the fixings, these were absolutely awesome!

      1. My only concern would be them getting mushy the longer they sit. I would suggest baking them the night before, then just reheating before you serve 🙂 You can freeze them once baked too, so make them when you have time off, then freeze them until ready to enjoy!

    2. I love the look of those zucchini meatballs. Big fan of Cavenders Greek Seasoning here too. Thanks for the shout-out for my American Greek Salad. I make that often!

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating