
Gluten-free · Italian-American · 45 min
Meatballs & Tomato Sauce with Zucchini Spaghetti
- 45 min
- 2–6 servings
- 565 kcal / serving
Meatballs simmer in a tangy tomato sauce and are served over zucchini noodles, offering a satisfying bite and bright herb notes. The dish comes together weeknight-friendly with pantry staples on hand.
Free on iPhone · servings scaled, grocery list written for you.
Ingredients
- 1 (14.5 oz) candiced tomatoes
- 1egg
- 3 clovesgarlic
- ½ small bunchItalian (flat-leaf) parsley
- ¾ lblean ground beef
- ½ mediumyellow onion
- 2 mediumzucchini squash
- eggs
- yellow onions
From the pantry: basil, dried, black pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, ground, oregano, dried, panko bread crumbs, salt, virgin coconut oil
Cookware
can opener · chef's knife · cutting board · garlic press (optional) · julienne peeler (optional) · measuring spoons · mixing bowls · salad spinner (optional) · stainless steel or cast iron skillet · stirring spoon · tongs
Kitchen help: cups to grams · tablespoons to cups · oven temperatures · butter conversions · what each cooking tool is for · ingredient substitutes
More recipes with: ground beef · zucchini
More dinner ideas: easy dinners
Shopping list by aisle
Produce
- 3 clovesgarlic
- ½ small bunchItalian (flat-leaf) parsley
- ½ mediumyellow onion
- 2 mediumzucchini squash
- yellow onions
Meat & seafood
- ¾ lblean ground beef
Dairy, eggs & chilled
- 1egg
- eggs
Pantry & dry goods
- 1 (14.5 oz) candiced tomatoes
4 aisles for this recipe. Plan a week in MealPot and it merges every dinner into one list in this order, scaled to your household.
Ingredients for 2, 4 and 6 servings
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings | 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| diced tomatoes | 1 (14.5 oz) can | 2 (14.5 oz) cans | 3 (14.5 oz) cans |
| egg | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| garlic | 3 cloves | 6 cloves | 9 cloves |
| Italian (flat-leaf) parsley | ½ small bunch | 1 small bunch | 1 ½ small bunches |
| lean ground beef | ¾ lb | 1 ½ lb | 2 ¼ lb |
| yellow onion | ½ medium | 1 medium | 1 ½ medium |
| zucchini squash | 2 medium | 4 medium | 6 medium |
Quantities in US units. Any other household size: MealPot scales the recipe and the grocery list for you.
Directions
- Mince the onion and garlic, and wash and dry the parsley. Remove the leaves from the stems and mince them.
- In a bowl, combine the ground beef with one egg, bread crumbs, half of the chopped onion, half of the minced garlic, cumin, dried basil, salt, pepper, and a quarter of the minced parsley. Mix until evenly blended.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and lightly oil the bottom.
- Shape the beef mixture into small balls and arrange them on a plate.
- Spoon a little oil into the skillet and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 2–3 minutes; they won’t be fully cooked yet. Transfer to a plate.
- Add a bit more oil to the skillet, then sauté the remaining onion until soft, about 3–4 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining garlic and crushed red pepper; cook briefly until fragrant, 15–30 seconds.
- Pour in the can of tomatoes, add the remaining parsley, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Mash the tomatoes lightly and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and slide the meatballs back in; simmer until they are cooked through, about 5–10 minutes.
- Wash the zucchini, trim the ends, and use a julienne or regular peeler to create noodle-like strands.
- To serve, place zucchini noodles in bowls, top with meatballs and sauce, and enjoy.
Two tips
- Prep ahead: mince the onion, garlic, and parsley early and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Leftovers and swaps: refrigerate the sauce and meatballs for up to 3–4 days, or serve the sauce over extra zucchini noodles the next day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 565 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 219 mg
Estimates from the recipe's published nutrition data; they change with the version you pick above.
PLAN THE WEEK
One of 1,676 recipes in MealPot.
Pick five dinners, MealPot writes one grocery list sorted by aisle and scales every recipe to your household.
Ingredient quantities, timing and nutrition follow the original Mealime recipe ↗ (captured 2026-09-12). The photo is MealPot's AI-rendered illustration of the finished dish; the description, directions, aisle list and serving table are MealPot's.