Mini Beef Meatballs with Golden Corn and Zucchini
Tender little baked meatballs with sweet corn and golden zucchini, lemon on the side.
Fits Celiac, Hashimoto's, Pregnancy and 3 more diets
Plan your dinnersGluten checks every recipe for everyone at your table. Free.
Ingredients
- 450 g ground beef
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 zucchini, cut into half-moons
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 30 g parmesan, finely grated
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 lemon wedges
Method
- Mix the beef, rice, egg, garlic, lemon zest, parmesan and salt with your hands.
- Roll into small meatballs and place on an oiled tray.
- Bake at 400°F until browned and firm, about 18 minutes.18 min timer
- Take out the kids' share of meatballs before any lemon goes on.Kids’ plate comes out here
- Sauté the zucchini and corn in olive oil until golden and tender, about 8 minutes.8 min timer
- Squeeze lemon over the grown-up plates and serve everything with extra rice.
Kids’ plate: Meatball dippers
On the plate: Plain mini meatballs, soft corn kernels and zucchini half-moons, lemon left off.
Make it a game: Build a little meatball tower, one at a time — can it stand?
Set it aside at step 4, before the grown-ups’ sauce or spice goes on.
Why it works
- Celiac disease: Rice holds the meatballs together — no flour, breadcrumbs or soy sauce anywhere.
- Toddler (1–3): Bite-size meatballs and soft corn and zucchini, seasoned simply before the lemon.
Celiac check: watch for hidden gluten in soy sauce, stock, malt vinegar and seasoning blends, and oats that aren’t certified. Gluten gives food ideas, not medical advice: always check labels for allergens and cross-contact.
Cooking for more than one diet?
Add everyone you cook for, with their allergies, diets and ages. Gluten checks this recipe for each of them and tells you what to change for anyone who can’t eat it as written. It’s free.
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This recipe also fits: Hashimoto's recipes, Pregnancy recipes, Toddlers recipes, Gluten-free recipes, Crohn’s and colitis recipes, Kid-friendly recipes, Sheet pan recipes, One pan recipes.