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Cheesy Zucchini Veggie Balls with Fresh Basil Tomato Sauce

Irresistibly tasty Cheesy Zucchini Veggie Balls, comprised of grated zucchini, fragrant garlic, finely chopped onion, and Pecorino Romano cheese, are baked to golden perfection and then left to simmer in a robust, homemade basil tomato sauce. Part-skim ricotta cheese is served on the side for a crea...
1
1 hr
TOTAL TIME
409
CALORIES
$2.02
PER SERVING
Cheesy Zucchini Veggie Balls with Fresh Basil Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
TOMATO SAUCE
4 SERVINGS
Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt & Black Pepper
salt & black pepper
to taste
Fresh Basil
2 tbsp fresh basil
chopped
Canned Crushed Tomatoes
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
Olive Oil
2 tbsp olive oil
divided
Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
for serving
Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
1 cup italian seasoned breadcrumbs
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Zucchini
1 1/4 lbs zucchini
grated and drained
Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Garlic
2 cloves garlic
minced
Onion
1 small onion
finely chopped
Egg
1 large egg
beaten
Fresh Basil
3 tbsp fresh basil
chopped, plus extra for garnish
Pecorino Romano Cheese
1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese
freshly grated
Directions
START WITH
20 min
PREP TIME
40 min
COOK TIME
1 hr
TOTAL TIME
1
Preheat your oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and lightly grease a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and chopped onion, cooking until the onion is tender.
3
Stir in the grated zucchini into the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the zucchini is wilted and water is evaporated about 5 to 7 minutes.
4
Move the zucchini mixture to a large bowl and add Italian breadcrumbs, beaten egg, fresh basil, and Pecorino Romano cheese. Mix well until combined.
5
Form the zucchini mixture into 16 tightly rolled balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
6
Bake for 20-25 minutes until firm and golden brown.
TOMATO SAUCE
7
Meanwhile, in the same skillet, add crushed tomatoes and season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer over medium heat for around 15 minutes, then stir in chopped basil.
8
Add the baked zucchini balls to the sauce, cover the skillet and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
FINISH WITH
9
Serve the zucchini veggie balls with a scoop of part-skim ricotta cheese on the side and extra Pecorino Romano cheese on top if desired. Garnish with extra fresh basil leaves.
Health Info
Macros
43g
CARBS
17g
FAT
17g
PROTEIN
Allowed on these diets
VEGETARIAN
Contains these allergens
MILK
EGGS
WHEAT