Do not let the look of these fool you, the added spinach doesn’t make these the most beautiful meatballs but the flavor is so good. I made these on a whim for my baby just trying to make something fast and nutritious and when I taste tested them I just wanted to keep eating them. They ended up being a part of my dinner as well, and going up on the blog same night so that I’d make sure to remember them for next time. Packed with nutrients, ready in under thirty minutes, and not just tolerated, but loved by the whole family…. we call this a win.
Meatballs are great for baby led weaning as they stay in tact enough for younger babies to grasp and take bites of or can be cut up or easily have smile bites taken from them as baby / toddler grows. This recipe fully cooks the meatballs but keeps them tender and juicy enough that they are easy to eat. Another reason I love this recipe is it is loaded with iron with both red meat and spinach incorporated which is so important for babies to get a lot of. You can serve these with a tomato sauce which is rich in vitamin C to help the iron absorption if you are looking to really get baby (or yourself) a boost.
We like to keep things short and sweet around here, let’s get to the recipe you showed up for!
Spinach Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground beef I use 85/15% for this recipe
- 1 egg
- 1 handful spinach
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp garlic
- 1 pinch cumin
- 1 pinch paprika
- pinch salt optional, leave out for BLW
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325' convection.
- Add ground beef, bread crumbs, and spices to a small mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add your egg, spinach and diced shallot to an immersion blender or small food processor. If you don't have either you can just whisk egg and very finely dice the shallot and spinach and stir together. Blend until smooth or stir until well combined.
- Pour blended ingredients over the meat and stir until everything is well combined.
- Form meatballs about 1.5 inches – half pound of meat should yield 10-12 meatballs. Place on a baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Bake 15 minutes and enjoy!
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