Ingredients
POTATOES
300 gr
CARROTS
150 gr
FRESH OR FROZEN PEAS
150 gr
ZUCHINIS
150 gr
RED ONION
1/2
GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE
80 gr
EGG
1
PARSLEY
1 tuft
BASIL
5 leaves
TIMO
1 sprig
NUTMEG
q.b.
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
q.b.
SALE
q.b.
PEANUT OIL
q.b.
Vegetable meatballs are a tasty and colorful second course , a vegetarian variant  of the classic meatballs , also ideal for serving as a rich appetizer . It is a simple and quick home recipe, created to entice the little ones to eat vegetables with gusto.

With a soft heart and crunchy crust, they are excellent as an empty fridge idea : in our version we have chosen carrots, courgettes and peas, but you can opt for the vegetables you prefer, based on seasonality . These will be sautéed in a pan with a base of oil and onion, then mixed with boiled potatoes, eggs and grated Parmesan. After forming many balls, you will have to dip them in beaten egg, cover them with breadcrumbs and then fry them in abundant peanut oil until they appear golden on the surface.

You can serve them immediately, piping hot, but they are also delicious cold or at room temperature, as long as they are consumed during the day, in order to preserve all their fragrance. To make them even more delicious and stringy, you can add a cube of cheese and make a double breading. If, on the other hand, you prefer a lighter result , you can cook them in the oven or in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Excellent as a delicious finger food for an aperitif or a buffet with friends, they can be combined with different sauces as you like: try them with guacamole, aioli , a classic homemade mayonnaise or in the original version flavored with basil .

Find out how to prepare vegetable meatballs by following the procedure and advice step by step. If you liked this recipe, try your hand at zucchini meatballs , cauliflower meatballs and aubergine and ricotta meatballs .

How to prepare vegetable meatballs

Step 1
Wash the potatoes and boil them in plenty of lightly salted boiling water for 30-40 minutes. Then, still hot, reduce them to a puree with a potato masher
1
.

Step 2
Chop the onion with a knife
2
.

Step 3
Clean the carrots and cut them first into sticks and then into cubes
3
.

Step 4
Wash and cut the zucchini into 1/2 centimeter cubes
4
.

Step 5
Put a pan with the oil and the chopped onion on medium heat. Leave to flavor for a couple of minutes
5
.

Step 6
Combine the carrots, mix
6
and sauté 2-3 minutes.

Step 7
Then add the courgettes and peas
7
, season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes over high heat, stirring often.

Step 8
Meanwhile, add the grated Parmesan to the mashed potatoes
8
, salt and nutmeg.

Step 9
Also add the beaten egg
9
and mix well.

Step 10
Pour the slightly warmed vegetables and chopped aromatic herbs into the bowl
10
.

Step 11
Mix well with a spoon, until you get a uniform and compact mixture
eleven
.

Step 12
Wet your hands and take 40 grams of the mixture, rolling it between your palms. Place the meatballs on a sheet of parchment paper
12
.

Step 13
Once all the meatballs are made, dip them first in the beaten egg
13
.

Step 14
And, immediately after, cover them entirely with breadcrumbs
14
.

Step 15
Fry the meatballs in plenty of seed oil brought to a temperature of around 160°C
15
: you can monitor the temperature of the oil using a kitchen thermometer .

Step 16
When they’re golden, drain the meatballs and transfer them to a plate, lined with paper towels or straw paper
16
.

Step 17
If you prefer cooking in the oven, you can transfer all the meatballs to a pan and drizzle them with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
17
.

Step 18
Bake them in a preheated convection oven at 190 °C for 15-20 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking
18
.

Step 19
Transfer the vegetable meatballs to a serving dish and serve them immediately, hot and fragrant