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    Home » Main Dish Recipes » Easy Meatballs with Zucchini

    Easy Meatballs with Zucchini

    5 Ingredient RecipesGluten & Grain Free RecipesLow Carb & Keto RecipesTrim Healthy Mama Recipes

    Published: Oct 30, 2017 by Taryn

    This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.
    Print Recipe Jump to Recipe
    pinterest image for easy one pot meatballs with zucchini and mascarpone
    My Easy Meatballs with Zucchini & Mascarpone are the perfect 30-minute weeknight dinner for your busy family. They are fast, flavorful, and filling. This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bertolli® and Carando®. All opinions are entirely my own.

    overhead view of one pot meatballs with zucchini & mascarpone

    If you've followed my blog at all before now, you may know that I hate washing dishes. I find that the most tedious part about being a food blogger and the mom of a large family. My husband is great about helping with dishes but with our big family, a small apartment size dishwasher, and recipe testing, the dishes need to be done several times a day.

    collage of food
    Free Guide! Feed a Family on a Low Carb Diet

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    That is why one pot meals are my favorite. Being able to cook an entire dinner in one cooking vessel is essential to our family life. After dinner, we prefer to play board games, watch a movie together, or just chat about our days. No one wants to be in the kitchen for hours washing the dinner dishes.

    My big kids are now old enough that they can help with the dishes (such a blessing!) but they tend to do a little grumbling and complaining if mom uses every pot in the pantry.

    plate of one pot meatballs with zucchini & mascarpone

    I was more than happy to come up with an easy 30 minute, 5-ingredient, easy meatballs one pot meal for Bertolli and Carando. This is a dish I plan to make time and time again for my family. The Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Bertolli Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce give this dish a rich flavor. The meatballs are in the fresh meat section, the pasta sauce is in the pasta aisle, and the olive oil is with the other oils.

    ingredients needed for one pot Meatballs with Zucchini & mascarpone

    I make meatballs from scratch quite often but being able to just open the package and dump them in the pan was so, so nice. I was thrilled to find out these Carando Italian Style Meatballs are grain and gluten-free. They are pretty much just pork, cheese, and seasonings. The perfect low carb grab and cook entree. Most other store-bought meatballs I have looked at are full of fillers like breadcrumbs.

    Visit this page for more info & recipe inspiration.

    meatballs in a skillet to be cooked

    Using a mandoline to thinly and evenly slice the zucchini is a real time saver. The handheld mandolin I use is under $20 and an essential part of my kitchen. This way the zucchini will all cook evenly. If you have a spiralizer, you can also make this dish with zucchini noodles.

    plate and cutting board full of zucchini slices next to a vegetable slicer

    The back of the Carando Italian Meatball package gives baking instructions for the meatballs but I prefer to pan cook them so they get a nice golden crust. Every couple minutes I just go give the pan a shake so they roll over to a new side.

    meatballs browning in a skillet

    Once the meatballs are cooked, you move them to the serving dish and then cook the zucchini and make the sauce in the same frying pan. No need to wash in between. This saves on time and dirty dishes.

    bowl of meatballs in a marinara sauce

    I consider the mascarpone cheese the secret ingredient in this recipe. Combined with the Bertolli Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce it creates a light pink sauce with a delicate flavor. My family kept exclaiming over how good the sauce was. I thought about licking my plate clean. I didn't, but I was definitely tempted.

    sliced zucchini coated in sauce

    Easy Meatballs with Zucchini & Mascarpone

    Ingredients:

    2 tablespoon Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    2 packs of Carando Italian Meatballs (16 oz each)

    1 cup Bertolli Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce

    3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

    8 oz mascarpone cheese

    ½ teaspoon salt

    ¼ teaspoon pepper

     

    plate of one pot meatballs with zucchini & mascarpone up close

    Like what you see? Follow me on Facebook! Love this recipe? Leave a comment & a 5-star rating right here! Make sure you don’t miss new recipes by getting email updates!

     

    overhead view of one pot meatballs with zucchini & mascarpone

    Easy Meatballs with Zucchini & Mascarpone

    My Easy Meatballs with Zucchini & Mascarpone are the perfect 30-minute weeknight dinner for your busy family. They are fast, flavorful, and filling.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Course: dinner, Main Course, main dish, main entree
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 523
    Author: Taryn

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • 2 packs of Carando Italian Meatballs 16 oz each
    • 1 cup Bertolli Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce
    • 3 medium zucchini thinly sliced
    • 8 oz mascarpone cheese
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
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    Instructions

    • Drizzle the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the meatballs. Cook on high, stirring frequently until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
    • Reduce the heat to low, add the pasta sauce, and cover. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked and register 160 degrees on a meat thermometer.
    • Remove the meatballs from the frying pan and place in a large serving bowl.
    • Add the zucchini. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the zucchini are softened. Add the mascarpone, salt, and pepper, and stir gently until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms. Pour over the meatballs and gently combine. Serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 523 | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1048mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 760IU | Vitamin C: 16.1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1.8mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @joyfilledeats or tag #joyfilledeats!
    For more great meatballs recipes try these:
    Keto Swedish Meatballs
    Italian Sausage Meatballs
    Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
    Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carol Buckler says

      May 14, 2021 at 12:40 pm

      Love it!!! Sauce is great!5 stars

      Reply
    2. Paul says

      November 30, 2019 at 8:55 pm

      These are delicious.5 stars

      Reply
    3. Dixie Campbell says

      January 06, 2019 at 12:55 pm

      I'm new to THM, actually starting it tomorrow and am organizing a recipe binder. Is this an S, E, or FP meal? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Taryn says

        January 06, 2019 at 1:26 pm

        This is an S.

        Reply

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