Mini meatballs with beef mince and carrot for the lunchbox

Mini meatballs made with beef mince, grated carrot, oats and egg, baked in the oven instead of deep-fried. A family-friendly lunchbox meal, good warm or cold, makes 16.

At a glance

• Serves 4
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cooking time: 18 min
• Total time: 33 min
• Calories: 302 kcal per serving
• Protein: 22 g
• Fat: 20 g
• Carbs: 8 g

Ingredients

• 400g beef mince
• 1 carrot
• 40g rolled oats
• 1 egg
• 1 onion
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

You’ll need: oven · baking tray · chopping board · knife · grater

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan). Finely grate the carrot and dice the onion very finely.
2. Knead the beef mince, carrot, onion, oats, egg, mustard, marjoram, paprika and salt into an even mixture.
3. With wet hands, shape 16 small meatballs and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
4. Brush the meatballs with the olive oil and bake for 15 to 18 min at 200 °C, until browned and cooked through in the middle.
5. For the lunchbox, leave the meatballs to cool completely.

Good to know

Small meatballs fit into any lunchbox and taste almost better cold than warm. The grated carrot hardly shows and keeps them juicy. Baked in the oven, they don't need you standing at the hob turning them.

Swaps

Beef mince → turkey mince or lamb mince. Oats → breadcrumbs. Carrot → courgette, well squeezed. Marjoram → parsley.

Cooking tips

Cut one meatball open to check: it must no longer be pink inside. For the lunchbox, pack them cooled and chilled.

Storage

3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer; thaw overnight in the fridge.

Allergens

Contains egg, mustard and gluten (oats); no milk or nuts. Suitable for children from 1 year; use less salt for toddlers. Suitable in pregnancy, as the meatballs are baked through.

Dairy-free recipes