Hi,

I am used to making meatballs with breadcrumbs. If I omit them, they just don't have the right consistency for me - they taste too tough, more like a hamburger patty. Here is a substitution that works for me and my non-lowcarb family: root vegetables. (This is for those who include root vegetables and onions).

To 1/2 kilo or 1 pound of ground meat, I add 1 onion and 1/6 of a turnip or 1/8 of a celery root. I put the onion and the root vegetable into the food processor until they are turned almost into a pulp. I add them to the meat, plus 2 eggs, plus a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream, plus salt and pepper. Then I form the meatballs and saute them in a frying pan. The meatballs come out very tender and juicy. I really like the result.

Sometimes I substitute root vegetables with zucchini. One can add 1/2 of a small or 1/3 of a large zucchini to the same amount of meat (or to taste). Because zucchinis release a lot of liquid, one doesn't need to add cream.

Thanks for the suggestion. I also found meatballs without oatmeal or bread crumbs unappealing. I'm going to try your idea.

You could adjust the amount of vegetables to your liking. This way they stay tender and are good to eat cold or room temperature, as well. They don't become hard when cold, like the meatballs based on just ground meat.

I fry them on low temperature, so that the root vegetable has time to soften.

I use leftover mashed cauliflower occasionally in meatballs, which works well. I never thought of what you suggest but it sounds like a very good idea! Thanks for posting it.

Mmmm. I particularly like the idea of using celery root. If you're using zucchini, you might try grating it, sprinkling with salt, and setting it in a sieve for a while. When you're ready to use it, squeeze it out really well. I sometimes prepare zucchini this way, sauté it in butter with some chopped shallot and finish it off with a dollop of cream and a quick simmer.

Susan