Soft Beef Meatballs For Baby (BLW) Toddler, No Egg
Baked beef meatballs for baby (7 months+), toddler and older kids, great for baby-led weaning too. These kid friendly beef meatballs with extra vegetables will boost the flavor, softness and juiciness. Make this baby meatball recipe without breadcrumbs or egg free, serve them with some pasta or simmer in a sauce to make the meatballs softer. They are also great for kid’s school lunch box including for those doing baby GAPS and kids GAPS diet.
Beef Meatballs for Babies / Toddlers /Kids
These kid friendly beef meatballs offer the perfect hiding spot for extra vegetables – which also happens to boost the flavor and juiciness. Kids love meatballs so they will also make a great school lunch addition, they are just as good the second day.
What makes meatballs soft (if you want to serve to babies and toddlers) is the proper proportions of meat and non-meat. A really good meatball is about 50% meat (fat content matters too), in this case I used ground beef, and 50% vegetables (or other starch).
Related: Turkey Avocado Patties For Baby (BLW) Toddlers, Kids
Ingredients For Baby Meatballs
- Ground beef – or use a combination of beef and other meat.
- Onion – fresh, red or white onion.
- Garlic – fresh, garlic cloves.
- Carrot – will brings some sweetness, flavor and binding properties.
- Celery – for flavor and extra nutrients.
- Potato – or sweet potato – the starch will help bind everything together and make them softer without using an egg or breadcrumbs.
- Spices – I used paprika and rosemary (or use your favorite) add salt for babies older than 12 months.
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How To Make Beef Meatballs For Baby
- Combine: Place vegetables in a food processor and finely chop, then add the meat and spices and give a few more pulses until combined. Add some arrowroot flour – it will helps stick everything together better and add softness.
2. Shape: Scoop the meat from the bowl and form into balls. Place the meatballs on baking sheet. You can also use a mini muffin pan, the meatballs will bake in its juices and get a nicer crust (older kids like the crust, for small babies bake in a regular pan).
3. Bake the meatballs uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until middle is no longer pink.
4. Simmer: If desired, simmer in a creamy sauce for 10 minutes and serve over cooked fusilli pasta (or gluten free pasta). The sauce will make them juicer and softer, perfect for small babies.
Beef For Baby
Most pediatricians recommend that beef (meats in general) to be introduced to a baby when he is he is ready – usually 7 months of age – when the baby is already accustomed with other vegetables as the first food.
Fresh, lean beef eaten in moderation can supply various vitamins (B12, B6), minerals (iron, zinc) as well as protein and fats, which your baby needs for growth and health.
But keep in mind that the nutritional benefits differ depending on where and how the animal was raised. For example grass fed beef has been found to be higher in vitamins A, E, and as much as five times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids when compared to grain fed beef. Grain fed cows can also be given antibiotics and growth hormones to fatten them up more quickly.
Baby Led Weaning Meatballs
Ground beef is a perfect ingredient for making baby-led weaning foods. Your baby doesn’t need teeth to eat ground meat, his gums are strong enough to chew it.
When serving meatballs to a baby just keep in mind that bigger is better (for smaller babies). Serve them whole or sliced in half. For toddlers you can slice smaller pieces (once their pincer grasp develops).
Beef Meatballs For Baby, Egg Free, No Breadcrumbs
Lots of meatball recipes, call for breadcrumbs and egg to bind everything together, but you don’t need to go that route. You can meat juicy and tender meatballs for babies without eggs and without breadcrumbs.
You’ll just have to substitute those for more starchy veggies (they will provide softness) and maybe some added starchy flour if necessary. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions.
Related: Mini Chicken Cutlets
How To Store
- Store leftovers for 3-5 days at refrigerator temperature.
- Freeze up to 3 months in an airtight container.
- Thaw / reheat – just pop the meatballs out of the freezer and place them in a covered pot with a touch of water to provide steam. Reheat until heated through, about 10 minutes.
Need more recipes? Check out the finger food category for more ideas!
Have you tried this recipe? Your feedback is really helpful, please rate and leave a comment below recipe card!
More Meatball Recipes For Baby
- Soft Chicken Meatballs For Babies, Toddlers, Kids (BLW)
- Salmon Meatballs (BLW Friendly)
- Turkey Meatballs for Babies (BLW), Toddlers and Kids
- Turkey Avocado Patties For Baby (BLW) Toddlers, Kids
Soft Beef Meatballs For Baby (BLW) Toddler, No Egg Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (- or use a combination of beef and other meat.)
- 1/2 onion (red or white)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 medium carrot
- 2 stalks celery (use grated celery root for GAPS)
- 1 medium potato (or sweet potato (omit for GAPS))
- 1/3 tsp rosemary (ground)
- 1/3 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp sea salt or pink salt (for babies older than 12 months)
- 3 tbsp arrowroot flour (starchy flour similar to tapioca, optional (omit for GAPS))
Instructions
Chop and combine the ingredients
- Place vegetables in a food processor and finely chop, then add the meat and spices and give a few more pulses until combined. Add some arrowroot flour (similar to tapioca) – it will help stick everything together better and add softness.
Shape the meatballs
- Scoop the meat from the bowl and form into balls (1-1½"). Place the meatballs on baking sheet. You can also use a mini muffin pan, the meatballs will bake in its juices and get a nicer crust (older kids like the crust, for small babies bake in a regular pan or you could even steam them).
Bake the meatballs
- Bake uncovered at 400F for about 20 minutes, or until the middle is no longer pink. For older kids who like a crusty surface – bake at 420F.
- If desired, simmer in a creamy sauce for 10 minutes and serve over semolina fusilli pasta (or gluten free pasta). The sauce will make them juicer and softer, perfect for small babies.
Notes
Nutrition
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Can I use more of the carrot or potato is not using the celery?
Sure you can!
Loved this recipe!! Came out just perfect, will definitely be a staple in the freezer!
I did use an egg though and a bit of regular flour!! My little 9 month old devoured it (so did the husband..added more seasoning for him!!😂)
I’ve made these for our young man a couple of times, they turn out perfect and he loves them! Thank you so much for sharing.
That’s great, thank you!
Tried this! However not sure if my proportion isn’t right or I used an air fryer, the inside of e meatball is very dry. I wonder how can I moist it?
When the inside is really dry it means it wasn’t cooked at the right temperature/ method.
For some reason mine taste funny to me or maybe I am just not used to the softness? Or red meat in general. Idk…I used celery root and regular unbleached flour bc thats all I had on hand. I may stick to the turkey meatballs which I LOVE.
It depends on the quality of ingredients you used or just your taste preferance.
Going to give these a try, I have an 8 month old with an egg allergy. When you say simmer them in a sauce, is that after they have already cooked in the oven? Or when they are raw and no oven?
Thank you
It depends, if you want a golden crust, then after you cook them in the oven. If you want them extra soft – then while in the oven.
These came out amazing! My 10mth old loved them, and miss 4yrs enjoyed them too. So moist and soft. I love the don’t use any normal grain flour or Oats in them! Will certainly be making these again. Thankyou!
That’s wonderful news! Thank you, I hope you try them again and again!
Yay! We made this and our 9 month old loves it.
We don’t have a food processor so we finely grated the potato and carrot and coarsely grated the onion.
We used Greek yogurt as well to help bind it together.
We used ground chicken instead of beef.
We also ended up mashing up the meatball for him because he didn’t want to pick it up, and we added breast milk to make it mooshier.
They’re so convenient to just thaw for lunch. We sometimes mix in broccoli or spinach and it’s his favourite meal! Thank you so much for the recipe.
My pleasure, but it looks you did a wonderful job, you’ve been quite creative with substitutions! 🙂
Are the potatoes cooked before you put them in the food processor?
Hi Sara,
No, there is no point in cooking the potatoes prior to this, as they will bake together with the meat once combined.
Thank you! Love your meatball recipes!
I literally never comment on recipe sites but this recipe is so awesome that I had to leave a comment – thank you for this recipe! I didn’t have arrowroot so used regular flour, and forgot to include the onion – still tasted great and held together wonderfully. Thank you!
Thank you, I’m glad you gave it a try!
Thanks for the recipe! How do we reheat from frozen?
The best way is to reheat them a with a little bit of water, the steam will heat them gradually and thoroughly without damaging the protein structure. I usually place them in a pot with a few teaspoons of water and heat on low (covered) for 10-15 minutes.
What temperature do you cook these at? Thanks!
Sorry I didn’t realize the temperature is missing. I usually bake them at 400F or 420F if I want a little bit of a crust.
Hi, can we use ground chicken/pork with this recipe?
Yes, any ground meat will work!
My baby doesn’t have any teeth yet. Would you recommend steaming the carrots first? Thanks!
I don’t thinks it’s necessary, they will soften inside the meatballs when baked. Just make sure they are finely diced (in the food processor), the smaller the pieces the faster they will cook.
Meatballs no eggs – exactly what I was looking for, I tried it last night and my boy said “they taste so good!” Thank you!
Enjoy!