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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.

Baby hand holding bitten meatball.

Related: Soft Turkey Meatballs for Babies (BLW) Toddlers

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.
Veggies for meatballs in a food processor.

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How To Make Beef Meatballs For Baby

  1. 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.
Process shots how to make baby meatballs from scratch.

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).

Process shots baked baby meatballs in a muffin pan and a glass 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).

Baby hand holding a beef meatball.

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. 

Beef meatballs for baby and toddler.

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.
Beef meatballs for baby plus pasta tossed in a white creamy sauce.
In this picture I mixed cooked fusilli pasta, beef meatballs and a creamy white sauce (dairy free). Fresh chopped parsley as garnish.
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

beef meatballs for baby toddler.

Soft Beef Meatballs For Baby (BLW) Toddler, No Egg Recipe

ThrivingNest
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. Great for kid's school lunch box too.
5 from 5 votes
DIETS: Gluten Free, Dairy Free
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Shaping 7 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Baby Food
Servings 30 beef meatballs
Calories 32.2 kcal

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

FREEZE: Allow meatballs to cool completely, and transfer to an air tight container or freezer safe bag. If you decide to make a sauce too, keep the meatballs separately, the sauce will not freeze well.
For GAPS diet –  remove the arrowroot flour and potato.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatballCalories: 32.2kcalCarbohydrates: 1.3gFat: 1.2gSodium: 14mgPotassium: 15.2mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 9.2IUCalcium: 0.2mgIron: 2.7mg
Have you tried any of these recipes? Your feedback is really helpful, please rate and leave a comment below recipe card!!

Disclaimer: The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only and not intended for medical advice. Please refer to my full disclaimer for more info.

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 and egg free. Great for kids school lunch box too. #baby #meatballs #babymeatballs #beefmeatballs #toddler #kids #fingerfood #babyledweaning #blw #eggfree #meatballsforbabyledweaning #baked #meal

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28 Comments

  1. 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!!😂)

  2. 5 stars
    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.

  3. 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?

  4. 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.

  5. 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

  6. 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!

  7. 5 stars
    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.

  8. 5 stars
    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!

    1. 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.

    1. 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.

  9. 5 stars
    Meatballs no eggs – exactly what I was looking for, I tried it last night and my boy said “they taste so good!” Thank you!

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