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Crescent Wrapped Beef Zucchini Meatballs

June 6, 2023 by Lindsay 4 Comments

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These beef zucchini meatballs are great on their own and perfect for meal prep. For a quick dinner, try them wrapped in crescent roll dough with a little cheese and then dipped in pizza sauce!

crescent wrapped beef zucchini meatballs

*Thanks to the Ohio Beef Council for sponsoring this post*

Hi friends!

I’m excited to share these Beef Zucchini Meatballs with you today for a couple of reasons:

  • They’re super easy to make and meatballs are one of my favorite things to add veggies to. This time we’re using zucchini because it’s always in such abundance during the summer months.
  • You can prep them ahead of time to have them on hand to eat on their own or to add to meals like spaghetti, meatballs subs and more!
  • If you prep them ahead of time you can use them to make a quick and easy kid-friendly dinner during the week by adding some cheese and wrapping them in crescent roll dough.

You guys know I love meal prep! I have a whole Mastering Meal Prep course! Today we’re using ground beef to do some meal prep which provides protein along with things like iron and B vitamins. Including nutrient-rich foods like beef in a balanced diet helps promote strong, healthy bodies and OhioBeef.org has tons of great beef recipes to check out!

So when you see ground beef on sale, be sure to stock up! Transfer from packages to freezer-safe bags and press the meat flat. It takes up less space in the freezer and also thaws quickly when you’re ready to use it to make things like these meatballs 🙂


beef zucchini meatballs wrapped in crescent dough

How To Make Crescent-Wrapped Beef Zucchini Meatballs

Prepping the meatballs ahead of time makes this dinner really easy to throw together. All you need is a roll of crescent dough and some cheese. To make them:

  • Make and cook the meatballs and let them cool completely.
  • Spread out the crescent dough. It’s easiest to use the single sheet kind but you can also just press the seams together on crescent roll dough to make a solid sheet.
  • Sprinkle the dough with mozzarella cheese.
  • Cut into squares (size will vary depending on the size of your meatballs).
  • Place a meatball in each square, then wrap the dough around it and press the edges together to seal. I would suggest cutting one square and assembling it to make sure it’s the right size before cutting all of your squares.
  • Spray with oil and sprinkle with oregano and cheese, then bake for about 12 minutes.
  • Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

Here’s the exact recipe:

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Crescent Wrapped Beef Zucchini Meatballs Recipe

crescent wrapped beef zucchini meatballs with marinara
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These beef zucchini meatballs are great on their own and perfect for meal prep. For a quick dinner, try them wrapped in crescent roll dough with a little cheese and then dipped in pizza sauce!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (I use 85/15 or 90/10)
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup shredded zucchini (squeezed to remove some moisture)*
  • pinch of salt
  • optional – 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 – 2 tubes crescent roll dough
  • approx 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • pizza sauce or marinara sauce for dipping

Instructions

To Make The Meatballs:

  1. In a bowl, combine beef, panko, spices, egg, zucchini and parmesan (if using).
  2. Mix with hands until well combined. 
  3. Form into small meatballs (1 Tbsp or less works best).
  4. Bake at 400 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes, flipping halfway through (or until internal temp reaches 165 degrees F)
  5. Let cool completely. 

To Make The Crescent Wrapped Meatballs

  1. Spread crescent dough onto a flat surface. Press seams together if needed to make a solid sheet. 
  2. Sprinkle with about 3/4 cup shredded cheese. 
  3. Cut into squares and place a meatball on each square.
  4. Roll the dough around the meat and cheese and press to seal the seams, then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  5. Spray the tops with oil and sprinkle with oregano/press a little shredded cheese on top.
  6. Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes.
  7. Serve with sauce for dipping.

Notes

*You can chop the zucchini after you shred it to make it even smaller and less noticeable in the meatballs

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Beef Zucchini Meatballs FAQs

How long can you store meatballs in the fridge?

These meatballs should be fine for 3-4 days if kept in the fridge making them perfect for food prep because you can prep them over the weekend and enjoy during the week. Here are some ideas:

  • Use them to make a quick spaghetti dinner
  • Make meatballs subs
  • Chop them up and add to pizza
  • Wrap them in crescent dough
  • Add to a salad
  • Serve with barbeque sauce and roasted sweet potatoes

Can you freeze beef zucchini meatballs?

Yes! Let them cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze up to 3 months. To defrost, just move them to the fridge overnight.

What to serve with beef zucchini meatballs?

Try serving with a side of steamed vegetables and your favorite carb (rice, pasta, baked sweet potato etc. Or change things up by adding a new sauce. You could also serve them in a baked pasta dish with a side salad.

What can I use besides zucchini?

If you don’t have zucchini on hand you could use yellow summer squash, shredded carrots, finely diced bell peppers or even some chopped frozen spinach (just thaw and squeeze excess water out).


These beef zucchini meatballs are great on their own and perfect for meal prep. For a quick dinner, try them wrapped in crescent roll dough with a little cheese and then dipped in pizza sauce!

Be sure to let us know if you try these!

–Lindsay–

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Filed Under: Appetizer, Dinner, Food Prep, Sponsored Tagged With: Cheese, Egg, Ground Beef, Panko, Zucchini

About Lindsay

Lindsay Livingston is a Registered Dietitian and new mom from Columbus, Ohio. On her blog, she shares simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, workouts and snapshots of her life. Follow her on Twitter @LeanGrnBeanBlog and Instagram @TheLeanGreenBean and be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you never miss a post!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jennifer says

    June 12, 2023 at 7:08 PM

    How many does this make?

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      June 13, 2023 at 6:48 AM

      depends on the size of your meatballs! Larger meatballs make about 16. Smaller makes more like 25ish.

      Reply
  2. Zara says

    June 13, 2023 at 4:30 AM

    Oh wow, these Crescent Wrapped Beef Zucchini Meatballs look delicious! I’ve been trying to incorporate more vegetables into my meals, and this recipe seems like a great way to do that. Can’t wait to give this a try!

    Reply
  3. Marita says

    June 16, 2023 at 9:39 PM

    My family gobbled these up! Definitely a huge hit!

    Reply

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Lindsay Livingston The Lean Green Bean Healthy Living Tips and Tricks

I'm a Registered Dietitian and mom of three from Columbus, Ohio. I use this blog to share simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, and an honest glimpse of motherhood!

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