Recipe: Meatballs for Dogs — and Humans
This recipe is from my veterinarian-approved Real Food For Dogs book. The best part is that this recipe is for people, too, making it a time- and money-saver.
Recipe: Marvelous Mutt Meatballs
Adding lean meats to your dog’s diet could be beneficial. Photography by CynoClub/Thinkstock.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of lean ground beef or sirloin
- 2/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped
- 3⁄4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 egg, whisked
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste (low-sodium)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
- Scoop out by the spoonful, and roll into mini-sized meatballs.
- Place the meatballs on a cookie sheet with non-fat cooking spray.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Cool before serving, and store the extra in a container with a lid in the refrigerator.
To demonstrate how popular these meatballs are, check out this YouTube video link honoring Chipper’s birthday: youtube.com/watch?v=K6z6kA5cNhU.
Thumbnail: Photography ©jenifoto | Thinkstock.
Arden Moore, The Pet Health and Safety Coach™, is a pet behavior consultant, master certified pet first aid instructor, author and host of the Oh Behave Show on Pet Life Radio. Learn more at ardenmoore.com.
Editor’s note: This article appeared in Dogster magazine. Have you seen the new Dogster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet’s office? Subscribe now to get Dogster magazine delivered straight to you!
See more recipes for healthy, homemade dog food on Whole Dog Journal >>
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7 comments on “Recipe: Meatballs for Dogs — and Humans”
Great recipe. I turned this into meat loaf with added green beans and carrots because my shih tzu will not eat vegetables unless they have meat flavor with it. Also use ground pork or turkey as well.
I would also like to try ground turkey or ground chicken. But all of the brands i have checked have Rosemary in it . Yet it seems that dog owners who make homemade dog foods use them. What puzzles me is Rosemary is toxic to dogs. Is their any suggestion ?
Hi there Zanaida,
Thanks for reaching out! Here is an article that talks about human food dogs can and cannot eat:
https://www.dogster.com/dog-food/human-food-for-dogs
Just go to your local supermarket’s butcher department. Most will carry ground chicken, which you purchase by the pound. It will not have herbs or other seasonings added. Turkey can be more difficult to find outside of the holiday season. But ask the butcher to see if they have it frozen.
Do you make your own breadcrumbs? I was going to use my Italian Breadcrumbs, but reading the ingredients I saw onion powder and garlic. I know onions are BAD for dogs, and there’s debate about garlic. Are plain breadcrumbs okay, or do I need to read the ingredients on all of them before buying? My dog is the absolute fussiest dog on earth! I’m hoping to find something he’ll eat. I cook him toppers every night, and it’s getting hard finding things he likes. Thank you!
Hi there Marie,
Thanks for reaching out! For more specific information about this recipe’s ingredients, please contact the author through this link: http://ardenmoore.com/