Baked Turkey Meatballs are one of my go-to easy dinners and freezer meals. You can make a big batch of these easy healthy meatballs and pop some in the freezer for nights you don’t feel like cooking.
Baked Turkey Meatballs – Low Carb, Keto, Paleo, THM S, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Eggless, Whole30
We make ground turkey meatballs a lot in my house. Ground turkey is one of my preferred meats because it is very inexpensive and when you are feeding a household of 7, including an almost teenage boy, you go through a lot of meatballs. Everyone from my toddler up to my husband loved these meatballs.
This baked turkey meatballs recipe makes a generous 40 meatballs. That is enough for my family for 2 dinners with everyone eating their fill. But I also double it so I can stash a couple bags of meatballs in the freezer. If you are doing the math doubling this recipe makes 80 meatballs. If you are cooking for less than 7 people you can also easily half this recipe to just make 20.
How to make turkey meatballs without breadcrumbs
You absolutely do not need breadcrumbs to make good meatballs. All the breadcrumbs do is absorb some of the liquid the meat releases while cooking. To make my baked turkey meatballs without breadcrumbs I just added a little bit of coconut flour.
Coconut flour is a very dry flour and absorbs a lot of liquid. It helps these meatballs stick together and firm up without being too soggy. Many times I also add an egg to my meatballs but decided to make this recipe eggless.
I don’t go crazy hiding vegetables in food for my kids but shredded zucchini or spinach in meatballs tastes great and gives a boost on the green stuff. Spinach in brownies? No thanks.
How to make meatballs
Meatballs are just ground meat mixed with seasonings and shaped into balls. Most store-bought meatballs are full of fillers like soy protein, breadcrumbs, and potato starch. When you make homemade meatballs you can control what you put in the meatballs.
I am one of those people who is a little grossed out touching raw meat. I prefer to mix my meatballs with a rubber spatula and then scoop them out with a large cookie scoop so I don’t touch the meat at all. If you want pretty spheres you can always roll them in your hands but we don’t mind having the bottom flat. My 9-year-old can scoop them with a large cookie scoop onto the tray so having her help makes this easy recipe even easier.
What temperature should turkey meatballs be cooked to?
Always cook ground turkey to 160 degrees. I always use a meat thermometer when cooking poultry and pork. There is nothing worse than undercooked OR overcooked meat. Meat thermometers cost about $10 and ensure that every piece of meat you cook will be perfect.
Assuming you never forget it in the oven or on the grill. Not that I’ve ever done that.
Make-Ahead Turkey Meatballs
Double this recipe to get 80 meatballs for the freezer! Frozen meatballs work great in my Meatball Casserole!
You will need 7-8 pounds ground turkey (Costco sized package), 2 medium zucchini, 2 medium onions, 4 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup fresh basil, 1/4 cup coconut flour, 8 tsp salt, 2 tsp pepper.
Here is how I made 80 meatballs in an hour:
- Shred 2 medium zucchini in a food processor
- Add half the zucchini and half the ground turkey to a large bowl (set remaining zucchini aside)
- Pulse 2 cloves garlic and half the basil in the food processor until it is chopped. Add the onion and pulse again until chopped.
- Add the chopped vegetables, 2 tbsp coconut flour, 4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper to the bowl.
- Mix well with a rubber spatula.
- Scoop 40 meatballs onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Put in the preheated oven.
- While they are baking make the second batch of meatballs beginning with step 2.
Within an hour you should have 80 delicious cooked meatballs perfect for freezer meals!
I hope you enjoy these Healthy Baked Turkey Meatballs!
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Baked Turkey Meatballs are one of my go-to easy dinners and freezer meals. You can make a big batch of these easy healthy meatballs in no time!
- 3.5-4 lbs ground turkey
- 2 cups shredded zucchini or chopped spinach or a combination
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- Preheat oven to 400. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, if desired.
- Mix together all of the ingredients well. Scoop 40 meatballs onto the tray using a large cookie scoop (or by hand).
- Bake for 23-25 minutes or until 160 degrees when checked with a meat thermometer.
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