Oven Baked Turkey Meatballs
These healthy Oven-Baked Turkey Meatballs are easy, gluten-free, and paleo, as they are made without breadcrumbs. I like to pair them with spaghetti squash and a big salad for a nutritious dinner.
Since my first time making turkey meatballs ended up in a noodle soup, it was time to try again with these Oven Baked Turkey Meatballs.
Is turkey really healthier than beef? This is a good article explaining the difference. As usual it is all about the quality of your product.
For this attempt, my goal was a traditional tasting ‘spaghetti and meatballs’ while at the same time keeping things light and gluten free.
The ‘noodles’ part was easy. Spaghetti squash for the win! You can find a simple method to cook up a spaghetti squash with this how-to post.
HOW TO MAKE OVEN BAKED TURKEY MEATBALLS
For the turkey meatballs, I went with baking them.
To keep them gluten free? Coconut flour.
How about some flavour? I totally raided my spice cupboard and added in a plethora of powders. Smoked paprika, dried mustard, basil, cayenne, and chili flakes.
You might have noticed I like heat 🙂
Feel free to omit the spicier herbs if you’re not into the hotter flavors.
I sauteed some onion and garlic in a little coconut oil to add to the turkey mixture.
I know what you’re thinking. Coconut flour? Coconut oil? Won’t these meatballs taste a little … tropical?
Not at all!
We didn’t pick up any taste of coconut. I found the baked turkey meatballs picked up the basil flavour the most. Plus, after they’re baked, they get popped into a tomato-y sauce and take a nice long bath to soak up all the essence.
It was this combo of basil and tomato that really gave this dish the traditional flavour I was looking for.
Once the meatballs were cooked, I left them simmering in a pot of tomato sauce. I used a store bought organic tomato sauce from a glass jar.
That’s important tip by the way.
Tomatoes are very acidic and when they are stored in cans with a BPA lining it’s a bad combination. The acid leaches the chemical from the lining and causes toxicity. Try to buy your tomato products stored in glass. Or, if you’re ambitious, make your own!
While the turkey meatballs stewed away in the tomato sauce, I popped the spaghetti squash into the oven and tossed a simple romaine salad.
I am so into spaghetti squash.
Joe had his with regular penne noodles and I actually felt sorry for him!
Fancy taking a pass on delicious spaghetti squash and eating boring noodles instead. Weirdo!
I eagerly gobbled up my dish, feeling no guilt (or stomach bloat) after a half sized second portion. There also may or may not have been some cheese grated on top.
This meal will make you say ‘cheese’ as well 🙂
Buon appetito!
MORE GLUTEN FREE DINNER IDEAS:
Instant Pot Turkey Sausage Soup
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Oven Baked Turkey Meatballs – Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ½ tbsp dried basil
- ½ tbsp dried mustard
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 egg whisked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 and lime a baking sheet with parchment (photo shows foil but I’ve stopped using it and now use parchment paper)
- In a mixing bowl combine the ground turkey with the spices and coconut flour and set aside
- Heat coconut oil over medium low heat and saute onions for 4-5 minutes, until translucent, then stir in the garlic. Add this to the turkey mixture
- Add the egg and mix everything thoroughly, using your hands
- Roll the turkey mixture into golf ball sized balls on your lined sheet
- Bake for around 35 minutes until thoroughly cooked
- Heat a large pot with your choice of tomato sauce over medium low heat. Add in the cooked meatballs, stir and simmer over low heat for 35 minutes
- Serve over spaghetti squash!
Easy to make, healthy and without any fuss. I added salt (about 1/2 tsp), though, and they turned out really good. The only thing is that they turned out dry. I will try less cooking time for my next try.
Best recipe yet. It came out perfect and definitely not mushy! It’s pinned and saved for next time!
Love this recipe! We use it quite often. I double the carrots and celery and add minced onion flakes to it and use Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice. After a couple hours check it to see if it needs a little bit more water added.
Thanks Eve! Love the swaps. Thanks for visiting. 🙂
Great recipe! Do you have the nutritional value for this recipe?
Hi there-
Just made these real quick in my little studio apartment kitchen in college! Super quick, easy, and delicious. Thanks for the fun recipe! Only suggestion, spray the foil with non-stick spray!
-Brianna
Hey thanks Brianna! I appreciate the nice comment. 🙂 Love the tip!
Good recipe!! I bought a pound of ground turkey the other day and felt like trying something new. Very pleased with results. I used olive oil and almond flour instead of coconut. I think next time I will try closer to 25-30 mins at 400 degrees. They were a little overdone and dry, but all ovens are different.
Thanks!
Hey Jon! I’m glad you liked the meatballs. You are right about the oven temp thing. I recently bought a thermometer for my oven to try to make things more accurate. Have a great weekend! 🙂