Whole30 Turkey Meatballs (Paleo)
These Whole30 Turkey Meatballs are packed with flavor! This easy ground turkey meatball recipe is versatile, savory and tasty. This 30 minute meal is great for a weeknight dinner, meal prep and leftovers!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These Whole30 turkey meatballs are made with only 8 ingredients.
- This recipe takes 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Meatballs are a great family friendly dinner!
- Serve with spaghetti squash and marinara sauce for an easy meal. This Coconut Milk Pasta Sauce is a delicious option!
- These meatballs reheat well.
- They are Whole30 approved, Paleo, grain free, gluten free, dairy free, low carb, Keto and sugar free.
- See this Ultimate Guide to Whole30 for more great ideas!
Ingredients & Substitutions
The ground turkey is the main ingredient. Use ground turkey that is 85% lean or even lower. Leaner meat will yield dry results. Feel free to substitute ground beef if desired.
The egg is completely necessary to help bind the meatballs. If looking for an egg free recipe, check out these AIP Meatballs Without Eggs.
Almond flour is used in place of breadcrumbs.
The oregano, garlic powder and onion powder add the depth of flavor. Feel free to adjust quantities for stronger or milder flavors.
Serve with spaghetti squash and marinara sauce if desired. These Paleo turkey meatballs are also great with zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
How to Make
Step 1
First, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a mixing bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Gently combine with hands or spoon.
Step 3
Spray hands with nonstick spray. Use an ice cream scoop or hands to form 1 inch round meatballs.
Step 4
Continue for remaining meatball mixture. Then, place on baking pan.
Step 5
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until cooked through and no pink remains.
Step 6
Remove from oven. Discard excess grease.
Step 7
Warm up marinara sauce. Serve turkey meatballs with spaghetti squash and sauce if desired.
Expert Tips & Tricks
Choose ground turkey that is not too lean. I used 85% and it worked well!
Do not overwork the meatball mixture. Gently combine ingredients until mixed.
Spray hands with nonstick spray before handling meat. This makes it so much easier to form meatballs.
Form meatballs into uniform size for even cooking.
Ground turkey is done when it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a meat thermometer for accurate reading.
How to Serve & Store
Serve Paleo turkey meatballs hot from the oven. If desired, serve with spaghetti squash and marinara sauce.
These are also great with veggie noodles, cauliflower rice, or by themselves.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month if needed.
Whole30 Sauce
There are some great Whole30 approved sauces!
I used Primal Kitchen Foods Marinara sauce.
Consider making a homemade teriyaki sauce, like in these Whole30 Sesame Ginger Meatballs.
The sauce in these Whole30 Swedish Meatballs is drinkable. Trust me.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, almond flour can be used in meatballs instead of breadcrumbs.
Yes, Rao’s is Whole30 compliant. Some of their flavors might not be compliant, so double check labels to be sure.
The secret to tender meatballs is not overworking the meat mixture and not overcooking them.
In this case, the almond flour and egg help the meatballs stay together. If needed, place meat mixture in fridge or freezer for 5 minutes to firm up before forming meatballs.
Use an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to form round meatballs. Then, use hands to roll out any imperfections.
Yes, these turkey meatballs are Keto and low carb.
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If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along!
Get the Recipe: Whole30 Turkey Meatballs (Paleo)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp almond flour
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp basil, finely chopped
- spaghetti squash, to serve
- Whole30 marinara sauce, to serve
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients. Use your hands or a spoon, combine ingredients.
- Once combined, spray hands with nonstick spray. Use an ice cream scoop or hands to form 1 inch round meatballs.
- Continue for remaining meatball mixture. Place meatballs on parchment lined pan.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and no pink remains. If meatballs are on the smaller side, check after 15 minutes.
- Remove meatballs from oven. Discard excess cooking grease.
- Warm up marinara sauce. Serve with spaghetti squash and sauce if desired!
Notes
- Use a rimmed baking pan lined with parchment paper for easier clean up.
- Choose ground turkey that isn’t too lean. I recommend using 85% fat or even less. Anything more than 85% will be too dry.
- When combining ingredients, try not to overwork the meat mixture.
- Spray hands with nonstick spray before forming meatballs. This helps them not stick to your hands.
- If meatball mixture is still too sticky, place it in the fridge or freezer for 5 minutes to firm up.
- Ground turkey is done cooking when it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Store meatballs in freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw before reheating and eating.
- Warm up Whole30 marinara sauce before tossing with meatballs.
- Nutritional value does not include sauce or spaghetti squash.
- This recipe makes about 10 medium sized meatballs or 15 small sized meatballs.
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30 Comments on “Whole30 Turkey Meatballs (Paleo)”
These were so delicious and quick to put together!
Im planning to make meatballs will be using this recipe I love that it has only 8 ingredients
Lovely healthy dinner idea. I can’t wait to make this. Looks so delicious and meat is perfectly spiced. Yum!
These meatballs were so easy to make and went perfect on spaghetti squash with marinara sauce!
I love anything with meatballs, I haven’t tried with squash spaghetti but always do with pasta, this is so delicious.
How tasty these meatballs are! So delicious.
These turkey meatballs were AMAZING!! So good even by itself!
Yum! These turkey meatballs were spectacular! I served them over spaghetti squash and it was so delicious!
I would have never thought to add almond flour to meatballs, what a great idea. These meatballs turned out so moist. Loved them.
These meatballs are soooo good. I served mine with spaghetti squash and everyone loved them! Thanks!