Baked Spinach Turkey Meatballs
These Whole30 friendly meatballs are fast and easy to make and they're super delicious! They are low in fat because they're baked plus contain lots of spinach!
Meatballs are one of life's best comfort foods. I mean, who doesn't love meatballs? Whether their beef, pork, turkey or even no meat at all! You can also make "meatballs" from black beans, lentils or soy. I just love the fact that they're round and go well with a sauce (but don't have to). They're basically little round balls of yumminess! I love using turkey mince for mine as it's very lean but delicious!
When I grew up, we used to make beef meatballs in a pan. But honestly, you need so much more oil to get them to not stick. Plus somehow mine were either not fully done on the inside or too dark on the outside. With this recipe, that doesn't happen! By making them in the oven the meatballs are basically foolproof!
I've been making these for years and they are very popular in my family! When I started with the occasional Whole30 in 2018, I wanted to come up with a recipe for meatballs that didn't include breadcrumbs. Nowadays I'm so used to using substitutes for all sorts of things (flour, sugar, dairy, rice etc.) that it doesn't even phase me. Back then it seemed like a daunting task at first!
I use a mixture of almond meal and nutritional yeast as a binder for these turkey meatballs. They get moisture from the spinach so they're not dry (yet not fatty). Make sure you don't squeeze the thawed spinach by the way! I know, in a lot of recipes that's a requirement but not in this one. The meatballs come together super fast (at least, if you defrosted the spinach beforehand) and also only take 20 minutes in the oven. Family dinner done quickly!
I love those turkey meatballs most as pictured here on a bed of fried cauliflower rice and alongside a salad. Or I love to add them to a homemade tomato sauce on top of either zoodles or noodles. They're super delicious and I normally eat them for several meals in a row!
Will you make these meatballs soon? Or how about my Honey & Balsamico Chicken Drumsticks?
These Whole30 friendly meatballs are fast and easy to make and they're super delicious! They are low in fat because they're baked plus contain lots of spinach!
- 1 pound turkey mince
- 250 grams frozen spinach (thawed)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 cup almond meal
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Pre-heat oven to 180°C (356°F). Cover a baking tray with baking paper.
Chop the thawed spinach (but don't sqeeze out the moisture).
To a bowl, add the turkey mince, chopped spinach, garlic powder, salt, white pepper, almond meal and nutritional yeast. Mix well.
Shape about 30 mini meatballs. The size of mine was about that of a ping pong ball. Add them to the baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes.
Serve on top of fried cauliflower rice and with a salad or on top of pasta with tomato sauce. Enjoy!
This recipe makes 30 mini meatballs so I figured it would serve 3 to 4 people.
