These perfect for fall, Healthy Turkey Meatballs are whole30, paleo, gluten free and made with pumpkin, sage and cranberry! Bring on the fall comfort any day of the week!
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If you thought meatballs were always beef and marinara sauce, think again! These Healthy Turkey Meatballs are made with pumpkin, sage and dried cranberries! Think of them as the Thanksgiving dinner remix. (insert jazz hands)
I don’t know about you but I’m not a fan of dry meatballs, or dry turkey for that matter! The inclusion of pumpkin to these meatballs was not just because it’s a fall pairing classic but also because it ensures that the meatballs are moist and flavorful and won’t leave you reaching for your water cup.
Little hands will love eating them too! I love recipes that allow for the combination of multiple nutritious ingredients into one item because if I can get just that one item eaten I know it’ll contain a spectrum of nutrients. These Healthy Turkey Meatballs do just that! Tonight they were paired with a side of vegetables and my daughter wasn’t feeling them, even after loving the very same vegetables two nights ago. She did however eat the meatballs which are packed with protein, pumpkin (i.e. fiber and potassium), fresh sage (known to reduce inflammation and enhance memory), dried cranberries (which have fiber and antioxidants) and almond flour (containing fiber and magnesium). That’s a combo I can feel good about!
Add this recipe to next week’s meal plan or pin it for later! These meatballs are also Whole30 compliant so they are perfect to make ahead now and freeze for your January Whole30!
Eat and Enjoy,
Nicole
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These perfect for fall, Healthy Turkey Meatballs are whole30, paleo, gluten free and made with pumpkin, sage and cranberry! Bring on the fall comfort any day of the week!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries, each cranberry cut into 4 pieces (to be whole30 compliant choose dried cranberries that are sweetened with apple juice as opposed to sugar)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 Tablespoon sage leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, start by scrambling the egg then mix in the pumpkin puree, chopped dried cranberry, almond flour, fresh sage, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne.
- Then after all of the above is combined, add the turkey last and using the back of a fork, press and break up all the meat. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are combined.
- Using your hands, form the meat mixture into 1 inch balls and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (The mixture will be wet and sticky, this is ok, it means moist meatballs!)
- Once all the meatballs are formed, bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve and enjoy or freeze for later use!
Notes
*If freezing, allow meatballs to completely cool and place individually on a baking sheet then place them into the freezer. Once individually frozen, transfer the meatballs into a ziplock freezer bag labeled with the date and “Healthy Turkey Meatball”. I recommend using within 2-3 months.
Keywords: healthy, turkey meatballs, paleo,
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Soooo good! Easy to make. I omitted egg as I cannot have them, and used poultry seasoning since I didn’t have sage. Will definitely be making these again! Nice to have on hand for a quick snack too. Thank you Nicole! 🙂
★★★★★
Oh yay! Thanks Cindy for sharing the changes you made and how they worked out! We love these, so glad you enjoyed them as well!