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pesto turkey meatballs over pasta

Pesto Turkey Meatballs

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 12 reviews
  • Author: Ashlea Carver
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 20 meatballs 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Italian Inspired
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Delicious and easy pesto baked turkey meatballs full of flavor and the perfect addition to your next pasta night! These meatballs are made from ground turkey, spices, and a fresh basil spinach pesto that you will want to put on absolutely everything. The result is tender meatballs that pair perfectly with your favorite pasta, spaghetti squash, or zucchini noodles. 


Ingredients

Scale

Basil Spinach Pesto

  • 2 cups fresh basil, packed
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach, packed
  • ⅔ cup pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup pecorino romano cheese
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • black pepper

Meatballs

  • 2 pounds ground turkey (I used ground thighs)
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 1/3 cup pesto
  • 2 tablespoons almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons grated pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Avocado or olive oil, for frying
  • 32 oz marinara sauce

For Serving

  • gluten free spaghetti
  • extra pesto
  • shaved ir grated pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Make the pesto by adding all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulsing until well combined. Set aside.
  3. Add all of the meatball ingredients, except the marinara sauce, in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix until everything is well combined. Use a cookie dough scoop and wet hands to roll the meat mixture into golf ball sized meatballs, roughly 2 tbsp of meat per ball.
  4. Place the meatballs in a baking dish that had been drizzled with a little avocado or olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
  5. Remove the meatballs from the oven and pour the marinara evenly over the meatballs. Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce begins to bubble and the meatballs are fully cooked.
  6. Serve with gluten free pasta, extra pesto, and pecorino Romano cheese and enjoy!