Since the first time we cooked these pesto meatballs, my boyfriend and I have had them almost once a week, or once every two weeks at the longest. They are regularly requested by him now and are one of the few recipes that he actually helps to make. There are only two basic steps. The ground turkey is mixed with pesto, almond flour, egg whites, and spices. Everything, all together, in a large bowl. Then you shape the meatballs and put them in the oven to bake. Since they’re not pan-fried the usual mess is reduced and the meatballs are lower in fat as well.
Mixing in some Paleo-friendly pesto helps to prevent the meatballs from getting dry and tastes delicious. The almond flour takes the place of breadcrumbs to bind the meatballs together. We prefer the lean ground turkey meat to ground beef or even ground chicken, but either of those would work with this recipe. We also only use the egg whites to lower the cholesterol level.
We usually eat these pesto meatballs with spaghetti squash and pasta sauce, but you could also make a sort of meatball sandwich with them. They are good on their own and could be served as an appetizer as well. This recipe makes a lot of meatballs, if you are feeding a lot of people, or it provides excellent leftovers for the next couple of days. The meatballs also freeze well, if you want to save a batch for next week’s spaghetti dinner.
Don’t be intimidated if you believe that making meatballs is hard, because this version is simple if you follow the recipe. These meatballs hold their shape well, and come out of the oven browned, crispy, and tasty, ready to be enjoyed.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground turkey
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then place a wire cooling rack on top of the baking sheet. Coat the wire rack well with coconut oil spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Roll the mixture into small balls using your hands and place on the wire rack. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
Looks really delicious! Do you think a wire rack is necessary, cause I don’t have one. :/
If you don’t have a wire rack that’s totally fine, you just might want to rotate them while they are cooking in the oven. Also check to make sure they get cooked through. Enjoy!
LOVE baking meatballs! So easy, and healthier, too. Thanks for sharing this version!
You’re very welcome! Baking meatballs is the way to go.
Is there a recipe for the pesto you use? Or do you buy a specific kind?
I have an almond allergy. Ever used coconut flour?
I would love to know this as well as we just choose to not use many almond products!
Finally made these…delicious! Thanks for the recipe share.
Made these last night and OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the whole family enjoyed them with adamame spagetti and paleo garlic bread sticks! = YUMILICIOUS!!! thanks for the recipe!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for the meal plan. All recipes look great can’ t wait to try