Quick and Easy Turkey Meatballs (with a Paleo Option)

A quick and easy recipe for gluten-free (or grain-free) turkey meatballs. Make them in bulk and freeze them, or eat them throughout the week!

Do you ever think to yourself, “If I don’t get a meatball STAT, I’m going to throw myself on the ground like a limp ragdoll and pitch a fit?”

No?

Well, then you’re a better person than I, because when I need a meatball, man, I need it BAD!

Did I ever tell you the story about how meatball subs were my absolute favorite growing up? It’s true. The toasty crunchy bread?

The saucy McSaucedOut Meatballs with all the cheese…so thick I could barely fit it in my mouth hole?

There’s just something about a tender, flavorful meatball, engulfed in steamy melty cheese that satisfies the soul so thoroughly, the experience cannot be replicated in any non-ball form. Simply unparalleled.

So now that we’ve covered my impertinent love for meatballs, we can move on.

How to Make Turkey Meatballs:

Preparing this turkey meatball recipe is very simple.

All I do is mix the ingredients using a stand mixer (hint: you can also use your bare hands if you don’t have a mixer!), form any sized ball my heart desires (I make them large and in charge), then sear them in a cast iron skillet.

I always recommend using Diestel Turkey, as their birds are humanely raised, and all of their products are are antibiotic-free (plus, their sausage is nitrate-free).

Once the meat has browned, I add a jar of my favorite store-bought sauce (be sure to buy extra if you’re a mega sauce lover!…slash make your own if you have a recipe you love!).

I then cook the turkey meatballs the rest of the way in the sauce for optimal flavor.

JUST BE SURE to use a really great store-bought sauce if you aren’t making your own.

I always go for quality, organic sauces that are made with fresh ingredients and don’t contain preservatives…for me, they always yield the tastiest result.

Let’s talk timing.

Cook time here for me was about 30 minutes (prep time, about 15 to 20). If you aren’t under a time crunch, cooking the meatballs extra slowly to really jazz up the flavor is a wise choice, but definitely not mandatory.

Heck, you can even transfer the balls to a slow cooker and finish them off there.

Would you like to make these meatballs grain-free (paleo)?

You can omit the gluten-free breadcrumbs and add ¼ cup of almond flour + 1 tbl tapioca flour. 

One more note: I used all ground turkey for these meatballs, but you can go with half ground turkey and half ground turkey sausage (this would be the more traditional way of preparing the ball).

You can also change the meat selection to chicken, pork, beef, lamb, bison, elk, you name it. If you change the meat to pork, beef, or lamb (a fatty meat) omit the oil from the recipe. 

Recipe Adaptations:

• Use equal parts ground turkey and ground turkey sausage. If you know you like your meatballs with a little sausage flair, definitely consider implementing this adaptation.
• Double the recipe to make more meatballs. This recipe can easily feed 3 to 4 very hungry individuals, but if you’re looking to feed more people, it’s very easy to double the recipe. If doubling, consider adding 1 pound of ground turkey sausage as opposed to another pound of regular ground turkey.
• Incorporate various dried herbs and spices into the meat to play with the flavor.
• Add booze. Somehow somewhere. Red wine? You do you, girl.

As you can see, I served some of the meatballs atop a bed of zucchini noodles.

If you aren’t a fan of zoodles but still want a gluten-free option, you can always go with a different veggie noodle, gluten-free pasta noodles, rice, or risotto.

And we’re meeeeat…meat baaaaallin’