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Home » Healthy Recipes » Meals & Sides » Spicy Whole 30 Turkey Meatballs

Spicy Whole 30 Turkey Meatballs

04/09/2018 by fitasamamabear

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Pin image with text: two pictures of turkey meatballs on spaghetti squash and tomato sauce in a white bowl
Pin image with text: two images of paleo turkey meatballs on top of veggeies and spaghetti squash
Pin image with text: two pictures of turkey meatballs on spaghetti squash and tomato sauce in a white bowl
Pin image with text: easy, paleo, turkey meatballs in a white bowl on top of tomtoes, broccoli, spaghetti squash and mushrooms
Pin image with text: top image of turkey meatballs on spaghetti squash in a white bowl the bottom images of in process shots when making the dinner recipe
Pin image with text: easy, paleo, turkey meatballs in a white bowl on top of tomtoes, broccoli, spaghetti squash and mushrooms
Pin image with text: easy, paleo, turkey meatballs in a white bowl on top of tomtoes, broccoli, spaghetti squash and mushrooms

Packed with protein and a fiery kick these whole 30 turkey meatballs make a great weeknight dinner! Baked in the oven to juicy perfection these meatbalsl make a great 30-minute dinner recipe and can even be prepped in advance!

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Save your sanity on busy nights and keep this ground turkey recipe on hand!

Multiple turkey meatballs on parchment paper with a jalapeno, steel tin of sauce, toothpicks, and green onions around them. this …

Not sure what to do with the ground turkey in your freezer? Step up your weeknight dinners with these whole 30 meatballs!

As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I love recipes like whole30 turkey meatballs because they're a super easy way to keep dinnertime simple and protein-packed.

Plus, you can easily make them ahead of time (learn more about making meal prep easier!).

And though this ground turkey meatball recipe is served with veggies on top of spaghetti squash, there are so many other options!

You'll love these paleo turkey meatballs because they're:

  • Allergy-friendly (dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, and whole30)
  • Easy (the meatballs come together in about thirty minutes)
  • Flavorful (add some spice to your meals to switch it up!)
  • Freeze well (make ahead and freeze or keep a stash in the fridge)

Ingredients You Need

These whole 30 turkey meatballs don't use traditional flour (or even gluten-free flour) to bind them.

This helps keep them extremely juicy but denser (versus a "light" meatball).

Ground turkey: ground turkey keeps these paleo meatballs protein-packed and with less grease.

Tapioca flour: don't be confused by the name, it's still whole30 approved! Tapioca flour is made from the cassava plant and thus not a grain. It's the secret ingredient to bind the meatballs.

Jalapenos: there wouldn't be a fiery kick without them! Mince them well so you're not biting into big chunks (and if you like spice, check out these Camarones a la Diabla - deviled shrimp!).

Spice Blend: contains cayenne pepper which means that you can adjust the potency of the heat to your liking.

Carrots: sneaking a veggie into the healthy meatballs to give you more nutrients!

Step By Step Photos

Steel bowl with grated carrots, garlic, and jalapenos in it.
Cut all the veggies you'll need.
Steel bowl with raw ground turkey and grated vegetables in it.
Make gluten-free meatballs by mixing together the ground turkey & remaining ingredients.
Raw whole30 turkey meatballs on a red silicone mat.
Use your hands to roll the mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet.

How To Meal Prep The Recipe

Want to make dinnertime, even more simple? Prep your whole 30 turkey meatballs and the squash ahead of time! One of my staples is to always have cooked rice or grain in the fridge (like quinoa for these meal-prep friendly quinoa and veggie wraps)

While it's not necessary, it does save twenty-five minutes after work.

We've even made gluten-free meatballs in big batches and frozen them (freeze raw!) as part of my postpartum meal prep! Indeed, gluten-free turkey meatballs make the easiest meal prep recipe.

Important Teaching Tips

Make sure to grate the carrot on into very small pieces and not the typical length. This helps keep the meatballs together.

Ground chicken would work for the recipe also.

These baked turkey meatballs work on top of anything (salad, as a snack, on top of pasta or rice) but I haven't tried to cook them IN pasta sauce.

That said, in place of making a tomato-veggie mixture you can definitely use a tomato sauce over top!

Make The Whole30 Turkey Meatballs Into A Full Meal

To make this into a full meal, simply boil some spaghetti squash and shred it with a fork (making sure to drain it fully before you need it- this can be done in advance!).

Then, saute some of your favorite veggies (roughly 4 cups) with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Likewise, you can also top the dish with a whole30 marinara sauce.

Place it all together in a bowl and enjoy!

Spicy turkey meatball on a toothpick close up with more meatballs on parchment paper behind them.

A Hack To Cook Meatballs (No Grease!)

The biggest meatball hack you'll ever learn silicone pyramid baking mat.

I now use a red silicone mat on top of my baking sheet to cook the meatballs (which you can see in the video for these teriyaki meatballs).

After years of cooking meatballs either directly on the baking sheet (in which they sit in the grease- ew) or having to pre-cook the grease off before baking them, my mom got me this mat.

And it was a game-changer.

It allows the grease from the gluten-free turkey meatballs to drain off so they're not sitting in it. Furthermore, it's silicone so super easy to clean (and makes your baking sheet easy to clean too!). Honestly, it's been one of the things I use most in the kitchen!

Frequently Asked Questions About Ground Turkey Meatballs

How do you keep baked meatballs from falling apart?

Make sure to add something that will help hold them together (a flour-like coconut flour or in this case tapioca flour) as well as to massage your meat. You also want to make sure that you don't add too much "stuff" to the mixture and that what you do add is chopped finely. This makes the meatballs able to stick together better.

Are breadcrumbs necessary for meatballs?

Breadcrumbs are the popular choice when making homemade meatballs but they're not necessary. In fact, any flour will normally work to help absorb the grease and bind the meatballs together.

Why are my turkey meatballs rubbery?

Turkey is a very delicate meat. So while you do need to massage the meat in order to get it to bind, you don't want to over-mush it.

What can I use instead of breadcrumbs for gluten-free meatballs?

Typically, any gluten-free flour will work with ground turkey meatballs. This includes gluten-free all-purpose flour, oat flour, coconut flour, and of course, tapioca flour.

Multiple turkey meatballs on parchment paper with a jalapeno, steel tin of sauce, toothpicks, and green onions around them.

More Easy Dinner Recipes You'll Enjoy

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  • 15-minute chicken pesto pasta
  • Slow cooker chicken teriyaki
  • One pot sausage pasta
  • Slow cooker tuscan chicken
  • Sweet peach curry
  • Maple balsamic crockpot chicken
  • Stovetop venison chili
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Multiple turkey meatballs on parchment paper with a jalapeno, steel tin of sauce, toothpicks, and green onions around them.

Spicy Baked Turkey Meatballs Recipe (Whole30)

Fit as a Mama Bear
These healthy turkey meatballs are spicy and nutritious. Packed with protein, the healthy turkey meatballs make a fueling snack or fast weeknight dinner!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
0 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Course dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 5 servings
Calories 112 kcal

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Baking sheet
  • Silicone baking mat

Ingredients
  

  • ½ jalapeno finely minced
  • 1 garlic large, minced (or 1tbs garlic powder)
  • ¼ cup carrot peeled and shredded finely
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 lbs ground turkey
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbs Tapioca flour
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Cook The Meatballs

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.
  • Mix until combined.
  • Line a baking tray with a meatball mat.
  • Use your hands to portion the meatballs and roll them evenly.
  • Bake in the oven for 25-27 minutes.

Video

Notes

  • The recipe makes 15 meatballs, each serving is three meatballs.
  • These gluten-free meatballs work on top of anything (salad, as a snack, on top of pasta or rice) but they will fall apart if you try to cook them IN pasta sauce.
Disclaimer:

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 22gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 284mgPotassium: 297mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 1129IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
Keyword low carb dinner, paleo turkey meatballs, spaghetti squash, turkey meatballs
Have You Tried This Recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment below. Mention @fitasamamabear or tag #fitasamamabear!

These homemade ground turkey meatballs make a delicious, and healthy weeknight dinner recipe!

They're low carb and whole30 based using real food ingredients. They have a bit of a kick to them to boost your immune system which makes them perfect for a dinnertime kick.

30 Healthy Dinner Ideas In Under 30 Minutes

If you’re looking for even easier, healthy dinner recipes, check out The Busy Moms E-Cookbook,- simple dinners for busy moms where I’ve gathered 30 healthy dinner recipes that can be made in thirty minutes or less.

Pinterest image with text: collage of healthy, real food dinner recipes

From easy vegan tacos to beef and quinoa chili, simple chicken pasta to a bok choy and mushroom bowl. These dinner recipes share a few things in common:

  • They are healthy and simple to make
  • All of the recipes are dairy-free or could easily be made dairy-free
  • The majority of the recipes are gluten-free
  • All of the recipes are real-food based and focus on nutrients not fillers
  • They’re all tasty!

To make dinner-time even LESS stressful, I’ve also included several bonus tips on food prep, pantry staples, and how to make healthy eating simple. Grab your copy of The Busy Mom’s E-Cookbook

Shelby aka Mama Bear

fitasamamabear

Meet Shelby – a Certified Strength Coach who has spent the last 10 years teaching women how to show up for their goals.

Her website, Fitasamamabear.com is a crucial resource for busy moms who need help making fitness and healthy living practical.

Learn how an everyday smoker and fast food junkie turned into a super fit mom of 3. If you want to send Shelby a message, visit her contact page.

See author's posts

More Meals & Sides

  • Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
  • Oven Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (With Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauce)
  • One Pot Creamy Sausage Pasta With Tomatoes And Spinach
  • Slow Cooker Dairy-Free Tuscan Chicken

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lindsey Dietz

    April 12, 2018 at 3:07 pm

    I know this sounds SO cheesy, but meatballs are literally one of my favorite foods! I'll choose meatballs over a burger any day, which is kinda weird since a burger is basically a giant meatball! These look yummy!

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      April 12, 2018 at 5:40 pm

      Sooo not cheesy! I love them too, I'll eat them right out of the fridge (crazy I know) because they're just soooo good!

      Reply
  2. Daniela

    April 12, 2018 at 3:14 pm

    Oh wow!!! These look out of this world. So much goodness in one single dish!

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      April 12, 2018 at 5:40 pm

      Thanks so much Daniela! It's a tasty recipe!

      Reply
  3. Melissa @Real Nutritious Living

    April 12, 2018 at 3:16 pm

    I love the addition of the crushed red pepper. It makes the sauce!

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      April 12, 2018 at 5:40 pm

      Mmm I could live off that stuff- gives a nice boost to all main dishes!

      Reply
  4. Julia

    April 12, 2018 at 4:22 pm

    Ooooo these look really amazing! I LOVE spaghetti squash and love how you have the shreaded carrots in the recipe! 🙂

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      April 12, 2018 at 5:41 pm

      Thanks Julia! I go on and off spaghetti squash sometimes but when I'm on it's ALL I want lol

      Reply
  5. Raia

    April 12, 2018 at 7:27 pm

    Those meatballs sound uh-mazing! Not all my family is into spicy... so more for me! Haha. Can’t wait to give them a try. 🙂

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      April 13, 2018 at 1:02 am

      Haha yea, my toddler is hit or miss with spicy so for hers I omit the flakes and make two different servings lol #momlife

      Reply
  6. Carol Little R.H.

    April 13, 2018 at 4:38 am

    I am with you! LOVE meatballs and often change over from beef to turkey! My version will now have the shredded carrots!
    I never use bread crumbs or almond meal. Forgive the question, if it's obvious.. Why add the almond meal?
    Always eager to learn. I'm with you too re the heat.. Herbalists often say that it's great to have a hit of some heat with meals here and there
    to encourage good circulation and support immune health (as you said) and my tolerance has grown over the years.
    Yummy! thanks!

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      April 14, 2018 at 1:40 am

      I could live off meatballs haha I actually used to hate spice but now I find myself loving it- and so great for your system! As for the almond meal, I began using it in place of flour to help bind them one day when I ran out of flour haha now I do it because I like adding a bit of extra healthy fats to them and combined with the egg I feel it helps hold them together- no other fancy explanation aside from I'm an almond addict 😉

      Reply

Trackbacks

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About Me

Blond haired woman in a black sweater outside smiling at the camera

Hey- I’m Shelby!

A Certified Strength & Nutrition Coach who has spent the last 10 years teaching women how to show up for their goals.

I’m a lover of all things chocolate and peanut butter, a feeder of stray cats, and a total introvert in real life. But I’m also super passionate about helping make fitness & healthy living PRACTICAL for busy moms.

Go here to read how an everyday smoker and fast food junkie turned into a super fit mom of 3.

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