Center Podium

Turkey Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Turkey Meatballs

MAKES 30 MEATBALLS / PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES

A great appetizer for a party, pasta topper, or a recipe for your weekly meal prep. Free of all gluten and grains, these Turkey Meatballs are guaranteed to hit the spot. All the ingredients of your traditional meatballs have been upgraded to healthy fats and high nutrient density. Low on calories, full of Italian flavor and the tiniest bit of heat, your taste buds are in for a treat.

Gluten-Free / Dairy-Free / Paleo

FOR THE TURKEY MEATBALLS:

  • 2 tablespoons milled flaxseed
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 1 pound 99% fat-free ground turkey
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1⁄3 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1⁄3 cup dried chopped onion
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

FOR THE MARINARA DIPPING SAUCE:

  • 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground
  • black pepper
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • Extra-virgin olive oil spray
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
  • 1 (6-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato paste
  • 1⁄2 bell pepper, yellow or red, seeded and chopped
  • 1⁄4 cup (about 1⁄2 medium)
  • chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

TO MAKE THE TURKEY MEATBALLS

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. In a large bowl, mix well to combine the turkey, egg whites, basil, onion, nutritional yeast, flaxseed, garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, and red pepper.
  3. Using your hands, form approximately 30 meatballs each about 1 inch in diameter. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the meatballs, and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until both sides have started to turn a slight golden brown.
  5. Remove from the oven, and allow the meatballs to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

TO MAKE THE MARINARA DIPPING SAUCE

  1. While the meatballs rest, in a blender or food processor, blend the tomatoes, tomato paste, bell pepper, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, and rosemary until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Spray a large pot with olive oil spray, add the marinara mixture, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Serve the meatballs alone or with the marinara sauce on the side.

Nutrition Information

3 meatballs w/o sauce:
Calories: 78
Carbohydrates: 3.2g
Fat: 1.3g
Protein: 13.2g

3 meatballs w/ sauce:
Calories: 117
Carbohydrates: 11.9g
Fat: 1.3g
Protein: 14.4g

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