I’ve never been a huge fan of meatballs. So it was a surprise to me when I discovered turkey quinoa meatballs several years ago and actually liked them!
Now they make a regular appearance on our meal plan rotation. In part because they’re super quick (est. 10-12 minutes), but also because they pack a protein punch! Protein is so important for building and repairing tissues, balancing our blood sugar, and curbing cravings or hunger pangs.
This delicious recipe, adapted from Everyday Dishes substitutes breadcrumbs or parmesan for quinoa and nutritional yeast making this a great gluten-free, dairy-free meal or a quick snack.
What you’ll need:
- 2 lbs lean ground turkey
- 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 red onion, minced or diced (depends on preference)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
How to make the magic happen:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Coat baking sheet with oil or spray of your choosing. I typically spray olive oil or avocado oil.
- In a large bowl, combine turkey, cooked quinoa, garlic, onion, egg, olive oil, nutritional yeast, basil, oregano, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. With your hands or a spoon, mix ingredients together.
- With your hands or cookie scoop, portion out the turkey mixture and roll into 3-4inch meatballs (think cookie dough size)!
- Place on the baking sheet, evenly distributed and bake for 10-12 minutes
- Remove meatballs from oven then let cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to sauce, salad, or airtight container for a later snack!
