Spinach Turkey Meatballs
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Last updated on Nov 21, 2023
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These spinach turkey meatballs are moist and flavorful, loaded with veggies and require no binders! They’re great for meal prep because you can add them to pasta, sandwiches or salads throughout the week.
I am so excited about this spinach turkey meatballs recipe! It’s such a simple recipe… all you need is ground turkey, veggies and spices. No flour, no bread crumbs and no eggs!
The first time I made them I was so worried that they wouldn’t stick together because we left out the flour and egg, but alas they held together perfectly. And the texture and flavor was sooo good!
I love making these meatballs as part of weekly meal prep because one batch makes a ton of meatballs (about 30) and they can be used in so many different ways!
I love serving them over zucchini noodles (or regular noodles) with pasta sauce as a main dish for dinner or as a protein option on salads. I’ve also been known to grab them straight from the fridge for a protein-rich snack. Cold meatballs FTW!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Healthy – It’s made with lean protein, spinach and carrots, providing protein and veggies.
- Flavorful – Seasoned with garlic, onion powder, and Italian herbs.
- Versatile – Can be served so many different ways… add them to pasta, serve them with sauce and sides, serve them as an appetizer… the options are endless!
- Easy – Requires only 8 simple ingredients and comes together quickly!
Ingredients Needed
- ground turkey – the main source of protein in the recipe, ground turkey is leaner than other types of meat and provides a good amount of protein without being too heavy or fatty. I typically use 93% lean ground turkey, but you can use 99% lean ground turkey if you prefer. If you don’t have ground turkey on hand you can easily swap it for ground chicken or ground beef.
- vegetables – onion, carrot and fresh spinach add delicious flavor and texture! Plus, they add extra nutrients.
- seasonings – garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper.
- fresh basil – adds a fresh, slightly sweet flavor to the meatballs. If you don’t have fresh basil you can use dried basil instead.
How to Make
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Make sure your onion, carrot and spinach are finely chopped as you don’t want huge chunks of veggies in the meatballs. Pro tip: Chop all your veggies in your food processor to save time!
In a large bowl add ground turkey, chopped veggies and spices. Gently combine, using clean hands if needed. Roll meat mixture into 1-2 inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
Bake until outsides are lightly browned and centers are no longer pink, about 25 minutes. Serve warm over your favorite noodles and sauce. Let cool before placing in an air-tight container if you’re making these as part of your meal prep.
How to Serve Spinach Turkey Meatballs
- With pasta and marinara sauce: Serve the meatballs over your favorite pasta, such as spaghetti, zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash and top with marinara sauce.
- In a sub sandwich: Place the meatballs in a sub roll with your favorite toppings, such as sautéed onions and peppers or melted cheese.
- In a salad: Add the meatballs to a salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and your favorite dressing.
- On their own as an appetizer: Serve the meatballs with toothpicks as a tasty and healthy appetizer with some dipping sauce.
- On a grain bowl: Swap the falafels in this falafel bowl with these turkey meatballs or add them to this buddha bowl.
How to Store & Reheat
These spinach turkey meatballs are great for meal prep! Here’s how to store and reheat them:
Refrigerator: Let meatballs cool completely then store leftovers in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Freezer: Let meatballs cool completely then store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Reheating: If meatballs have been frozen, thaw them in the fridge overnight. When ready to enjoy, reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or bake in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, until warm throughout.
More Turkey Recipes
- Turkey Stuffed Peppers
- Cheesy Eggplant Casserole with Ground Turkey
- Turkey Cauliflower Baked Ziti
- Cauliflower Gnocchi With Onions, Peas and Turkey Bacon
- Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers
- Healthy Taco Salad
- The Best Turkey Burger
- Baked Turkey Meatballs
- Turkey Soup
- Ground Turkey Pasta
Be sure to check out the full collection of ground turkey recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Spinach Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped carrots
- 3 ounces (about 3 loosely packed cups) baby spinach , finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- olive or avocado oil cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Make sure your onion, carrot and spinach are finely chopped as you don’t want huge chunks of veggies in the meatballs. I like chopping all the veggies in my food processor to save time.
- In a large mixing bowl add ground turkey, chopped veggies and spices. Gently combine with a wooden spoon or hands.
- Roll meat mixture into 1-2 inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet about 1-inch apart.
- Bake until outsides are lightly browned and centers are no longer pink, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.
- Let cool before placing in an air-tight container if you’re making these as part of your meal prep.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So so delicious with palmini angel hair and raos sauce for a low carb italian feast!
My husband and I absolutely loved this recipe! The meatballs were flavorful, delicious, and a perfect protein-rich addition to our pasta. Brittany strikes yet again 🙂 Thank you!!
WOO! This means so much, Stephanie. I am so glad you and your husband are loving these meatballs. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, I truly appreciate it!
I made these meatballs tonight and they were fantastic! I ate one before I served them to my family thinking they would be too healthy to be delicious. To my surprise they were amazing! I served them with vodka sauce and Carba-nada egg noodles. Thank you for a truly healthy and delicious meatball!!
Ahh this is amazing, Pam! I am glad you’re loving this recipe and they turned out great of you. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
These were such a great healthier meatball alternative. I’m trying to think of anything I added, but there’s not much: red pepper flakes, dry Italian herbs, and 3 eggs (I add eggs to absolutely anything I can because I love them, not that they were needed). Was really happy to have the directions to use the food processor too. I made ~2.5oz balls and got 24 of them. I only needed 2 balls as a serving because of 10g of protein per ball—so great. I liked them with just pasta sauce. They’re like a meal on their own. Thanks! I’ve been loving all your recipes and enjoying incorporating about two a week into the meal plan. 😁
Aww this is the best, Amy! I am so glad these turned out great for you. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I truly appreciate it!
This is fantastic. I made it twice today. Made a batch with 2 lbs turkey and another with sausages they both turned out great. Absolutely no changes. It freaked me out without something to bind this together like eggs, but it was perfection.
I’m so glad you loved this recipe, Amy. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Yummy and very easy to make. We covered them in Trader Joes pizza sauce and made meatball subs.
Yay! This sounds delicious, Molly. Glad you are enjoying these. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
These are fantastic! Will definitely be making again
Ah yay! I am so excited to hear that you are loving this recipe and it turned out great. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!