Name: Baked Gluten Free Garlic Herb Turkey Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 2 pounds ground dark meat turkey; 2 eggs; 1/2 cup finely diced onion; 4 cloves of garlic, chopped; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons coconut aminos; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 Tbs coconut flour (you may need to add a little more if you are using the plastic tube style ground turkey meat); 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/3 cup ghee or olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped; juice of 1/2 a lemon – about 1 tablespoon; pinch of chili flakes (optional); 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; black pepper, to taste

Jump to Recipe

These baked gluten free garlic herb turkey meatballs are a tasty main dish recipe that are made with ground turkey, fresh herbs, garlic, lemon, and ghee! Perfectly balanced, cooked to perfection, and made without cheese or breadcrumbs. Whole30, paleo, gluten free, low carb + keto friendly.

Close up shot of 3 glistening herb flecked turkey meatballs on a bed of creamy cauliflower mash, drizzled with golden colored ghee and next to a few lemon slices. On a light colored speckled plate.

Fact: These baked turkey meatballs have quickly become a meal prep staple at our house and I have a feeling the same might be true for you once you try them!

They’re absolutely delicious just as meatballs, but there’s something about that drizzle of lemony garlic herb ghee at the end of the reecipe that makes them so next level.

This recipe makes a pretty big batch so you can stash some in the fridge to eat all week long.

And if you don’t eat them all within a few days they are super freezer friendly! Just store them in individually sized portions in the freezer (the perfect use for these stasher bags), and thaw when you’re ready to dig in!

Why you’ll love these turkey meatballs

They are:

Flavorful
Garlicky
Filling
Savory
Warming
Low carb
SO tasty!

A large plate filled with large glistening herb flecked turkey meatballs drizzled with golden colored ghee and next to a few lemon slices and parsley leaves. One meatball is cut in half to reveal the interior. On a light colored speckled plate with a spoon slanted off the plate holding one meatball.

Ingredients

(If you’re already ready to get started, scroll all the way down to the bottom for the full recipe!)

Ground turkey – Ground dark meat turkey is my protein of choice for this recipe, but you could easily substitute ground chicken, ground beef, or even ground pork in it’s place. You may want to skip using ground turkey breast or chicken breast, as it’s very lean and will result in drier meatballs. Look for ground turkey that is in a flat (like the turkey pictured below) instead of a chub. Turkey sold in a plastic tube (chub) tends to be more watery and soft. If that’s the only kind of turkey that you can find you’ll likely need to add a little extra coconut flour.
Eggs – To help bind the meatballs together.
Aromatics + herbs – Finely diced onion, garlic, parsley, onion powder, and garlic powder give these meatballs their superb savory flavor.
Tomato paste – Tomato paste is one of the main flavor-boosting ingredients in many meatball recipes, and this one is no exception.
Coconut aminos – Coconut aminos add a unique umami rich depth of flavor to these meatballs – it brings the perfect combo of sweet and savory.
Coconut flour – Coconut flour in combination with the eggs is what helps bind the meatballs together without using breadcrumbs. Because coconut flour it is so absorbent it doesn’t take much – so give it a minute or two to absorb the excess moisture in the meatballs before adding any extra. Too much coconut flour will dry out the meatballs.
A savory lemon and herb blend – After the meatballs are baked, they are drizzled in ghee melted with fresh garlic, herbs, a bit of lemon juice, salt and pepper. The perfect finishing touch on this seriously crave-able recipe!

Overhead shot of ingredients for baked whole30 garlic herb turkey meatballs. A large plate with ground turkey meat, a bowl holding two cracked eggs, and scattered small bowls containing tomato paste, chopped parsley, garlic, salt and pepper, finely diced onion, coconut aminos, and coconut flour.

A small white sauce pan with the ingredients for garlic herb ghee - ghee, chili flakes, chopped parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.

How to make

These easy turkey meatballs are made in two simple parts. First they are baked until cooked through, and then topped with an absolutely mouth watering combination of melted ghee, garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon juice before serving.

(If you’re already ready to get started, scroll all the way down to the bottom for the full recipe!)

Here’s the step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Combine meatball ingredients and preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up.

Add all ingredients for meatballs to a large bowl and mix thoroughly to combine.

Step 2: Form meatballs and bake until golden brown

Grab a small bowl of water or olive oil and wet your hands as you go. Form mixture into 12 even sized 1 1/2 inch meatballs and space evenly on the prepared baking sheet.

Spray or brush each meatball with avocado or olive oil.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

Step 3: Make garlic herb mixture

While meatballs are baking, gently warm ghee / olive oil, garlic, parley, lemon juice, chili flakes, sea salt, and black pepper in a small sauce pan over medium low heat – until heated through and garlic is aromatic.

Step 4: Drizzle meatballs with melted garlic herb ghee

Remove meatballs from the oven and drain extra fat from the pan with a spoon if necessary. Drizzle with melted lemon garlic ghee and return to the oven to bake for 3-5 minutes more.

Step 5: Serve and enjoy!

Serve warm and enjoy.

Overhead shot of a large shallow bowl with all of the ingredients for baked whole30 meatballs - unmixed.

Overhead shot of a large shallow bowl with all of the ingredients for baked whole30 meatballs - mixed together.

45 degree angle close up shot of baked whole30 turkey meatballs, drizzled with garlic herb ghee, next to a few lemon slices. On a light colored baking sheet.

How long to cook turkey meatballs

How long to bake turkey meatballs depends on how big they are.

Even though these are on the bigger side, they still cook quite fast – about 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

If you make the meatballs even smaller they will cook faster. If you want to double check with a meat thermometer the internal temperature should be 160 – which should rise to 165 once out of the oven.

How do you keep these baked turkey meatballs from falling apart?

Most turkey meatballs recipes rely on breadcrumbs, but this gluten free recipe uses a mixture of eggs and coconut flour to bind them together and prevent any crumbling.

What’s the easiest way to portion meatballs?

You can either portion these turkey meatballs with your hands, or by using a large cookie scoop. This medium sized cookie dough scoop is the perfect size. I love using a cookie scoop to get equal sized portions, and then rounding them out by hand. Wet your hands with a little olive oil or water as you go to keep the meatballs from getting too sticky.

Serving suggestions

The 20-25 minutes while the meatballs bake is the perfect amount of time to make a quick side dish or two to serve with this main dish!

Some ideas to get you started:

Creamy mashed cauliflower (what the meatballs are served with in these photos!)
Mashed potatoes
Garlic sautéed spinach
Cauliflower rice
White rice
Oven roasted broccolini
Spiralized zucchini noodles

How to store, re-heat, and freeze

To store: These meatballs can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.

To re-heat: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and warm meatballs until heated through – about 10-12 minutes. You can also quickly re-heat them in the microwave.

To freeze: These turkey meatballs freeze very well. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing them before you drizzle with the garlic and herb melted ghee, and complete that step after they have thawed and you’re ready to serve.

To thaw frozen meatballs: Either move to the refrigerator to thaw overnight and then warm them in the oven, or transfer them directly to the oven from the freezer at 350 degrees and warm until heated through.

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Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!