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Paleo turkey meatballs and parsnip noodles coated in marinara in a bowl next to a napkin.
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5 from 3 votes

Whole30 Turkey Meatballs (gluten-free, Paleo)

Light, tender Whole30 Turkey Meatballs are served with parsnip noodles are so simple to make. This healthy, hearty dinner is also gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and Paleo.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time28 minutes
Total Time48 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 326kcal
Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground turkey preferably dark/thigh meat
  • ¼ cup superfine blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • teaspoons fine sea salt plus more if necessary
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper plus more if necessary
  • 2 pounds parsnips
  • 1 (24 oz.) jar marinara (Paleo/Whole30 compatible if necessary)
  • fresh basil or parsley, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  • First, make the meatballs: Heat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with foil.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, almond flour, egg, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.
  • Use a ¼-cup scoop (a cookie scoop with a lever is helpful here, but you can also use a regular ¼-cup measuring cup) to scoop the mixture into balls and place on the baking sheet. Then use your hands to roll into balls (if the mixture is sticky, it helps to dampen your palms a bit with water) and place on the baking sheet. Make sure they're not touching.
    You should end up with 15-16 meatballs.
  • Bake for 25-28 minutes, until thoroughly cooked through (you can test by cutting into one and seeing if there's any raw meat in the middle).
    If you want the meatballs to have a browner top, you can then broil them for 2-5 minutes, depending on your broiler. Keep a close eye on them to make sure they don't burn.
  • Then make the "spaghetti": Trim off the small tips of the parsnips and peel. Discard the tips and peels.
    Then, holding the large end of the parsnip, rotate the parsnip as you keep peeling, creating long, thin noodles. Once you're down to one last skinny little noodle, trim it off and then slice any of the remaining parsnip into thin coins before discarding the large end.
  • Add all the parsnip noodles to a large saucepan. Pour in the marinara, give everything a good toss with a pair of tongs, cover and place over medium heat. Toss the noodles occasionally and cook for 10-12 minutes, until they're soft but not mushy. Taste and add any salt or pepper, if desired.
  • Transfer the noodles to a serving bowl, pile the meatballs on top, sprinkle with fresh basil or parsley and serve!

Notes

Make ahead and storage
The meatballs can be baked, cooled and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze them, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze, uncovered, until thoroughly frozen. Then transfer to an air-tight freezer baggie or container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
The parsnips and marinara can be frozen in an air-tight freezer baggie or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
If you've already combined the meatballs and parsnips, freeze the whole mixture in an air-tight freezer baggie or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
To reheat, you can use the microwave, a low oven or in a saucepan over low heat.
Substitutions and variations
  • You can use other kinds of ground meat. If using ground chicken or ground turkey with white/breast meat, try to pair it with a fattier meat like dark ground turkey, ground pork or ground beef so the meatballs won't be dry.
  • You can add chopped, pitted olives or drained, chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the meatball mixture.
  • You can add fresh herbs to the meatball mixture, such as basil, oregano or parsley. You should aim for about 1/3 cup of chopped herbs.
  • You can make them spicy by adding red pepper flakes to the meatball mixture.
  • You can use whatever tomato sauce or marinara that you like. Make sure it's Paleo/Whole30 compatible if that's necessary for you.

Nutrition

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 687mg | Potassium: 1077mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 3mg