Can I use my pre-made meatballs?

You can definitely use store-bought meatballs if you’d like to skip a step. We recommend following the steps on the bag to make sure they’re properly cooked if they don’t come pre-cooked. If you have time, though, we always think homemade is better.

Can I use a different meat for these meatballs?

Of course you can! We went with turkey to lighten this recipe up a bit, but you can certainly opt for other meats. One of our favorite combos is 1/3 ground beef, 1/3 ground veal, and 1/3 ground pork. Our local grocery store sells a combo pack of all three ground meats.

What do you recommend serving these meatballs with?

They’re killer by themselves, but if you want to add a side, we recommend serving them over noodles or (for a healthier option) cauliflower rice.

Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs with Peppers

Name: Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs with Peppers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 pound 85% lean ground turkey; 1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped (see note); 1 egg; 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (see note); 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (see note); 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (use a gluten-free brand); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 sweet onion, sliced; 2 bell peppers, sliced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 cups marinara sauce (we use Rao's); 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper; 4 ounces fresh mozzarella

Description

These gluten-free turkey meatballs are perfect. The meatballs can stand on their own, but we added peppers, onions, and cheese to make the dish feel complete. There are no breadcrumbs in the meatballs, so they're totally gluten free (and low carb!), but they're still super moist and flavorful.

Ingredients

Scale

For the meatballs:

1 pound 85% lean ground turkey

1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped (see note)

1 egg

1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (see note)

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (see note)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (use a gluten-free brand)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

For the peppers and sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sweet onion, sliced

2 bell peppers, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups marinara sauce (we use Rao's)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 ounces fresh mozzarella

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper (or spray it with nonstick spray).
Add the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix until well-combined. I find that it's easiest to mix it up with my hands—if that's not your speed, use a spoon.
Form the meatball mixture into the meatballs. We made 16, but that will vary based on how big your make yours—ours were about an inch and a half in diameter.
Bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, flip the meatballs and cook for another 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. The cook time will vary based on the size of your meatballs, so keep an eye on them and check the temperature frequently.
When the meatballs have about 15 minutes left, add olive oil and onions to a cast-iron pan (or oven-safe pan) and cook for two minutes over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent them from burning.
Add bell peppers and cook for an additional five minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the marinara sauce and crushed red pepper and turn the heat to low.
Once the meatballs are done, put them into the pan with the peppers and sauce and cover with mozzarella. Then broil on high for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted (check on them frequently—it happens fast!). Enjoy!

Notes

We use baby bella mushrooms.

You can substitute the fresh basil for 1 teaspoon of dried basil.

You can substitute the fresh parsley for 1 teaspoon of dried parsley.

Nutritional information is only an estimate.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop/Baking
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
Calories: 479
Sugar: 17.3 g
Sodium: 1356.3 mg
Fat: 24.3 g
Carbohydrates: 28.4 g
Protein: 38.1 g
Cholesterol: 149.9 mg