Turkey Apple Breakfast Meatballs
These Turkey Apple Breakfast Meatballs are a yummy mix of sweet and savory. They’re baked, good for you, and delicious for meal prep!
I am currently loving meatballs for my morning protein fix. (But let’s be real, I’m #teammeatballs for every meal. Never met one I didn’t like.) These are dairy free, gluten free, and Whole30 compliant. They are well seasoned so they have plenty of flavor plus that natural sweetness of diced apples and the salty satisfaction of crispy bacon.
I use turkey bacon in this recipe and any recipe with bacon. I recommend Wellshire Turkey Bacon. Their bacon is thick, minimally processed, and nitrate free. They have several amazing varieties to choose from including one that’s completely sugar free.
The big complaint I hear about turkey bacon is that it’s a little flimsy. Let’s solve that, shall we? To crisp up your turkey bacon just add a bit of olive oil to your pan when cooking. Boom. Perfectly crispy turkey bacon every single time.
Ground turkey, diced apples, crispy turkey bacon, fresh rosemary, onion, and lots of seasoning. Oh these meatballs are winners, friend.
Turkey Apple Breakfast Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground turkey, I use Honest Turkey 93/7.
- 1/4 cup fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 1/2 oz
- 1/2 cup gala, red, or honey crisp apple, diced small and peeled, about 1/2 medium apple
- 1 tbsp olive oil, This helps achieve crispy turkey bacon.
- 4 slices turkey bacon, I use Wellshire Turkey Bacon.
- 1/3 cup white or yellow onion, finely chopped, about 1/4 small or medium onion
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp Coconut Aminos
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add olive oil to a skillet with turkey bacon. Sauté until both sides are crispy (don’t forget to flip the bacon). Set aside on a paper towel. When cool chop your turkey bacon into small bits.
- Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Now we’re ready to create the meatballs! At this point your turkey mixture is going to be pretty mushy. That’s just the nature of ground turkey. If you want to firm it up place the bowl it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes and then form the meatballs. (I typically just roll them as is and accept that it’s going to be pretty sticky. Do what you prefer!)
- Use your hands to shape the meatballs into balls approximately 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. This produces 24 meatballs.
- Place meatballs in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (Can omit the parchment paper and use a greased baking sheet if you prefer.) Leave a little space in between each meatball.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. (Check the inside of one meatball after 15 minutes and if not cooked through add another 5 minutes. Cooking time can vary based on the oven and size of the meatballs.)
- Remove from the oven and serve! You can also store in the refrigerator in an airtight container to enjoy throughout the week or freeze for later.
8 Comments on “Turkey Apple Breakfast Meatballs”
Just made these and they are amazing! I cut salt in half and used ghost peppers instead since I didn’t have the others. Hubs loves these, they’re a keeper!
Such an easy, make ahead and delicious way to start the day!
Some of the best meatballs I have tried. My kiddos couldn’t stop eating them!
I love that! Kids can be a tough crowd! Thank you, Mallory!
I just made these for my very picky eating family and we all loved it! The rosemary really shines through. Such an easy, great recipe!
I make a variation of the recipe on repeat. Instead of making meatballs I cook all the ingredients except the egg together and add hash-browns to make it more of a hash.
Love these! I’ve made a few times. Today I had fresh dill so subbed that for rosemary. Worked well! Thanks for a “different” breakfast idea. Yum!
I’m happy the dill worked well too! Thanks for trying the recipe and taking the time to leave a comment, Kaimy!