Turkey Quinoa Meatballs With Roasted Tomatoes
Check out this simple recipe for turkey quinoa meatballs with roasted tomatoes. It's easy to make and tastes different from your regular meatballs.
Equipment
Large mixing bowl
13x9 inch (33x23cm) baking dish
Rimmed baking sheet
parchment paper
Pastry brush
Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
Turkey Quinoa Meatballs
3 pounds ground turkey (minced turkey) - (turkey thighs) minced turkey, about 1.36kg
½ cup sweet onion - diced finely, about 75g / ½ medium onion
¾ cup quinoa - cooked and cooled, about 130g- ¼ cup nutritional yeast - about 15g
2 teaspoons ground allspice (also called pimento or Jamaican Pepper) - also called pimento or Jamaican pepper
1 medium eggs- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt - for the meatball mixture
½ teaspoon ground black pepper - freshly ground
Roasted Tomatoes
7 medium tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil - (extra virgin) about 30ml- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt - for the tomatoes
Instructions
Meatball Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, diced onion, cooked quinoa, nutritional yeast, allspice, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined — avoid overmixing or the meatballs will be dense. Roll into golf ball–sized portions (about 2 tablespoons / 40g each) and place in a parchment-lined 13x9 inch (33x23cm) baking dish, leaving a small gap between each meatball.3 pounds ground turkey (minced turkey), ½ cup sweet onion, ¾ cup quinoa, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, 2 teaspoons ground allspice (also called pimento or Jamaican Pepper), 1 medium eggs, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the meatballs are golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre of the largest meatball reads 165°F / 74°C. If not yet at temperature, return to the oven for 5 minutes and check again.
Roasted Tomatoes Instructions
- While the meatballs bake, slice the tomatoes into ¼-inch (6mm) thick rounds. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and brush the parchment lightly with extra virgin olive oil.7 medium tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Place sliced tomatoes on the baking sheet, squeeze as many sliced tomatoes onto the pan as possible (they shrink down when they bake). Brush with olive oil and sprinkle salt.7 medium tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Bake at 400°F / 200°C (180°C fan-forced) for 40-45 minutes, or until the tomatoes are wrinkled, slightly caramelised around the edges, and have reduced in size by about half. The meatballs and tomatoes can share the oven at the same time on separate racks.
- Arrange the roasted tomatoes on a serving platter and place the meatballs on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate meatballs and roasted tomatoes in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freeze meatballs (without tomatoes) on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Make-ahead: Cook quinoa up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Shape meatballs the night before and refrigerate on the baking sheet, covered, ready to bake. Quinoa should be cooked and cooled before starting the recipe, which takes an additional 15-20 minutes if not done in advance.
Substitutions: Swap ground turkey thighs for ground chicken thighs at the same weight. Replace nutritional yeast with finely grated parmesan if dairy isn't a concern. Use ground cinnamon plus a pinch of ground cloves as a substitute for allspice.
Pro tip: Use ground turkey thighs specifically (not breast) — the higher fat content keeps the meatballs juicy. If your turkey is very lean, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the mix to prevent dryness.
Reheating: Reheat meatballs in a 350°F / 175°C oven for 10-12 minutes until warmed through. Reheat roasted tomatoes in a skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 50gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 152mgSodium: 143mgPotassium: 1212mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1306IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 4mg
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