RecipeSavory Pumpkin Meatballs

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
  • Calories: 35
  • Protein: 6 g
  • Total Fat: 0 g
    • Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
    • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Cholesterol: 20 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 2 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 0 g
  • Total Sugar: 1 g
    • Natural Sugar: 0 g
    • Added Sugar: 1 g
  • Sodium: 110 mg

You will melt for these mouthwatering meatballs—the warm cinnamon, the slightly sweet nutmeg, the earthy pumpkin. While they’re delish any time of year, they’re especially perfect during the cooler Autumn months or served as a festive holiday dish when we’re all craving cozy seasonal flavors. When they finish cooking in the oven, I love to add them to a simmering pot of marinara sauce on the stove and then serve over spaghetti squash or whole-grain penne. Another family favorite is to load them on a crusty, whole-grain roll for a saucy meatball hero with a pumpkin-y spin.

  • Prep time
  • Total Time
This recipe makes about 26 meatballs
Ingredients:
  • • 1⅓ pounds ground turkey (90 to 94% lean)
  • • ¾ cup canned 100% pumpkin puree
  • • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • • 1 jar marinara sauce (optional)
Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl until everything is well combined and sticky, about 30 seconds. Do not overmix.

Form the turkey mixture into light and fluffy meatballs. You should end up with about 26 in total. If the batter feels too fussy or sticky to form, refrigerate the mixture for about 30 minutes to firm it up.

Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes on one side. Carefully turn them over and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes on second side. Remove from the oven (in some instances, moisture will settle around the meatballs, simply discard the fragments when transferring from baking sheet) Transfer them to a pot with simmering marinara sauce. Serve over spaghetti squash, whole-grain penne or on a whole grain crusty roll for a delicious pumpkin-y meatball grinder.

 

Nutrition provided per meatball.

Try my Savory Kale Meatballs.