I’m gonna be real with you about this recipe, it took a few tries to get it right. The green olives in the first picture below did not make it into the final batch, the flavors just weren’t working for me. Anyhow, I’m telling you that because I want you to know that sometimes experimenting in the kitchen doesn’t go as planned even when you’ve been at it for a while. If you try a recipe that doesn’t work out, don’t be too hard on yourself about it and remember that some recipes just suck. But not this recipe! These meatballs are gluten free, paleo friendly and the leftovers are great for lunch the next day. I serve these over a salad, or with rice and a veggie on the side, but if that sounds too weird for you, they are great warmed up in a clean ingredient marinara sauce and served with spaghetti squash or pasta.
Zesty Pesto Garlic Meatballs
1/2 lb ground turkey
3/4 lb ground beef (you could of course just use all beef or all turkey for this recipe, I used a mix to add some flavor and fat to the turkey)
3 Tbs pesto, I recommend this pesto recipe
1 large clove garlic, minced
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp tomato paste
Optional add in: 2 Tbs Parmesan cheese
Optional: marinara sauce and steamed spaghetti squash or pasta of your choice for serving.
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Let your meat come to room temp for about 30 minutes on the counter while oven preheats and you prep other ingredients. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil with cooking oil and set aside.
2.Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, mixing until just combined, your meat will become too tough if you overmix. Use a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out equal sized meatballs and evenly space on baking sheet with a little space between each meatball.
3. Bake for 25 minutes, and slice into a meatball to check that it’s cooked through (no longer pink inside) and cook longer if needed. When fully cooked, add meatballs to warmed marinara sauce and pasta, or serve with rice and veggies or over a salad (if you’re weird like me).
Maria's Clean Plate 