Herby Turkey Meatballs
GLUTEN FREE · DAIRY FREE OPTION · PALEO · AIP · NUT FREE
Maybe it’s because I grew up loving “Lady and the Tramp” and the spaghetti and meatballs scene, but I absolutely love meatballs, in all their variations, and these are one of my favourites! They are just so tasty, thanks to the combination of herbs and the fennel, and they are jam-packed with gut-friendly and gut-soothing ingredients.
I would cook them on rotation during Crohn’s flares, as they are easily-digestible and also egg-free, which can be hard to find when it comes to meatballs and burgers, and they are so flexible you can eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and even as a snack!
Easy to make, with just one bowl to wash up when you’re done (bonus!), you can add these little guys to pretty much anything.
INGREDIENTS
Ground turkey
Turkey is a great, lean and nutritious meat that often loses out to chicken in many dishes. It’s a good source of protein, as well as iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and B vitamins.
Fennel
Used for years to help alleviate bloating and other gastrointestinal discomfort, usually in the form of a tea, fennel is a great vegetable to use in cooking, particularly if you are avoiding onions and/or garlic. Having never been a great fan of fennel myself, I was surprised at how much milder and more palatable it is once it is cooked. I am now a total convert, and the use of fennel really adds a nice flavour to the meatballs.
As an alternative to fennel, you can of course use onion or spring onion.
Garlic
Garlic elevates both the flavour and the immune-supporting properties of any dish. It also has powerful anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties, and acts as a prebiotic by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Ghee
Possibly one of my favourite ingredients ever! Ghee has a lovely nutty taste and is an excellent alternative to butter, particularly in savoury cooking. Due to the removal of the milk solids, it is both lactose-free and casein-free and so is very well-tolerated, although may still need to be avoided by those with severe dairy allergies (in which case, olive oil or avocado oil would be a suitable alternative, making the recipe dairy free).
Ghee is also a key ingredient in a gut-healing diet as it contains butyrate: a source of energy for the cells lining the colon, anti-inflammatory and can improve intestinal permeability.
Bone broth
A gut-healing superstar, bone broth is full to the brim with nutrients, minerals and amino acids. It’s rich in protein and contains collagen, glutamine, glucosamine, glycine and chondroitin, all of which help build and strengthen your bones and joints, as well as supporting the lining of the gut and improving intestinal permeability (leaky gut).
Bone broth also adds flavour to food, much as stock cubes do! I find the most convenient way to add it to my cooking, is to pour it into ice cube trays and then simply pop the ice cubes into the dish as it is cooking.
Find the recipe here.
Sage, Rosemary, Thyme
I have used dried herbs here, but if you prefer to use fresh, you will need about three times the amount.
Parsley
I opted for fresh parsley here for the fresh tase and brighter green. If you prefer to use dried, you can use about a third the amount.
Salt & pepper
CHANGES & SUBSTITUTIONS
Chicken instead of turkey?
You can easily swap the turkey for chicken in this recipe and make chicken meatballs. The taste will be very similar so it’s a a very simple substitution to make.
No fennel?
Simply swap out the fennel with some finely chopped onion or spring onion.
Make it dairy-free
Instead of ghee, opt for olive oil or avocado oil for dairy-free meatballs.
Make it low-FODMAP
You can make a low-FODMAP version of these meatballs either by leaving out the minced garlic altogether, or by using a drizzle of homemade garlic-infused olive oil (that has had all garlic pieces removed and so is low-FODMAP) if you wish.
TIPS
Making the meatballs and placing them in the fridge for a couple of hours before cooking helps them firm up and hold their shape better, if you have the time.
SERVING SUGGESTION
Try these meatballs with:
Sweet Potato Hash for a hearty breakfast!
Your favourite salad
HERBY TURKEY MEATBALLS
Ingredients
- 600g ground turkey mince
- 1 fennel bulb, chopped (approx. 3 Tbsp)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 Tbsp ghee
- 2 Tbsp bone broth
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 3/4 tsp sage
- 1/2 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
- Portion out the mixture and form into 12 meatballs using your hands (wear gloves if you prefer).
- Place the meatballs in a covered oven-proof dish.
- If possible, transfer to the fridge for 1-3 hours (or overnight) to help the meatballs firm up a little before cooking.
- Place in the oven at 180°C and cook - covered - for 20-25 minutes, then remove the cover and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until the meatballs start to turn a little more golden.
- Remove from the oven and serve.