These baked turkey spinach meatballs are made without eggs or breadcrumbs, using coconut flour as a binder instead. They’re naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, packed with garlic and fresh spinach.
Baking meatballs in the oven is hands-off and splatter-free compared to pan-frying. Roll them into balls, place on a baking sheet, and bake while you prep the rest of dinner.
Serve these with marinara over gluten-free pasta, in gluten-free sub sandwiches, or with your favorite dipping sauce. They also freeze well for meal prep.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Coconut flour: Acts as a binder without eggs or breadcrumbs. You only need 2 tablespoons. A little coconut flour goes a long way. Don’t substitute almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs without adjusting the amount. You’ll need about 1-4 to 1/3 cup of either.
- Fresh spinach: Finely chopped and mixed into the meatballs. Use packed spinach for accurate measurement.
- Ground turkey: 93/7 lean works best.
- Olive oil: Adds moisture and helps bind the meatballs without eggs.
TIP
Lightly oil your hands before rolling the meatballs. This prevents sticking and makes the process much faster. Don’t pack the balls too tightly or they’ll be dense instead of tender.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use 1/3 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs instead of coconut flour. However, this recipe is specifically designed to work without breadcrumbs for those who don’t have them on hand or need an egg-free and breadcrumb-free option.
The internal temperature should reach 165°F. Baking time depends on size, 1-inch meatballs take 13-15 minutes at 400°F. There should be no pink in the center.
Yes, ground chicken works well. Use the same measurements and baking time.
Storage instructions
Store cooked meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat with sauce to keep them moist.
To freeze, let the meatballs cool completely after baking. Place in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Reheat with sauce on the stovetop or in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
Serving suggestions
Serve with marinara sauce over gluten-free pasta or zucchini noodles. These meatballs are also perfect in Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce or as an appetizer with dipping sauce.
More gluten-free meals to try
Did you make this recipe?
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Baked Turkey Spinach Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 cup packed fresh spinach - chopped
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - or avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- In a large bowl combine 1 lb ground turkey, 1/2 cup packed fresh spinach, 2 tablespoons coconut flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Mix with your hands until just combined. Avoid over-mixing or the meatballs will be tough.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons or #30 scoop) to portion the mixture, then lightly oil your hands and roll into 1-inch balls. You should get about 16 meatballs total. Don't pack them too tightly.
- Place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Bake at 400°F for 13-15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and there's no pink in the center. Optional: Turn on the broiler for the last 1-2 minutes for a browned top, watching carefully to avoid drying them out.
- Let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Coconut flour: Cannot be substituted 1:1 with other flours. If using almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs instead, you’ll need about 1/4 to 1/3 cup.
- Ground turkey: 93/7 lean works best. Leaner turkey makes dry meatballs.
- Cookie scoop: A #30 scoop (about 2 tablespoons) ensures evenly sized meatballs that cook at the same rate. Makes portioning quick and creates uniform 1-inch meatballs.
- Size matters: Baking time is based on 1-inch meatballs. Larger meatballs will need more time.
- Don’t skip the oil on your hands: This prevents sticking and makes rolling much easier.
Nutrition
I loved them made them with roasted spaghetti squash and meal was delish. Both at same oven temp of 400. my husband loved them also and was perfect for his no carb no dairy program
These are amazing! We were given 20 lbs of ground turkey, I don’t normally buy ground turkey so I wasn’t sure how to use it but these are delicious!
I’m going to make the turkey spinach meatballs. What fat ratio % should I look for on the ground turkey?
Thank you.
Mary
Awesome recipe
Can I use regular all purpose flour?
I haven’t tested it since I have celiac disease and we are a gluten-free household but it should work with all-purpose flour or you can even use breadcrumbs.
Easy to make and tastes delicious 😋 thank you for sharing!!
Easy. Very tasty. I doubled the recipe and froze half. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for coming back and sharing, Pamela! We love to keep some in the freezer too – it makes for such easy meals!
I love this recipe! I tripled the recipe and will be freezing these meatballs! So delicious!