
Turkey Meatballs (Best-ever Turkey Burgers)
These turkey meatballs (or the bigger version, turkey burgers) are juicy, tasty, and a lean alternative to your favourite beef versions. Made with just a few pantry staples, they’re packed with flavour and a sneaky dose of plant goodness from hidden mushrooms, which even the fussy-eaters won’t detect (wink, wink).Grill them on the BBQ, pan-fry, or bake in the oven—ready in just 35 minutes! Keep them autoimmune-friendly, gluten-free, and low-carb as burgers, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, homemade mayo, gherkins, fried onions and smashed avo. Or, serve them on a soft sourdough roll for a non-gluten-free option.As meatballs, try dipping them in our tahini, lemon and parsley sauce, green goddess, or just smashed avo and mayo. Makes: 18 meatballs, 8 mini burgers or 4 large burgers.
Nutritional Profile
Wholesome Human Hero Ingredient: Turkey
Loaded with B vitamins, turkey is a rich source of B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), and B12 (cobalamin). Here’s why we love Vitamin B:
- Vitamin B3 (niacin) helps with efficient energy production and cell communication.
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) supports amino acid formation and aids in neurotransmitter production.
- Vitamin B12 is essential for DNA production and red blood cell formation.
Ingredients
- 500 gms turkey mince
- 8 white cup mushrooms, chopped
- 1 tbs coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp garlic powder, can omit if not tolerated
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp turmeric
- Season well with cracked pepper
- 2 tbs avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil for cooking
- *If baking in the oven or BBQ grill, add 1tbs oil to the turkey mixture.
Toppings and sides to serve:
- Iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cucumber slices
- Yoghurt mayonnaise (see recipe link in notes)
- Smashed avocado
- Gherkins, red onion, and/or fried onions
- Wholegrain mustard
Instructions
- MIX all ingredients in a large bowl with your hands. (Wear kitchen gloves as these burgers can be sticky).
- FORM the mixture into large or medium balls for burgers or golf-sized for meatballs.
- MEATBALLS OR BURGERS: Heat oil in a large nonstick ceramic pan over medium to low heat. For the burgers, flatten the balls in the heated oil so they are not too thick to cook through. Place the lid over the pan to retain the heat.
- COOK slowly until the meat is cooked through, turning halfway through to cook both sides.
- MEATBALLS ONLY: If you choose to bake the meatballs, place them in an oven-proof ceramic dish lined with baking paper. Bake till cooked through.
- PREP your toppings and sides to serve.
Meatballs:
- Delicious with mashed potatoes
- Enjoy a dipping sauce like our Tahini, Lemon and Parsley sauce (link) or green goddess (link) or just stick to smashed avo and homemade mayo (link) or pop them on some toothpicks for the kids.
- Great to batch cook and have for leftovers, in salads or freeze or part of a weekly meal prep.
- Delicious served cold as a snack with fruit (Sliced apple, pears or stone fruit)
Burgers:
- Bake Portobello Mushrooms and use as the bun or wrap in lettuce (auto-immune/gluten-free friendly)
- Sourdough buns are a great kid-friendly option (no longer Gluten-Free.
This recipe is:
Health Benefits:
- Fatigue Support
- Hormone Balancing
- Stress Busting
- Mood Balancing
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