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overhead shot of cooked turkey meatballs on a blue plate with a side of tahini and lemon slice
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Kid-friendly Turkey Beet Meatballs

These oven-baked turkey beet meatballs are quick and easy to prepare, healthy, and most importantly baby and toddler approved!
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 22 meatballs
Calories 34kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1 medium cooked beets, shred on large holes of box grater (about ¾ cups), squeeze out excess liquid
  • ½ teaspoon olive oil
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit
  • Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and cook onion and mushrooms until softened, 3-5 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix using your hands being careful not to overwork the meat.
  • Shape into small-sized balls (see note). Place on a greased or lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway. Using a thermometer, make sure the internal temperature has reached 165F.

Notes

For younger babies (6-8 months), shape into larger meatballs - 1.5 inch or so. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Ground turkey. Feel free to swap with chicken, pork, or beef.
Vegetables. Again, you can use whatever you have on hand. Mushrooms are the only non-animal food source of vitamin D, which is very important for babies (for all ages, really). It also helps bulk up the volume, making a pound of meat go a long way.
Beets. You can use raw beets but cooking them will make the meatballs more moist for the baby. See below for instructions on how to cook them.
Tahini. A great source of healthy fats, which babies really need! It imparts a subtle nutty flavor which is divine! If there's a sesame allergy, you can substitute with other nut butters (make sure to thin out) or other seed butter.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 17mg