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A sliced meatball on a plate with melted cheese inside, in front of other meatballs.
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4.84 from 6 votes

Turkey Meatballs with Pesto and Mozzarella

With melted cheese centers and that fresh, Italian pesto flavor, these perfect little appetizers make such an enticing hors d'oeuvre. They’re also gluten-free!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 25 meatballs
Calories: 119kcal

Ingredients

For the Pesto

  • 1 cup fresh basil - just leaves with stems discarded.
  • 3 tbsp. fresh parmesan - grated
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. pepitas (pumpkin seeds) - or pine nuts

For the Meatballs

  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • ½ small white onion
  • 3 large garlic cloves - minced
  • 4 oz. mozzarella - about 25 half-inch cubes
  • 1 cup gluten-free panko bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • ½ tsp. salt

Instructions

  • In a food processor, add 1 cup of fresh basil leaves without stems, 3 tbsp. fresh-grated parmesan, 3 tbsp. olive oil, 2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp. of pepitas. Process until well-chopped and almost creamy. This should yield about 4 tbsp. of pesto.
  • Dice ½ of a small white onion. Set aside. Mince 3 large garlic cloves. Add 1 tbsp. of olive oil to a frying pan. Turn the heat to medium and brown your garlic in the oil for 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside. Chop your mozzarella into tiny half-inch cubes. You’ll need about 25 cubes. Set aside.
  • To a mixing bowl, add 1 pound ground turkey, 1 cup gluten-free panko bread crumbs, toasted minced garlic, 1 large egg, diced onion, 2 tbsp. of pesto (save the other 2 tbsp. to toss the meatballs in when they’re ready to serve), ½ tsp. Italian seasoning, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. pepper and ½ tsp. salt. Mix ingredients thoroughly.
  • Spoon a rounded tsp. of meat for your meatball. Place it in your hand and add a cheese cube to the center, then fold the meat around the cheese, making sure it’s completely covered. Roll each ball and carefully place them in a bowl or on a plate.
  • Add 1 tbsp. of olive oil and coat the frying pan. Distribute the balls with about an inch of space between them. Turn the heat to medium and allow each ball to heat on 1 side for about 2-3 minutes, then gently flip them to the other side to brown. Every 2-3 minutes, flip them to a pink side. They should only need about 10-12 minutes to cook. 
  • Remove the turkey balls from heat (after cutting into the largest one to make sure they’re cooked thoroughly and the cheese is melted). Place turkey balls in washed mixing bowl, toss with the remaining 2 tbsp. of pesto and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatball | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg