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Aug 28, 2015 By Stacie Hassing

Zucchini Turkey Meatballs

Dairy-Free
Egg-Free
Gluten-free
Grain-Free
Paleo
Whole30

Zucchini Turkey Meatballs: A quick and simple dinner recipe for you!

Zucchini Turkey Meatballs on a white plate

Got Zucchini?

If you have a garden or you’re part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), you most likely are looking for new ways use up your zucchini. I know I am!  These Whole30 friendly Zucchini Turkey Meatballs are fast-and-easy to make, made with just 6 ingredients, delicious and freezer-friendly. I recommend you double the recipe so that you’ll have yourself a quick and easy meal stocked away for the future.

Got Zucchini? Try our @Whole30 friendly Zucchini Turkey Meatballs! #freezerfriendly Click To Tweet

This recipe is AIP friendly, too!

If you follow the autoimmune protocol, this recipe can easily be made for you by omitting the crushed red pepper, black pepper and skipping the marinara sauce. They taste delicious on their own, too!

Zucchini Turkey Meatballs on a white plate

Adding shredded zucchini to these meatballs is an easy way to sneak in veggies, especially with picky eaters (my husband, Shane, included). You could also add shredded carrots or spinach to this recipe and sneak in even more veggies…they’ll never know. These meatballs are tasty as is but you can also toss them with your favorite marinara sauce, serve over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles and top with a little parmesan cheese (not Whole30). So good!

Zucchini Turkey Meatball being dipped in marinara sauce

Add this recipe to your weekend meal prep!

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Let's Get Cookin'

Zucchini Turkey Popper Meatballs

A simple recipe that is easy to make ahead of time and is freezer-friendly. Feel free to add your favorite spices and dried herbs. These meatball are tasty as is or you can toss them with your favorite marinara sauce.

  • Author: The Simply Nourished Team
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 16 mins
  • Total Time: 26 mins
  • Yield: 12 meatballs (4 servings)
  • Category: Entree
Print Recipe
★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini (lightly squeezed to remove some of the liquid)
  • 1 tsp. dried Italian Seasoning
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (omit for AIP)
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper (omit for AIP)

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix with hands.
  3. Form into 12 golf ball-sized meatballs and place on the baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and insides are no longer pink.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 3 meatballs
  • Calories: 180
  • Sugar: 1g
  • Sodium: 350mg
  • Fat: 8g
  • Carbohydrates: 2g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 22g

Comment below to share with us your favorite way to cook or bake with zucchini.  We’d love to hear!

Pin now to make later!

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About Stacie Hassing

Stacie is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian from rural southern Minnesota where she and her husband reside on 5 acres with their two pups, Walter & Lucy. She’s a creator of simple and wholesome recipes, a lover of nature, a crossfitter, a seasonal runner, and she’s on a mission to inspire as many as she can live a healthier and happier life from the inside out.

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Reader Interactions

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    ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. April Kalis says

    September 11, 2015 at 1:49 pm

    Made these last week and I will be making them again! So easy and tasteful.

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      September 20, 2015 at 8:25 am

      Thanks for the feedback April! Glad you enjoyed them 🙂

      Reply
  2. Lois says

    May 21, 2016 at 11:29 am

    Made these today for a friend who had a baby and they turned out DELICIOUSLY!! Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      May 22, 2016 at 8:49 pm

      That’s great news! And how sweet of you to deliver such a nourishing and thoughtful food gift to your new mama friend!

      Reply
      • Mandy says

        November 24, 2017 at 5:03 pm

        Hi there! Can you tell me …do I skin the zucchini before baking? Also…did you cook the zucchini at all first before baking??

        Thanks so much

        Reply
        • Jessica Beacom says

          November 27, 2017 at 3:07 pm

          Hey Mandy,

          You don’t have to peel the zucchini before shredding it and you add it raw to the meat mixture.

          Reply
  3. Lulu says

    June 13, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    Just made a test batch and I love it! Going to make a larger batch to freeze for emergency meals!

    Thanks for this lovely recipe 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      June 13, 2016 at 8:51 pm

      Thanks, Lulu! We love to hear when readers find a recipe they love and can stock their freezers with for easy ‘reheat & eat’ meals later on!

      Reply
  4. Shari says

    July 21, 2016 at 8:17 pm

    Would you bake them before freezing them? I’d looking forward to trying this recipe soon! Looks great!

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      July 22, 2016 at 5:17 pm

      Hi Shari,

      I usually bake them first before freezing that way I can place them in the fridge to thaw overnight then quickly reheat them i a covered skillet with a little water for a 5-minute meal.

      Reply
  5. Kathy says

    August 19, 2016 at 3:17 am

    Do u use 99% lean turkey or 93%?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      August 19, 2016 at 8:46 am

      Hi Kathy,

      We generally use 93% lean turkey for all of our recipes. Though the 99% would work it tends to be a bit dry when not cooked into a soup or sauce.

      Reply
  6. cheryl says

    August 21, 2016 at 12:33 pm

    Oh my just starting to put everything together and i have NO Rosemary 🙁
    very upset… what can I use to replace it…
    help

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      August 22, 2016 at 7:24 am

      Hi Cheryl,

      Do not despair! You can substitute dried thyme, basil or oregano (or even Italian seasoning) for the rosemary and they’ll be absolutely delicious.

      Reply
  7. Brooke says

    September 7, 2016 at 8:19 pm

    Made my 2nd batch of these a couple of nights ago. I’m really happy with them. The first batch I followed directions and cooked in the oven only they were lovely and juicy. The 2nd batch i pan fried first to brown the outsides and then stuck them in the oven to cook the inside. Came out a little more dry but more like rissoles. Happy either way. Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      September 8, 2016 at 10:29 am

      We love hearing this kind of feedback! Thank you 🙂

      Reply
  8. Andrea Brown says

    August 8, 2017 at 7:25 am

    I can’t have zucchini. Is there another vegetable that I could substitute for the zucchini?

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      August 8, 2017 at 9:16 am

      Spinach, kale, or shredded carrots would all be great substitutes!

      Reply
  9. Candace Thames says

    August 8, 2017 at 8:11 am

    I did read the recipe….however because zucchini has a lot of water in it – I usually squeeze out the water before adding it to recipes; so for this recipe you leave the water content in, correct?

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      August 8, 2017 at 9:15 am

      Great question! I don’t squeeze the water out as it helps prevent the meatballs from drying out especially of using lean ground meat.

      Reply
  10. Christine says

    August 8, 2017 at 8:58 am

    Have you tried these with ground beef? I don’t have any ground turkey or chicken (it’s not easy to find ground turkey where I live so usually use ground chicken).

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      August 8, 2017 at 9:13 am

      Yes, you can certainly use ground beef with this recipe. Enjoy!

      Reply
  11. Shera says

    November 26, 2017 at 4:35 pm

    Since zucchini season has passed, could I substitute mashed sweet potato?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      November 27, 2017 at 2:46 pm

      Hi Shera

      I don’t see why you couldn’t. I’d eyeball the amount of mashed sweet potato so that you’re adding just enough to add flavor and nutrition without changing the consistency (as adding too much may make them soggy when baked).

      Reply
  12. Katelyn Murphy says

    March 28, 2018 at 9:56 pm

    Can I make these in a crockpot??

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      April 1, 2018 at 1:23 pm

      Hi Katelyn, we have never tried this recipe in the slow cooker but I’d imagine they would turn out just fine. I would cook them on low for 4-6 hours or until cooked through. Let us know if you give them a try in the slow cooker.

      Reply
  13. diana says

    April 17, 2018 at 3:57 pm

    Is there any way you could email me the recipe? All I see is the picture of the meatballs, but no recipe! I’ve tried different browsers and nothing 🙁

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      April 19, 2018 at 6:11 am

      Hi Diana,

      Please accept our apologies, our site is experiencing an intermittent technical issue that our team is working on. If you still aren’t able to access the recipe, please email us at info@therealfoodrds.com and we’ll happily assist you.

      Reply
      • Diana says

        April 19, 2018 at 8:18 am

        I just printed out a copy. I can’t wait to try these. Thank you!

        Reply
  14. Kimberly Mcandrews says

    June 21, 2018 at 6:00 am

    Can you use ground chicken instead of turkey? If so what would be the temperature and cooking time? Love this recipe and so did my family however they are requesting to try it with chicken! Thank you

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      July 12, 2018 at 1:39 pm

      Absolutely, you can use chicken in this recipe. The time will be the same. Enjoy!

      Reply
  15. Jody says

    July 18, 2018 at 7:17 am

    I absolutely LOVE this recipe! They freeze beautifully, too! Just shared on my blog! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      July 19, 2018 at 7:42 am

      Thank you, Jody! We appreciate the share!

      Reply
  16. Julia says

    July 30, 2018 at 1:28 pm

    Can I put these in a pot with tomato sauce vs the oven

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      July 31, 2018 at 12:48 pm

      Hi Julia,

      I think you could. You may want to start them in a skillet first just to brown them and help them hold their shape better.

      Reply
  17. Pari says

    August 21, 2018 at 9:41 am

    These look yummy. Do you think you could cook them in an Instany Pot?

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      August 24, 2018 at 6:18 am

      You could sure try! I have not tried that method of cooking them but if I were, I would start them on the sauté setting to brown them a bit and then cook them in the IP on manual for about 8 minutes. You’ll want to add a little bit of liquid to the IP before cooking them on manual. Let us know if you give it a try!

      Reply
  18. Julia T says

    October 31, 2018 at 7:28 am

    Delicious!! Thank you for the simple recipe. I love not having to add all the “extras” (bread crumbs, egg, etc). We easily got 6 servings out of this. We each had 2 meatballs and 1 oz of pasta with it plus the veggie side.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      November 1, 2018 at 8:34 am

      Great! Glad you enjoyed this simple recipe!

      Reply
  19. Heather says

    January 6, 2019 at 6:20 pm

    Any suggestions on another sauce to use with them that doesn’t include any nightshade vegetables?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      January 8, 2019 at 6:20 am

      Hi Heather,

      We don’t have a ‘tomato’ sauce recipe that doesn’t include nightshades but if you do an Internet search of “AIP pasta sauce” you’ll find quite a few sauces. You could also serve them with pesto.

      Reply
  20. Emily says

    January 27, 2019 at 5:20 am

    I am obsessed with these meatballs! They are so simple, yet so very delicious and satisfying. Thank you for the recipe! I make them pretty much on a weekly basis these days.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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The Real Food Dietitians is the passion-driven product of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Stacie Hassing and Jessica Beacom. They’ve combined their love of nutrition, health and real food with the concepts of ease and convenience to bring you recipes that are big on flavor but short on ingredients.

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