BHA & BHT Free Sheet Pan Turkey Meatballs with Pesto, Walnuts, Zucchini & Tomatoes
Everything on this sheet pan is made from whole, recognizable ingredients — ground turkey, fresh basil, raw walnuts, zucchini, cherry tomatoes — with zero synthetic preservatives in sight. That matters more than it might seem, because BHA and BHT show up in a surprising number of packaged breadcrumbs, seasoning blends, and even some ground meat products, making a dish like this trickier to pull off with store-bought shortcuts. Here, almond flour stands in for conventional breadcrumbs and finely chopped walnuts add richness and texture to the meatballs, keeping everything clean from the inside out. The homemade walnut-basil pesto does double duty — some gets mixed right into the turkey mixture for deep, herby flavor, and the rest gets spooned over the top after roasting for a bright, fresh finish. Bursting cherry tomatoes and tender zucchini roast alongside the meatballs on the same pan, soaking up all those savory juices so the whole meal comes together with minimal cleanup. A squeeze of lemon at the end lifts everything and makes the basil pop. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pesto
- ½ cup raw walnuts
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ¼ tsp salt
For the meatballs
- 1 ¼ lb ground turkey (93% lean)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup raw walnuts, finely chopped
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the sheet pan
- 2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb total), cut into 1-inch half-moons
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- fresh basil leaves, for serving (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large 18×13-inch sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly coat with olive oil.
- 2
Make the pesto: combine the raw walnuts, basil, 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small food processor or blender and pulse until a coarse, spreadable paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed. Set aside.
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