Carrageenan Free Sheet Pan Turkey Meatballs with Pesto, Walnuts, Zucchini & Tomatoes
Bright, herby, and built entirely on whole ingredients, this sheet pan dinner is the kind of weeknight meal that looks like you tried way harder than you did. The homemade walnut-basil pesto is the real star — blended with lemon juice, garlic, and good olive oil, it gets stirred right into the meatball mixture and then spooned over the top after roasting, so every bite is layered with flavor. Ground turkey stays juicy and tender thanks to almond flour and finely chopped walnuts in the mix, which also add a subtle richness that makes these meatballs genuinely satisfying. Roasting the zucchini and cherry tomatoes alongside everything means the tomatoes burst and collapse into a light, jammy sauce that coats the vegetables beautifully. For anyone navigating carrageenan — a thickener and stabilizer that sneaks into a surprising number of packaged sauces, deli meats, and processed foods — this recipe is a clean break from all of that. Every ingredient here is straightforward and unprocessed, so you know exactly what's going into the pan. Finish with fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon, and dinner is done.
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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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