Dairy Free Sheet Pan Turkey Meatballs with Pesto, Walnuts, Zucchini & Tomatoes
Everything comes together on a single pan, which means big flavor and minimal cleanup — a weeknight win by any measure. The meatballs stay juicy and tender thanks to ground turkey, almond flour, and finely chopped walnuts mixed right in, giving them a satisfying texture without a single drop of dairy. Instead of parmesan, the homemade walnut-basil pesto does all the heavy lifting — bright lemon juice, fresh garlic, and good olive oil create a sauce that's rich and herbaceous on its own terms. A few spoonfuls of that pesto go directly into the meatball mixture before roasting, so the flavor runs all the way through. While the meatballs roast, zucchini softens and cherry tomatoes burst into jammy little pools of sweetness alongside them, and everything gets tossed together at the end so the vegetables soak up all those gorgeous pan juices. Finish with fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon, and you have a complete, colorful meal that genuinely doesn't feel like it's missing anything.
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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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