Red Meat Allergy Friendly Sheet Pan Turkey Meatballs with Pesto, Walnuts, Zucchini & Tomatoes
Ground turkey does all the heavy lifting here, making this a genuinely satisfying weeknight dinner that sidesteps beef and lamb entirely without sacrificing any of the comfort you'd expect from a meatball dish. The meatballs themselves are bound with almond flour and finely chopped walnuts instead of breadcrumbs, which keeps them tender and adds a subtle richness that plays beautifully against the bright, herby pesto. Speaking of that pesto — it's homemade from fresh basil, raw walnuts, lemon juice, and olive oil, and a few spoonfuls get mixed right into the meat before roasting, so the flavor goes all the way through. Everything cooks together on one pan at 425°F, meaning the zucchini gets those lightly browned edges and the cherry tomatoes burst into a jammy, glossy sauce that coats the vegetables as soon as the pan comes out of the oven. The whole thing comes together with a final drizzle of the remaining pesto over the meatballs, turning a simple sheet pan dinner into something that looks and tastes genuinely impressive. A squeeze of lemon and a few fresh basil leaves at the end brighten every bite and make it feel restaurant-worthy with almost no extra effort.
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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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