Easy Turkey Meatballs for Babies – BLW No Egg Recipe
Why I Love This Recipe:
- Perfect for little hands as young as 6 months old.
- Simple and healthy ingredients.
- Soft texture for easy chewing.
- Mild flavor and so versatile.
- Nutrient-rich.
- The entire family will love these.
- Protein-rich food.
- Egg-free and dairy-free recipe and can be made gluten-free.
Easy Turkey Meatballs for Babies
Baby food does not have to come from a packet or jar! Baby led weaning is a great way to introduce babies to real food while exposing them to new textures, tastes and smells. My baby’s diet is no different than my own, with a few tweaks here and there.
These tasty meatballs are a perfect way to get your baby interested in solids foods. They are delicious, high in protein and get your baby to develop his or her pincer grasp.
You can break the meatballs into smaller pieces and watch as they figure out how to navigate the new world of finger foods. The cranberries add a little sweetness that babies love, without being too sugary.
The best part, this meatball recipe is easy peasy and comes together in a snap. With all of the ingredients – it’s Thanksgiving in a meatball!
Ingredients
- Cranberries: fresh or frozen
- Olive Oil
- Celery
- Yellow Onion
- Fresh Sage
- Lean Ground Turkey
- Breadcrumbs
- Garlic Powder
- Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small sauce pan over high heat, add cranberries and water and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer and cover with lid. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and turn off the heat. Let it cool for a few minutes. Use an immersion blender or food processor and blend cranberries until smooth. Set aside.
- In another pan, add olive oil, onion, celery, garlic powder, and black pepper over medium high heat. Sauté for about 2 minutes, or until translucent, then add fresh sage and stir for another minute.
- In a large mixing bowl, add ground turkey, celery and onion mix, bread crumbs and cranberry sauce. Mix until well combined.
- Using your hands, form meatballs into small balls, about 2 inches. Place on baking sheet layered with parchment paper.
- Set sheet pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately or store in glass containers in fridge for up to 5 days.
Tips and Tricks
- Use leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving dinner to save on time.
- You want these meatballs to be the perfect size for babies. If you decide to make mini turkey meatballs, I suggest breaking them into small bite-sized pieces prior to serving, to avoid them popping it in at once.
Variations
To serve the whole family a yummy pasta meal, serve with marinara sauce, spaghetti and parmesan cheese.
For Thanksgiving style, serve with a side of sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes.
Substitutions
Use any ground meat for this recipe. Lean ground beef or ground chicken are great.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may freeze leftover meatballs in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight place in oven at 350 for 15 minutes or air fryer at 290 for 5 minutes. You can also microwave after thawing in refrigerator overnight for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Yes! Breadcrumbs are used as a binder and uses no eggs in this recipe.
It can be if you use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Turkey Meatballs for Babies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium celery stalk diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small sauce pan over high heat, add cranberries and water and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer and cover with lid. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and turn off the heat. Let it cool for a few minutes. Use an immersion blender or food processor and blend cranberries until smooth. Set aside.
- In another pan, add olive oil, onion, celery, garlic powder, and black pepper over medium high heat. Sauté for about 2 minutes, or until translucent, then add fresh sage and stir for another minute.
- In a large bowl, add ground turkey, celery and onion mix, bread crumbs and cranberry sauce. Mix until well combined.
- Using your hands, shape into about 2 inch size balls. Place on baking sheet layered with parchment paper.
- Set baking sheet in oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately or store in glass containers in fridge for up to 5 days.
