With just a few nutritious, high iron ingredients, you can make a batch of Baby Meatballs (for a baby, toddler, or parent!) with turkey and sweet potato. This nutritious finger food freezes well and can be served plain or in marinara sauce.
Baby Meatballs
We love our Baked Chicken Meatballs so much that I wanted to see if we could do a similar meatball recipe with turkey, since I know that’s a meat option many families enjoy. (And it tends to be inexpensive.) Paired with sweet potato for extra nutrition and flavor, these meatballs are seriously delicious.
They are great served straight out of the oven, simmered in Marinara Sauce, or even paired with a Cheese Sauce. You can even add them to Alphabet Soup or Minestrone to make an easy meatball soup.
I love this recipe since you only need a handful of ingredients and the baked meatballs store really well in the fridge or freezer. You can serve one baby-led weaning style or dice or mash them up as a Stage 3 baby food for babies aged 9 months and up.
Healthy Turkey Meatballs
This recipe uses lean ground turkey as the base, then adds in grated raw sweet potato for additional nutrients. I love the mix of flavors in this combination.
Once you pull the pan from the oven with the baked meatballs, you can transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb any excess fats if you prefer.
Contents hide 1 Baby Meatballs 2 Healthy Turkey Meatballs 3 Your toddler won’t eat? Help is here! 4 Ingredients You Need 5 Step-by-Step Instructions 6 How to Store 7 Best Tips for Success 8 Related Recipes 9 Turkey Sweet Potato Baby Meatballs
Your toddler won’t eat? Help is here!
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Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at what you need to make this easy iron-rich recipe so you know what to pick up at the store.
- Ground turkey: Look for lean ground turkey near the other cuts of turkey at your store. (You can use ground chicken or ground beef here if you prefer.)
- Italian flavored breadcrumbs: This adds flavor and helps the meatballs be the right texture.
- Shredded sweet potato: I shred raw, peeled sweet potato into the meatball mixture to add nutrients and flavor. (You can substitute grated raw carrot if you prefer.)
- Shredded or grated Parmesan: Either of these cheese options work to add classic Italian flavor to these meatballs.
- Egg: An egg helps the mixture hold together. If you need them to be egg-free, you can use a little milk instead.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Below is a peak at the steps involved in this ground turkey recipe so you know what to expect from the process. You will need to dirty your hands for a few minutes, so try to do this when the kids don’t also need your attention. (If that’s possible!)
- Grate the peeled raw sweet potato.
- In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together.
- Roll into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake. Serve warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you give babies meatballs?
Yes, meatballs are a soft food that are an idea early finger food because they are nutritious and rich in protein, fat, and minerals such as iron and zinc (depending on what they are made with).
How do you feed a baby meatballs?
For a baby doing baby-led weaning, you can offer them a large whole meatball to feed themselves. For a baby eating more traditional finger foods starting around 9 months, you can mash it on a spoon or dice it up into small pieces they can pick up.
How do you make meatballs for babies?
Making meatballs for babies works the same way as making regular meatballs. You mix together the ingredients, form into balls, and bake or cook in a pan. There may be less added salt in baby meatballs and often there’s more vegetables inclulded.
How to Store
Let the turkey meatballs cool fully and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, freeze in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. To thaw, thaw overnight in the fridge, simmer in tomato sauce to warm, or warm in 15-30 second increments in the microwave.
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Best Tips for Success
- Serve with Marinara sauce, Pesto, Cheese Sauce, or with a side of ketchup or any other favorite dip to make them taste even better.
- Dice for older babies or younger toddlers as needed to ensure they are easy to eat. (Learn more about choking hazards to reduce stress.)
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed.
- Dairy-free: Use vegan Parmesan cheese to adjust for dairy allergies.
- Egg-free: Omit the egg and add 1 tablespoon milk.
- Add more spices and herbs if you want more flavor. Try minced onion, fresh minced parsley, dried oregano or basil, or a sprinkle of salt or black pepper.
- While most meatball recipes call for using a food processor, you really don’t need one here.
- Swap in grated carrot or grated zucchini, squeezed very, very dry, for the sweet potato if you’d like.
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