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Comforting and healthy pumpkin turkey meatballs baked and served in a creamy, dairy-free, paleo, and Whole30-friendly tomato and pumpkin sauce, rich with warm spices and fresh herbs.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.25 lbs ground turkey
  • 1/2 cup organic pumpkin puree (for meatballs)
  • 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
  • 2 Tbsp organic coconut oil or ghee (for sauce)
  • 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 1/4 cups organic pumpkin puree (for sauce)
  • 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup chicken bone broth or homemade bone broth
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp dried sage
  • 1/2 tsp dried crushed rosemary
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (for sauce)
  • Crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for a little heat)
  • Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, gently mix ground turkey, 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, almond flour, salt, pepper, egg, and minced fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary until just combined.
  3. Shape mixture into 18 meatballs, wetting hands slightly to prevent sticking, and avoid overmixing.
  4. Optional: Quickly sear meatballs in a hot skillet 1–2 minutes per side for a browned crust.
  5. Arrange meatballs evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
  6. Bake meatballs for 15–18 minutes at 425°F, turning once halfway through, until internal temperature reaches 165°F and no pink remains.
  7. While meatballs bake, heat coconut oil or ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat.
  8. Sauté chopped onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  9. Add minced garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
  10. If coconut milk is separated or lumpy, whisk or briefly blend until smooth.
  11. Reduce heat to low and stir in tomato sauce, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, bone broth, Italian seasoning, pumpkin pie spice (optional), dried sage, dried rosemary, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
  12. Cover and simmer the sauce gently on low for about 5 minutes.
  13. Transfer baked meatballs into the sauce and simmer together over low heat for another 5 minutes to meld flavors.
  14. Sprinkle chopped parsley over meatballs before serving.

Notes

Handling tips: Handle meat gently to avoid dense meatballs, keep hands damp when shaping, and use a meat thermometer to confirm 165°F internal temperature., Optional: Searing meatballs prior to baking adds a browned crust but is not required as baking works well alone., If coconut milk separates, whisk or briefly blend before adding for smooth sauce texture., Taste sauce before adding meatballs and adjust seasoning as needed; pumpkin pie spice is optional and adjustable., Protein swap: Can use ground chicken, pork, or beef-pork mix, adjusting cooking times accordingly., Herb swap: Use 1–2 tsp dried Italian seasoning or herbes de Provence if fresh herbs unavailable., Serve meatballs with sides like spiralized zucchini noodles, roasted vegetables, cauliflower rice, or sautéed greens like kale or spinach., Storage: Refrigerate cooked meatballs with sauce up to 3–4 days; freeze up to 3 months (freeze meatballs separately for faster freezing)., Reheat gently on stovetop, adding broth if sauce thickened, or microwave in short bursts stirring in between., Make ahead: Shape meatballs 24 hours in advance and refrigerate or bake early and refrigerate/freeze.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingcrumbs.com/pumpkin-turkey-meatballs-with-creamy-harvest-tomato-sauce/