These meatballs are great during apple season (but also all year long) and can be served with grains such as farro, roasted squash, an arugula salad, or paired with eggs at breakfast. Ground pork can also be used instead of turkey.
Yield: 12 meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 medium apple, coarsely grated (e.g., Pink Lady, Cortland), unpeeled (I like to peel when preparing for children)
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fennel seed
- 1 large pinch ground nutmeg
- Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Heat olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft and golden, about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn down the heat if the onions and garlic are browning too fast. Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat an egg with a fork. Add ground turkey, onion and garlic, grated apple, bread crumbs, sage, thyme, rosemary, fennel seed, and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Use hands to mix until combined.
Using hands form mixture into 12 meatballs, approximately 2 inches in size. Arrange on baking sheet and drizzle or brush the tops of the meatballs with olive oil (about 1 tablespoon). Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked completely. To brown a bit more, switch the oven to broil for an additional 1-2 minutes (optional).