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.
I love this recipe since you only need a handful of ingredients, including healthy ground turkey and sweet potato. And the baked meatballs store really well in the fridge or freezer—which makes them a great postpartum meal!
Paired with sweet potato for extra nutrition and flavor, these healthy turkey baby 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 Vegetarian Minestrone to make an easy meatball soup.
(You may also like my Turkey Meatballs with Zucchini or Chicken Rice Balls.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at what you need to make this easy baby meatball 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.
TIP: You can serve these baby-led weaning style or dice or mash them up as a Stage 3 baby food for babies aged 9 months and up.
Featured Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“My 18 month old loves these! I have some in our freezer at all times and mix it up with sauces! Thanks for the great and easy recipe!” —Alyssa
Step-by-Step Instructions
Below is a peak at the steps involved in this turkey baby meatball recipe so you know what to expect from the process.
Step 1. Grate the peeled raw sweet potato.
Step 2. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together.
Step 3. Roll into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 4. Bake. Serve warm.
TIP: You can place the baked meatballs on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any oil if desired.
Baby Meatball FAQ
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).
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.
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 baby 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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Nordic Ware Baking Pans
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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.)
- 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.
More Easy Meatball Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please comment and rate the recipe below to share.
Turkey Sweet Potato Baby Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ½ cup Italian flavored breadcrumbs
- ½ cup shredded sweet potato
- ½ cup shredded or grated Parmesan
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Coat with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, mix the ingredients together with clean hands. Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out 1-tablespoon-size meatballs. Roll into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve warm with or without marinara sauce.
Equipment
Notes
- Let them cool fully and store in an airtight container 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.
- Serve with Marinara sauce, Pesto, Cheese Sauce, or with a side of ketchup or any other favorite dip.
- Dice for older babies or younger toddlers as needed.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed.
- Dairy-free: Use vegan Parmesan cheese.
- Egg-free: Omit the egg and add 1 tablespoon milk.
- Swap in grated carrot or grated zucchini, squeezed very, very dry, for the sweet potato if you’d like.
- Use ground chicken in place of the turkey if you prefer.
Nutrition
This post was first published in December 2022.
Hey!
I am trying to bake some turkey meatballs for my little one, but struggling to find a recipe tailored to her diet. She currently has FPIES and cannot have eggs, rice, oats, grains are in question. Could I make this with just the turkey and sweet potato (she enjoys and can tolerate both of these ingredients)? Or will this result in a dry funky meatball? Or do you have any recommendations.. she is 12 months.. please let me know! Thank you so much.
Hi, that might work just fine. The mixture will likely be sticky, so chill it after you mix it together so it firms up a little to make it easier to form into meatballs.
My baby can’t do dairy or egg. What would you suggest using as a substitute?
You can omit the egg and add a splash of nondairy milk (plain, unsweetened)
my meatballs were an inch and they were 165 degrees in 10 mins. they’re delicious but would have been dry at the time mentioned.
I saw that you said it was for babies 9 months old. Is there a reason for this or could I give it to my 7 month old
Yes, though you could either mash it so it’s easier to eat for that age or serve them as a baby-led weaning style food. I hope that helps!
Delicious and very easy to make!