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.
Your toddler won’t eat? Help is here!
Sign up for our email updates to get tips and ideas sent to your inbox.
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
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 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.
product we love
Nordic Ware Baking Pans
These pans are easy to clean, nonstick, and bake evenly.
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.
Related 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.
I’m 37 year old childless man and these are my go-to post-gym snack, great macros. Lol, was that the plan for them!!
Perfect! Love it.
These are amazing!! Super moist, delicious, toddler and teenager favorite!
Can I substitute the egg with flex meal egg?
I would simply omit it and add a splash of milk.
I wonder if this would work as a meatloaf?
My kids (and I) love these meatballs but I don’t always have the patience to allow the toddlers to help make the balls 😂
I haven’t made it that way but you probably could!
Can you do this recipe with cooked mashed sweet potatoes?
I haven’t tried that and it may change the texture a little but I bet you could add some.
I love these! My 4 year old and 9 month old both gobbled them up and I’m here to say that this recipe works wonderfully with mashed sweet potatoes. Made them soft and perfect for my 9 month olds first time eating meat.
Hooray!
I want to try these meatballs with mashed sweet potatoes also. Did you follow the recipe exactly other than skipping the step of dicing and sautéing the carrots … and just substituted with the mashed sweet potatoes for the other vegetables?
Woww , delicious, easy and fast recipe for my picky eaters. I did it egg, milk and gluten free because both of my babies have many allergies and they loved it. Thanks for sharing
So glad to hear that!
So good! I’ve made this a few times and my kids love them. Today I used ground chicken, doubled the sweet potato, and used finely chopped cheddar slices instead of parm so I didn’t need to run to the store, turned out great as usual.
Soooo good! A huge hit with my picky toddler! Will definitely make again! Thank you!
My daughter (16 mo) loves these! I use a oxo cookie scoop to form the nuggets.
I have made these several times for my 1 year old and he LOVES them. I tend to put in too much sweet potato so I have to cook them a bit longer but they’re still yummy.
I’m planning on making them with ground beef instead of turkey tomorrow… any recommendations on what may need to be adjusted in the recipe for this to work? Maybe more breadcrumbs?
Thanks!
I’m so glad! It should work really similarly with ground beef. I’d use the same amounts.
I have made these for my toddler time and time again. I started making them in large batches and freezing them to have on hand for quick meals or if he decides he doesn’t like what I made for dinner. He eats them up every time and they freeze beautifully.
OH these are amazingly delicious!!! My husband and I almost ate them all before the kids even got a chance. I added one crushed garlic clove too. Thank you for another cracking recipe!
You’re so welcome!
Could you leave off the cheese? Thanks!
sure
I love this recipe. My son has them for lunch all the time. Very easy to reheat! I also add drained, thawed spinach to add extra veggies with the carrots.
After baking, i find the sweet potato still raw.. what to do?
Oh no, that’s an usual outcome, did you make any changes to the recipe? You could simmer in marinara sauce for a bit to help this batch though.
Great recipe!
Easy ingredients, easy to make and tasty! My 12 month old loves them!
Yet another AMAZING recipe. Not only a great way to integrate protein and veggies, but the flavor with the sweet potatoes was incredible. Everyone (adults and kids) loved them! Definitely excited for leftovers. Thank you Amy!
I was scared that my 17 month old wouldn’t like them as he seems to detest meat of any kind lol. However after I gave him a couple pieces with ketchup, he started eating them off his plate himself without ketchup ✊🏻. My 11 month old nephew also really enjoyed them too! I will definitely be making these regularly and freezing them so to alternate for mealtimes😀
These are fantastic! My picky eater toddler loves it! So we did it in air fryer, 10 minutes , flip halfway.
Easy and so yummy!!!
5 year old approved, 10 month old approved, husband approved and myself too. Now only if I could get my picky anti-food 3 year old to eat them too without bribing with gummy bears.
Made this for my self and my 8 month old (gave her little tiny pieces). We both were obsessed! She gobbled them down and was demanding more! I would have never thought to put sweet potato in meatballs, but now I don’t know if I’ll ever make them any other way. Highly recommend this recipe.
Our entire family loves these!!! Great recipe!!