Need an easy dinner idea that the whole family will love? These easy Pesto Meatballs are a breeze to throw together and are guaranteed to be a hit.
Who doesn’t love pesto? And with the warmer months upon us, basil is back in season. We had a small gathering at our house last week, and I needed an easy dish to serve that would be kid-friendly. I decide to use what I had in the fridge, and this is what I came up with:
Meatballs are easy to make. They are super nutrient-dense. And they are a crowd-pleaser. I made a huge platter of these Pesto Meatballs for our party, and they were all gone before I knew it. Awesome! I love positive feedback on my recipes!
Love to have food ready to go in the freezer? These meatballs freeze well and can be easily defrosted for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Next time I am going to make a double batch for sure.
I used a combination of beef and pork because that’s what I had. Feel free to use any ground meat that you like. I think that you and your family are really going to like these.
Pesto Meatballs (gluten and grain free, Paleo)
- Yield: 48 small meatballs 1x
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves only
- 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp unrefined sea salt (I use this one)
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 3 TBS olive oil, coconut oil (like this) or ghee (like this), melted
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 pounds ground meat
- 1 tablespoons coconut flour (like this) **see note
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400’F and line baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper (like this).
- TO MAKE PESTO: In a food processor, process basil leaves until completely broken up. Add garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and fat of choice and continue to process until well incorporated and smooth.
- Mix ground beef, eggs, and flour together in a large bowl. Add basil pesto and mix again. I just get in there with my hands.
- Form into small balls and place onto lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 22-24 minutes, or until cooked all the way through and starting to brown.
- Enjoy! To freeze for later, freeze in single layers then place into airtight container.
Notes
I use 1 tablespoon of coconut flour as a binder. You can sub any flour that you have like almond or cassava, but you will have to use at 2-3 tablespoons of any other flour. Start with 2 and add another if mixture seems too sticky to roll.
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I just made these. They are very tasty but a little dry, may need to add some Paleo marina sauce.
Thanks for the recipe!
★★★
Bummer that they came out dry. I haven’t had that issue. It probably had to do with the meat that you used. Some meat is much leaner than others. I use a local, grass fed beef that turns out perfect. But a marinara sauce with these would be perfect. Thanks for the idea! 🙂
If you use prepared pesto, how much do you use?
The amount my bunch of basil makes varies every time. If you use 1/3 to 1/2 cup, you should be fine. 🙂
Very good. I made the meatballs with 1 lb of 85% lean beef & 2 or 3 tablespoons of pesto we had previously made & frozen. Nice shortcut to giving the meatballs lots of flavor! I broiled them, which means they cooked a bit faster. Next time I will bake them as the parchment paper can get too hot in the broiler!
★★★★★
What is the nutrition info for these?
Hi, Molly! I don;t calculate. But you can use this if you want to know—-> https://www.myfitnesspal.com/ Hope that helps! 🙂
We don’t consider beef and pork to be a healthy choice for food.
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OK… that’s fine. Everyone is different. Eat what makes you happy and feel good. 🙂
Hi! These look delicious !! Do you freeze the meatballs before or after you cook them? THANKS!
After I cook them. 🙂