Baked Turkey Meatballs with Sweet-n-Sour Dipping Sauce

My kiddos love meatballs! This is a good thing because they’re easy to whip up, and they make great leftovers for school lunches in a Thermos. Since I love finding shortcuts in the kitchen, I bake these delicious orbs of goodness on parchment-lined baking sheets, which prevents the splattered mess that typically occurs when you cook meatballs on the stovetop. This makes me happy.

MEATBALL INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds ground turkey thighs (or 1 pound ground thighs and 1 pound ground breasts)
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 eggs (or 1 TBSP ground flax seeds mixed with 3 TBSP hot water; let it sit for a few minutes until it gels)
• Coconut oil for serving day

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup drained and finely chopped canned pineapple chunks (reserve the juice)
• 1 cup pineapple juice from the can of pineapple chunks
• 1 TBSP honey
• 2 TBSP red wine vinegar
• 2 TBSP coconut aminos
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 2 TBSP tomato paste

Makes 32 meatballs

Prep Day:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, use your hands to combine the meatball ingredients. Roll the mixture into 1½-inch balls.
2. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Place the meatballs, evenly spaced, on the sheet, and place it in the freezer.
3. When the meatballs are frozen very firm, transfer them to an airtight container or a 1-gallon freezer bag, and freeze until needed.
4. In a medium saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the sauce begins to boil.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce thickens a bit.
6. Remove the sauce from the heat, and let cool for 15 minutes.
7. Pour the sauce into mason jars, cover them, and place them in the refrigerator to cool completely.
8. Once the sauce is cold, store the jars in the freezer until needed.

Serving Day:

1. Thaw the meatballs and the sauce in the refrigerator overnight.
2. When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 400°F.
3. Placed the thawed meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the thawed sauce on medium-low until warm.
5. Serve the hot meatballs with a bowl of sauce on the side for dipping.

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