Pesto Meatballs – a delicious and easy pesto meatball recipe that is perfect with spaghetti! Easily baked or cooked on stove-top!
![Bowl of spaghetti, marinara and pesto meatballs.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-2-1067x1600.jpg)
Best Ever Pesto Meatballs
Raise your hand if you are a HUGE pesto fan (me!) – which is why I am so excited to share this delicious recipe with you! Simple to make (so perfect for a weeknight dinner) and packed with flavor. Plus I love how you can serve it so many different ways – cannot wait for you to try this one!
THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY:
This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill, the opinions are my own.
Don’t forget these are easily made gluten-free and dairy-free – love using Bob’s Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour in pretty much all of my meatball recipes. It is the perfect binder to hold everything together. My go-to almond flour!
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy: toss everything in a bowl and mix. Form your meatball and pop them in the oven – done!
- Dairy-Free Friendly: we have a dairy-free pesto recipe and you can use nutritional yeast instead of grated parmesan cheese!
- Versatile: Serve alone, with more pesto or with spaghetti!
Pesto Meatball Ingredients
- ground turkey, chicken or beef: you can really use any protein with these – I used beef!
- egg: this helps bind everything together.
- Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour: this also helps bind the meatballs together so they hold their form.
- kosher salt + ground black pepper: always a necessity!
- basil pesto (dairy-free or store-bought): use whatever works best for you!
- grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast: use the nutritional yeast if you want to keep it dairy-free.
- fresh lemon zest: added for a bit of acidity.
How to Make Pesto Meatballs
Add meatball ingredients into a medium-sized bowl.
![Bowl with ingredients inside, not mixed up.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-5-1067x1600.jpg)
We love using this homemade dairy-free pesto, but feel free to use your favorite store-bought version as well.
![](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/vegan-pesto-5-1067x1600.jpg)
Bob’s Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour is my favorite binder to use in meatballs!
![Bag of Bob's Red Mill almond flour.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-4-1067x1600.jpg)
Combine the meatball mixture.
![Bowl of ingredients mixed up.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-6-1067x1600.jpg)
Take about 1 tablespoon or so and form into meatballs.
![Cookie dough scoop with meatball mix inside.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-7-1067x1600.jpg)
Line up on parchment-lined baking sheet.
![Raw meatballs lined up on parchment-lined baking sheet.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-8-1067x1600.jpg)
Bake until 18-22 minutes or until fully cooked.
![Cooked pesto meatballs on parchment-lined baking sheet.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-9-1067x1600.jpg)
Serve with rice and more pesto!
![Bowl of rice, pesto and pesto meatballs.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-10-1067x1600.jpg)
Or with spaghetti (this homemade marinara is AMAZING!).
![Bowl of spaghetti, marinara and pesto meatballs.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-15-1067x1600.jpg)
![Side view of a bowl of pesto meatballs and spaghetti.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-12-1067x1600.jpg)
![Up close shot of pesto meatballs in marinara sauce.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-11-1067x1600.jpg)
![Bowl of spaghetti, marinara and pesto meatballs.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-16-1067x1600.jpg)
![Pinterest image.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe.jpg)
Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Other Recipes You Might Like
BBQ Meatballs
Greek Chicken Meatballs
Easy Lamb Meatballs
Best Ever Chicken Meatballs
![Bowl of spaghetti with pesto meatballs and sauce.](https://thewoodenskillet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pesto-meatballs-recipe-1-150x150.jpg)
Pesto Meatballs
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Pesto Meatballs – a delicious and easy pesto meatball recipe that is perfect with spaghetti! Easily baked or cooked on stove-top!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey, chicken or beef
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour
- 1/4 cup basil pesto (dairy-free or store-bought)
- 1 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Use a tablespoon-sized cookie dough scoop to create meatballs; roll out between your hands.
- Place meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake (middle rack) for 18-22 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
- We love serving with a traditional spaghetti and meatballs (feel free to use regular or gluten-free noodles).
Notes
- Stove Top: alternatively you can cook these on the stove top in a cast iron skillet. Bring skillet to medium-high heat and coat with olive oil. Sear meatballs on all sides and then reduce heat a bit and continue cooking/turning meatballs until fully cooked (about 15-25 minutes).
- Serving: you can serve these with regular spaghetti and marinara, spaghetti squash and marinara, gluten-free pasta and marinara or you can just serve them in additional pesto. Whatever works best for you.
- Storage: store extra meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Kristen Maggitti says
These were easy and delicious. We used a storebought pesto and it worked great. My kids all loved it (I have one who always wants to be the helper on meatball night). Great pest flavor throughout!