Cheesy Turkey Apple Meatballs with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you might remember me mentioning that I have a very picky eater. My youngest child is now two and has basically four approved foods. If it isn’t a bread, cheese, fruit, or yogurt, she won’t touch it. In my quest to not live my life as a short order cook and still get dinner on the table that most of us will eat, I’ve started working hard on developing recipes that are totally kid friendly and adult approved. These Cheesy Turkey Apple Meatballs with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce are perfect for picky kids and adults alike.

My sister-in-law, Janelle, is a great cook and fantastic mother to two girls. She is the one who taught me that sometimes, the trick to getting kids to eat something they might not otherwise is to have something to dip it in. Hummus, ketchup, dill dip – it doesn’t have to be fancy. Kids just love to dip. These cheesy turkey meatballs are absolutely fantastic on their own, but paired with a yogurt based honey mustard dip and they are just a little extra. You know what I mean?

I like to make the dip first, to give the flavors time to settle a little. It’s a simple recipe, with only four ingredients but it really makes the flavors in the meatballs pop. Just grab a small bowl and add some greek yogurt, a few tablespoons of good, coarse ground mustard, a tablespoon of honey and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Give it a stir and pop it in the fridge to chill while you make your meatballs.

The meatballs couldn’t be easier to make. They are also a fantastic recipe to make WITH your kids. I love to make them ahead and freeze them for a quick weeknight dinner. They start with a pound of ground turkey. I like to use 93% lean turkey. I find that if you use anything with less fat, they will get a little dry. Put the turkey into a large mixing bowl and add about a cup of shredded apple, some minced onion, panko, and an egg. Now, get your hands in there and mix it all up! You can absolutely use a spoon, but I find that clean hands work the best. Once everything is well mixed, I add in a cup of shredded cheddar cheese and some salt and pepper. Give it one more good mix and then start making the meatballs. Typically, I use a small scoop (I like this one from Pampered Chef) to keep the balls even. I like to make smaller meatballs (the kids really seem to like them that way!) and with the cheese and apples, they don’t dry out.

Place the raw meatballs on a baking rack on a large baking sheet. You can definitely line the baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil to minimize clean up. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-18 minutes or until just golden and cooked through. Serve immediately or allow to cool and freeze for up to two months.

I love to serve these with the dipping sauce and a simple green salad and some fresh veggies. They are also great with cauliflower mashed “potatoes” or rice!

Find the printable recipe below.

What are your favorite kid friendly recipes that adults love too? Let us know in the comments below!

5 from 1 vote

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Cheesy Turkey Meatballs with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

A fast, healthy recipe that kids AND adults with love! 

Course Main Course

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 33 minutes

Servings 30 small meatballs

Author With Two Spoons

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 1 pound 93 percent lean ground turkey
• 1 medium apple, shredded
• 1/4 small onion, minced
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

For the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

• 3 Tablespoons plain greek yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons coarse ground mustard
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• pinch of salt

Instructions

To Make The Dipping Sauce

1. In a small bowl, add the yogurt, mustard, and honey. Stir to combine. Add kosher salt to taste (just a pinch should do it!).

To Make The Meatballs

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a baking rack on top of the baking sheet.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the ground turkey, apple, onion, panko, and egg.

3. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, mix well until combined.

4. Add the cheese and salt and pepper and mix again.

5. Using a medium (approx 2 Tablespoons) scoop, portion the meat mixture into balls and place on the prepared baking rack. 

6. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-18 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

7. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce or freeze for up to two months. 

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