Who doesn’t love spaghetti and meatballs? I mean, really. It’s the one thing I really missed back when I was avoiding all carbs like the plague. How happy was I when this recipe for make ahead meatballs came into my possession! Made with ground turkey and gluten-free oats, you can’t get much healthier! And better still, you mix and shape these babies up ahead of time, keep them in the freezer, and you can take out just what you need for dinner. But wait, there’s more!! You can cook these with sauce either in a Crock Pot, or my newest obsession, the handy Instant Pot, or you can bake them in the oven. I also mix up bigger batches of the Italian seasoning blend so I have plenty on hand at all times.

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Italian Seasoning Blend

• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

This makes a bit more than you’ll need for the meatballs. I mix up a batch using 1/4 cup each seasoning and store in a mason jar in my spice cabinet for lots of other uses.

Meatballs

• 1 pound ground Turkey
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/4 cup gluten-free oats
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Italian Seasoning Blend

Stir all ingredients together. Roll into 2 tablespoon sized balls. Place on a parchment paper, lined baking sheet that will fit in your freezer. Freeze at least 1-2 hours (I let them sit overnight), then transfer I to freezer storage bags for keeping until you’re ready to cook them.

For the Crock Pot, put as many meatballs as you want in the cooker and pour your favorite sauce over them, enough to cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours and do not stir–they’ll lose their shape and you’ll end up with meat sauce. Also delicious, but certainly not what you wanted when you rolled all those little babies up!!

For the Instant Pot, put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the pot. Place the desired number of meatballs on top. Spoon a bit more sauce on top. Close the lid and pressure cook for 15 minutes. Yes, you read that right. 15 minutes! Less time than it takes to cook the pasta! When the pot indicates it’s finished, release the steam and remove the lid. For an extra healthy kick, you can throw some chopped fresh spinach in with it and cook it right in your sauce (tell the family it’s fresh basil–they’ll never know)

To bake in the oven, you’ll need to thaw them first. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Serve over cooked brown rice pasta of your choice and pair with a nice tossed salad and you’ve got yourself a delicious, clean version of an old comfort food favorite!