Baby meatballs are made with turkey puree, breadcrumbs and a few simple seasonings to make small, soft meatballs that are perfect for little hands and mouths. These meatballs are a great way to introduce proteins and help baby learn to feed themselves.

The journey of feeding your baby really has some fun moments.

The early days of starting baby food are pretty neat.

Trying out different purees and flavors, seeing what funny faces your baby makes, whether they gobble the food down or dribble it out, it’s all pretty entertaining.

And yes, I definitely loved the puree stage of feeding my own babies.

(If you need a primer, here’s my complete guide on how to make homemade baby food purees, including step-by-step instructions for making 10 favorite beginner purees.)

But I think things start to get really fun — though also really messy — once they are picking up food and starting to feed themselves.

It's fascinating to see what they are drawn to, what they are curious about, what they love and what they flat-out reject.

A few favorites from my kids’ early years were these easy baked broccoli tots, veggie mac and cheese muffins, baby banana cookies and spinach banana mini-muffins.

(My daughter is now 9 ½ and still adores those mini muffins.)

Today, we’re making a kid and grown-up favorite that's perfect for babies with these baby meatballs.

These small, super soft turkey meatballs are perfect for little hands to pick up and will easily break apart and almost melt in their little mouths.

They’re made with turkey puree, plus breadcrumbs and some seasonings. Just 3-4 basic ingredients, depending on which seasonings you include.

Perfect for keeping baby fed with healthy, real food. And for keeping things simple!

I do have some ideas for additions and toppings, however, if you want to jazz these up a bit for older babies.

Any way you serve them though, they make a great early finger food for young babies - as young as 7-8 months old if they are ready to pick up their own food and can handle a bit of texture.

Plus, it’s a great way to get some protein into your baby and introduce them to meat-based dishes. That’ll come in handy when they transition to more finger foods and start to eat the family’s meals later.

Today’s recipe for baby meatballs is from my new cookbook, Healthy Quick and Easy Homemade Baby Food.

It just came out this past December, and I’ve loved hearing from so many of you who are finding it to be so useful.

The book has 100 recipes for all stages of babies and toddlers, from single-ingredient purees to combination purees to finger foods and then toddler meals.

It’s also got ALL the information you need to get started — from the timing of introducing foods, to the order of foods to how to store homemade baby food and what to do with leftovers.

It’s kind-of my way of holding your hand through this process and making it oh so easy.

(Oh, and it makes a great gift for a new mom or dad in your life!)

But let’s get back to today’s recipe and these baby meatballs.

Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make meatballs for a baby. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Notes on making baby meatballs:

• The turkey puree should be already fully cooked turkey. I have notes below and in the recipe card about how to make your own turkey puree. You can also use a store-bought baby food turkey or even substitute a chicken puree.
• The garlic is optional. I loved adding some seasoning and flavor to baby food to help baby get ready for our same table food. But skip it if you prefer.
• Salt and pepper are also listed, but with a note to skip these for babies under 1 year old. They don’t need any added salt.

So we’re talking just 3-4 ingredients needed for this recipe. Simple, wholesome and perfect for young babies.

OK, let’s break down the turkey puree.

How to make baby food turkey puree:

- You need about 1 cup of cooked turkey, such as turkey breast.

- You can buy a frozen boneless turkey breast and cook it yourself; it’s super easy and fuss-free. (See this post on slow cooker turkey breasts for the basic instructions. Just leave off any salt or unnecessary seasonings.)

- Or you can buy some lean ground turkey and cook it yourself, then puree it. Just make sure it gets nice and smooth.

- I don’t recommend using deli turkey due to all the sodium and other additives.

- Roughly chop the cooked turkey into chunks. Add to a blender along with ½ cup water.

- Puree the turkey, adding an extra tablespoon or two of water, as needed, until it is a smooth consistency.

You need 1 cup of turkey puree for this recipe.

Any leftover turkey puree can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days or in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.

It pairs great as a combination baby food with pureed fruits, grains and veggies, such as pureed turkey and applesauce, turkey and peas, turkey and sweet potato or turkey, rice and pears.

Fair warning, pureed meat is a little strange. But offering meats to your baby early on helps them adjust to the taste and adds a great source of protein. 

OK, back to the meatballs on the menu.

This recipe is dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free and soy-free as is, in case you are watching for any allergies in your baby.

However, if not, you can add a couple of tablespoons of Parmesan cheese to the turkey mixture before you roll the meatballs. Or you can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the meatballs when you go to serve them.

Also, they are great on their own for younger babies to pick up and eat. But you can also pair them with some marinara sauce for older babies to dip them into.

Who doesn’t love a dipping dinner?

And of course, feel free to serve these with some cooked spaghetti noodles.

I’d recommend opting for whole wheat pasta. Might as well start baby off loving those whole grains!

Long noodles can be slippery for a baby to pick up with their hands though, so you might need to swap them out for some elbow macaroni or other shape for littler ones.

Finally, let’s talk about how to store the leftovers.

They keep great and it’s so nice to have some food on hand and ready to go. (No one wants to keep a hungry baby waiting!)

How to store baby meatballs:

- Let any leftover meatballs cool then store, covered, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or gently on the stove until warmed through.

- Baby meatballs also freeze great. Store in a freezer-safe container for 4 to 6 months. Be sure to label and date it.

- Defrost overnight in the refrigerator then reheat. You can also reheat them in the microwave straight from the freezer. Just be sure to check the temperature and make sure there aren’t any hot spots before serving to baby.

Oh, and when your baby graduates to the toddler stage and is ready for the real deal, check out these baked turkey meatballs (made with ground turkey instead of turkey puree).

My entire family loves these, and they also freeze great, so I love keeping some on hand to make dinner easy on extra busy days.

I hope you give these baby meatballs a try for your little one.

And if you do, I’d love if you’d snap a picture and tag me on Instagram. I LOVE seeing what you’ve made - and seeing the babies enjoying it!

XO,

Kathryn