What better way to celebrate the holidays than to share the meal (safely) with your pup! Turkey meatballs are a vet-approved recipe that can be made up ahead of time using ground turkey. These are incredibly easy to whip up and can be stored for a long time in your freezer for future treats.
My Bailey girl is quite learned in the art of staying under the kid’s table during the holidays! Instead of loading up on seasoned, potentially harmful table scraps this year, I decided to create a side dish for the table that is just for the family dogs!
These meatballs can be cooked in the oven, however, I prefer using my Instant Pot. The pressure cooker yields a softer meatball with nutrient-dense steam-cooked ingredients vs high temp baking. Just like Bailey’s homemade dog food recipe that I shared in another post last year – when she was young, her homemade “meatloaf” food was oven-baked until the Instant Pot came out in 2016. The weekly dog food prep became such an easy process of throwing all the ingredients, including frozen blocks of meat, into the Instant Pot and having a healthier mix of steam-cooked dog food done within minutes.
I tested this recipe out using 2 different methods in the Instant Pot:
1. Directly in the water and 2. In another pan on the trivet above the water. The results were IDENTICAL! The meatballs are a perfect consistency, so they hold their shape. My recommendation is to save on the cleanup and just place the turkey meatballs directly into the water to cook- there is no need to dirty a second pan and trivet. That being said, there is one advantage to using the “pot-in-pot” method by placing the meatballs in a second pan or steamer basket, and that is removing them from the pressure cooker all at once when they’re cooked. Both methods work the same, so choose whichever is best for you!
Notes About The Recipe
In the recipe card below I listed other ingredients that you can substitute, but here is the ingredient combination/basic recipe that Bailey loves:
- Ground Turkey
- Oats
- Sweet Potato (canned puree plain. No additives)
- Egg
- Parsley (great breath benefits)
- Frozen Spinach
- Cheddar
I use a mini cookie scoop/ice cream scoop to get consistent small rounds that are the perfect treat size.
The Ingredients:
- “Farmer’s Market” brand is the canned pumpkin, butternut squash, and sweet potato brand I have trusted over the years for Bailey’s homemade dog food and treats.
- For the ground turkey, I use Grass Roots Coop- truly organic meat.
- Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free organic oats and Cascadian Farms or Woodstock brand organic frozen veggies.
- For the cheddar (if adding), try to avoid pre-shredded/bagged cheddar as it is coated in wax/starch to preserve and may change the consistency. Believe it or not, cheese is not that bad for dogs (in moderation/on special occasions only, of course) – cheddar, mozzarella, and cottage cheese are dog-friendly in small quantities.
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Turkey Meatballs for Dogs!
- Cook Time: 8
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 28 1x
- Category: Dog Treats
- Method: Instant Pot
Description
Turkey Meatballs are a safe alternative to table scraps during the holidays and are pup-approved year round!
Ingredients
1lb ground turkey (or shredded leftover turkey meat, well-rinsed or boiled to remove seasonings)
1 egg
2 tablespoons (1/8 cup) sweet potato puree (plain, no additives) OR grated sweet potato, canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling), canned butternut squash puree, finely shredded carrots, or frozen diced carrots.
1/2 cup rolled oats (you can process it to make it oat flour consistency if desired.)
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
1/8–1/4 cup shredded cheddar (preferably not pre-shredded bags, as those are coated in starch and wax to preserve)
Optional: 1/8 cup finely chopped kale or spinach (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Pour 1.5 cups of water into the bottom of your pot (the removable stainless steel pot of your Instant Pot)
- Use a spoon to scoop out some of the meat mixture and roll small meatballs in your hand.
- Place each meatball directly in the water as you make them.
If using the “pot-in-pot” method, place a trivet above the water, followed by a lightly greased steamer basket or pan. Place meatballs in the pan.
If using the oven (preheat to 350 F) instead of pressure cooking: lightly grease or line a cookie sheet and place the rounds on it.
*I use a small ice cream/cookie scoop to get the perfect-sized little rounds and it does not require rolling them*
5. INSTANT POT: Cook on MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK, High Pressure, for 8 minutes. Once the cooking time has been completed a full Natural Pressure Release.
OVEN: Bake in a 350 F oven for 10-12 minutes.
Allow to fully cool and store in the fridge prior to serving. Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
I tested this recipe out using 2 different methods in the Instant Pot: 1. Directly in the water and 2. In another pan on the trivet above the water. The results were IDENTICAL! The meatballs are a perfect consistency, so they hold their shape.
Freeze for up to 4 months in an airtight container.
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Keywords: Dog Treats, Dog Food
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Turkey Meatballs
For Dogs
This turkey meatball recipe was inspired by an infamous picture of Bailey, in her absolute glory, under the kids table at Thanksgiving! Instead of her loading up on potentially harmful table scraps and discouraging her from being a part of the feast, I decided to create a special treat just for the family dogs. These meatballs are so incredibly easy to whip up, can be stored in the freezer, and are great year-round…in moderation, of course!
Recipe includes directions for oven baked or pressure cooked.
