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You are here: Home / Categories / Recipes / Special Diets / Low Carb Recipes / Turkey Saltimbocca Meatballs – Low Carb and Gluten Free

80 October 13, 2014 Keto Recipes

Turkey Saltimbocca Meatballs – Low Carb and Gluten Free

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So I’m over my Asian kick for now, and moving on to Italian flavors for the next few weeks of Meatball Mondays! I don’t know about you guys, but when the cooler weather hits, I start to crave heavier, more comforting flavors in my meals.

It doesn’t get much more comforting than these tender, sagey meatballs, swimming in a butter and white wine sauce that is flavored with crispy Pancetta, and even more fresh sage.

Served over a velvety cauliflower mash? Heaven in a bowl people – believe it.

 

A low carb meatball recipe from Mellissa Sevigny of I Breathe Im Hungry

 

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But don’t let my words convince you, just look at the photos. If that doesn’t make you hungry to make this recipe ASAP, then I give up!

Seriously – if these pictures aren’t making you poke your screen with a fork, then I need to reconsider my career path. Maybe our local Walmart is hiring greeters. I’d be an awesome greeter…

Scratch that, I wouldn’t last a day.  I’m pretty sure I don’t have enough restraint for that job…

“Excuse me, Ma’am?  Your pajamas are showing.  Our clothing section is running a deal on actual pants – you know, for leaving the house in?  You’re welcome.”

Suddenly… Unemployment.

 

A LCHF and Keto friendly meatball recipe from Mellissa Sevigny of I Breathe Im Hungry

 

Anyhoo, this low carb meatball recipe is inspired by the classic Italian Veal Saltimbocca dish. Traditionally it would include filets of veal pounded thin, fresh sage leaves, and thin ribbons of prosciutto wrapped together and served in a white wine sauce.

I took some liberties in this recipe, replacing the traditional veal with ground turkey because it’s cheaper and easier to find – plus baby cows are adorable as you can see in my Instagram feed.

 

A low carb and Atkins diet friendly meatball recipe from Mellissa Sevigny of I Breathe Im Hungry

 

Instead of Prosciutto, I used chopped Pancetta in the meatball mix, and also in the sauce (you can cheat and use regular bacon if that’s what you have on hand.) There is sage present in all of the elements, but not overpoweringly so.

I served these over the Better than Potatoes Cheesy Cauliflower Puree recipe – it’s optional but I highly recommend it! Cooked spaghetti squash or zucchini “noodles” would also be a great accompaniment.

 

A low carb and gluten free meatball recipe from Mellissa Sevigny of I Breathe Im Hungry

 

Overall I was thrilled with how this Saltimbocca concept translated into a low carb meatball recipe. I hope you guys will like it as much as we all did – be sure to let me know the verdict after you try them out!

 

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Turkey Saltimbocca Meatballs – Low Carb and Gluten Free

a low carb meatball recipe from Mellissa Sevigny of I Breathe Im Hungry

★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

An Italian inspired low carb meatball recipe based on the classic flavors found in Veal Saltimbocca. Gluten free, Keto, LCHF and Atkins friendly recipe the whole family will enjoy. Serve over cauliflower puree for a complete meal.

  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the meatballs

  • 1 lb ground turkey (or veal if you prefer)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup almond flour
  • 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tbsp chopped raw pancetta (or bacon)
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil for frying

For the sauce:

  • 1/4 cup chopped pancetta (or bacon)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar substitute (Swerve, Splenda, etc.)
  • 1/4 cup butter

Instructions

For the meatballs:

  1. Combine the ground turkey, egg, almond meal, parmesan cheese, chopped pancetta, chopped sage, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. For into 12 meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick pan and cook over medium heat until golden brown and cooked through – about 3 minutes per side. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside.

For the sauce:

  1. Add the pancetta to the same pan that you cooked the meatballs in, leaving all the brown bits in the pan (unless it burned, then start with a fresh pan.) Cook the pancetta for about 2 minutes or until crisp. Add the white wine, sage, lemon juice, garlic powder, and sugar substitute to the pan and cook until reduced by half – about 3 minutes. Add the butter and whisk until melted and the sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the meatballs back into the sauce and stir until well coated. Serve hot.

Notes

Approx nutrition info per serving: 467 calories, 32g fat, 2.5g net carbs, 36g protein

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 3 meatballs with approximately 2 Tbsp sauce

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Categories: Keto Recipes Tags: atkins, dinner, gluten free, italian, keto, lchf, low carb, meatballs, paleo, primal, turkey

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marki Haynes says

    January 7, 2019 at 7:46 pm

    These meatballs were tender and perfect paired with the smoked gouda cauliflower mash.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. cathy smogolski says

    December 11, 2018 at 8:56 pm

    My husband is a huge fan of Veal Saltimboca. These meatballs measured up. I made the meatballs only, to put in soup. They were so good that I made a second recipe of them right after. I used a small cookie scoop to form the meatballs and baked them in a 350 convection oven for 20 mins instead of frying. I plan to make the sauce next time.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Lori Bradley says

    July 25, 2017 at 1:29 pm

    These meatballs were excellent and even better the next day….YUMMY! Was so excited about making them, I forgot to make the cauliflower puree, so I made a quick broccoli one instead using steamed frozen broccoli florets. Turned out great! Didn’t have any pancetta so subbed in bacon….delish!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Linda says

    January 16, 2017 at 4:12 pm

    Making this for the third time tonight, however, this time I am making a double batch. Grateful to have fresh sage. It really makes this dish. We use a sauvignon blanc for this recipe.

    Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Debbie Singley says

    May 4, 2016 at 7:53 pm

    I made this tonight and my husband and I both enjoyed it! I followed the recipe using bacon instead of Pancetta and doubling the recipe so my husband would have leftovers to take to work for his lunch. The cauliflower purée was great too! I have been making My own version of cauliflower mash for awhile but really liked your technique, it came out a little thicker than mine, so your recipe will be my go to from now on! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  6. Lora says

    January 14, 2016 at 10:18 pm

    I’ve been stalking these meatballs for a week or two now and finally decided to try them. They did not disappoint! They were well seasoned, moist and the sauce was devine. I will most definitely be making these again. The whole family enjoyed.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      January 15, 2016 at 7:45 am

      Still one of my favorites Lora! Glad they were a hit with the whole family!

      Reply
  7. Jessica says

    June 15, 2015 at 11:07 pm

    this was one of the best recipes we’ve had in a long time! I subbed bacon for pancetta and coconut flour for almond flour. Amazing!! Thank you

    Reply
    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      June 16, 2015 at 10:24 am

      So glad you liked it Jessica, this is still one of my favorite meatball recipes from last year. So much flavor and so comforting and hearty! Thanks for taking the time to comment!!!

      Reply
  8. Lina says

    May 29, 2015 at 2:49 pm

    This was AMAZING!! Couldn’t get enough of the sage and bacon white wine sauce. I served it over mashed potatoes but really want to try the cauliflower next time. Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      May 31, 2015 at 8:32 am

      So glad you liked this one Lina! We loved it so much and I was hoping that more people would try it out! Thanks for letting me know it was a hit!

      Reply
  9. Anne C says

    February 16, 2015 at 11:55 am

    I’m coming to this late, but wanted to say that I’m thrilled to find this recipe. I haven’t had saltimbocca in so long! I thought I would never have it again due to giving up beef for religious reasons. I’ll be making this tonight.

    Reply
    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      February 16, 2015 at 7:01 pm

      Hope you enjoy them Anne, let me know! :)

      Reply
  10. Cristina says

    November 13, 2014 at 1:20 pm

    These are so good! I did the lazy way and instead of making meat balls, just made a large skillet of yumminess. Thank goodness I portioned it out ahead of time or I would have eaten it all in a sitting. So tasty! I’m thinking for the holidays instead of giving stuff, of giving food to people and this will be in that mix if I can get myself organized. Thanks again for all the wonderful recipes :)

    Reply
  11. Colleen says

    November 5, 2014 at 11:00 am

    Great Recipe – now a favorite in my household. The cauliflower “mashed” potatoes will be featured at my “carb loving” family Thanksgiving dinner as an alternative for my husband and me.

    Reply
  12. Lori says

    October 22, 2014 at 7:33 pm

    Great recipe. I used bacon in place of pancetta but otherwise followed the directions just as written. My husband really liked it and he usually doesn’t like anything new! Also made the cauliflower “mashed” potatoes which turned out great. This will go on my regular menu plan. Thank you for sharing this great, super easy recipe!

    Reply
  13. Heather says

    October 18, 2014 at 8:34 pm

    Made these for dinner tonight. The only substitution I made was swapping the almond flour for coconut flour (simply because I haven’t been able to find almond flour anywhere.) The flavor was fantastic!! Loved them! I had mine on mashed cauliflower, but the rest of the family had mashed potato. Wish I had some low-carb tiramisu for dessert. =D

    Reply
  14. Pat says

    October 17, 2014 at 1:32 pm

    Made these last night too! Flavors were wonderful and adding the raw bacon to the meatball mixture gave the ground turkey so much flavor and moisture. I also took care to make the cauliflower puree just right — no watery puree. Enjoyed a reheated lunch of this today and happy I have more meatballs in the freezer to enjoy later. Great recipe! Thanks so much and also for the great tips on getting the cauliflower dry. Makes such a difference in taste.

    Reply
    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      October 17, 2014 at 5:27 pm

      Thanks Pat, glad you enjoyed these! And yes, drying out the cauliflower makes a HUGE difference in the final flavor and texture of the puree! Adding a bunch of cheese never hurts either lol!

      Reply
    • Jessica says

      October 9, 2018 at 9:26 pm

      Do you think I could double this recipe and freeze the meatballs raw to make at a later date?

      Reply
  15. Kelsey says

    October 15, 2014 at 6:22 pm

    These were fan-freaking-tastic! Just made them for dinner and served them over mashed cauliflower. I didn’t have any sage on hand, so I used Herbs de Provence so it had a slightly different flavour that just fresh sage, but it was still subtle and savoury. Thanks so much for all your creativity!

    Reply
  16. Charla Owens says

    October 15, 2014 at 10:23 am

    I made these meatballs last night using ground round instead of turkey and fresh dill instead of the sage … so, so good …

    Reply
  17. Amanda K says

    October 14, 2014 at 11:21 pm

    Those look so yummy! I may have to try these!

    Reply
  18. Mirka says

    October 14, 2014 at 8:29 am

    *prosciutto* :)
    melissa I wondered, how much (gramms,oz) is 1/4 cup butter and 1/3 cup almond flour?do you think you could weigh it for us?or how big is the cup you use for dosage?(maybe 250ml?)
    unfortunatelly, here in europe we don´t have cups to measure and I always have problems when I find recipies that measure in cups:(it´s a pitty because I´m often discouraged to make many interesting recipies…
    and I would like sooooo much to try this one!
    thank you

    Reply
    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      October 14, 2014 at 9:17 am

      Hi Mirka, thanks for catching my spelling error on prosciutto – fixed it! Unfortunately I don’t have time to go remeasure or weigh ingredients for every possible equivalent, but you’ll be happy to know that isn’t necessary anyway. Anytime you find a recipe in US measurements and you need it in something else, just use a handy converter like this one to figure out what you’ll need in grams, ounces, ml, etc. Enjoy the meatballs!

      Reply
  19. movita beaucoup says

    October 14, 2014 at 6:33 am

    These sound gorgeous. And probably best consumed in pyjamas.

    Reply
    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      October 14, 2014 at 9:20 am

      Isn’t everything????

      Reply
  20. Pat says

    October 13, 2014 at 4:15 pm

    OMG – this looks so awesome good. I love every flavor and element of this dish. It almost seems too fancy to make for one, but I deserve it. Running to the store now for fresh sage and ground turkey. The rest is in my fridge and pantry.

    Your creativity amazes me and this post, in particular, was so funny and so true! HA!

    Reply
    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      October 13, 2014 at 5:01 pm

      You DEFINITELY deserve it Pat, and I’m jealous that you don’t have to share, ha ha! Very excited to hear what you thought of this recipe – hopefully you’re eating it with the cauliflower puree too, because it was the perfect vehicle for that delicious sauce! I even loved it leftover for the following two days – sigh, wish I had some right now but alas, they are all gone. I rarely make a meatball recipe more than once just because I’m always working on new ones, but I’d definitely make an exception in this case and will be making these again for sure!

      Reply
  21. Sue Daniel says

    October 13, 2014 at 3:18 pm

    Thank you so much for your generosity and the chance to win this Vitamix! I hope to get the chance to use it for creamy nut butters and smoothies especially! Thanks again for the work you do and encouragement you give in the quest for a healthy life for all! :)

    Reply
    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      October 13, 2014 at 4:58 pm

      Thanks Sue! :)

      Reply
      • Shirley says

        June 15, 2016 at 10:56 am

        Melissa, will you marry me? Just kidding, my husband would probably frown on that but how about moving in next door???

        Reply
        • Mellissa Sevigny says

          June 15, 2016 at 4:48 pm

          LOL Shirley, maybe you should move to Belize and be my beachside neighbor!! :)

          Reply

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  1. Your Favorite 14 Recipes from 2014 - Snixy Kitchen - Snixy Kitchen says:
    January 14, 2015 at 5:27 am

    […] Turkey Saltimbocca Meatballs with Cauliflower Purée from I Breathe…I’m Hungry… […]

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  2. Meal Planning Monday 11/3/14 - My Effing Cookbook says:
    November 3, 2014 at 10:33 am

    […] Turkey Saltimbocca Meatballs – http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2014/10/turkey-saltimbocca-meatballs-low-carb-gluten-free.html#7Cwba… […]

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My name is Mellissa Sevigny, and I use my culinary powers for good here at IBIH by creating delicious and satisfying low carb & keto recipes. If you’re looking to lose weight, feel amazing, AND eat some of the best food you’ve ever tasted – you’ve come to the right place. Welcome! Dig deeper →

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