Lemon Basil Turkey Meatballs and Creamy Rice
Welcome to my latest grocery budget series! This is the first recipe from my latest series for late fall/early winter where I took a $55 grocery haul and turned it into five nights of healthy dinners. These lemon basil turkey meatballs with creamy rice are so easy to make and perfect for a cozy night. With a few simple ingredients you have a nourishing meal the whole family will love! Make sure you’re following along this week over on Instagram and TikTok!
Lemon Basil Turkey Meatballs and Creamy Rice
4
servings20
minutes45
minutesThis is the first recipe from my latest series for late fall/early winter where I took a grocery haul and turned it into five nights of healthy dinners. These lemon basil turkey meatballs with creamy rice are so easy to make and perfect for a cozy night. With a few simple ingredients you have a nourishing meal the whole family will love!
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
1 pound ground turkey
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 large yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup dry jasmine rice, rinsed
1 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 to 2 cups water
3/4 cup canned full-fat coconut milk (half of a 13.5 ounce can)
juice of 1 lemon
3 ounces baby spinach
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, lemon zest, salt, ground black pepper, oregano, and basil until it’s a uniform mixture.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to shape the mix into ~12 even meatballs and place on the sheet pan. Bake for 15-20 mins, or until the internal temperature is at 165F.
- While the meatballs bake, heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then mix in the rice and season with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Let the rice toast, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes then pour in the broth, coconut milk, and lemon juice. Add 1-2 cups of water, depending on how much you need to completely cover the rice in liquid. Mix to combine, then cover the pan and cook for 15-20 mins, until the rice is fully cooked.
- Mix in the baby spinach and wilt it down, then add the cooked meatballs on top and top with a drizzle of olive oil and additional lemon zest if desired. Serve immediately for best results.
Notes
- Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Microwave until warm, about 3 minutes.
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If you try out this recipe, I want to know!
Leave a comment with a star rating below if you love it.
My family (two adults, one toddler) tried out two different budget series for two weeks to see if we would save money on groceries. Overall, we didn’t really save compared to our usual once all was said and done with pantry essentials and fridge staples, breakfast/lunch foods, and snacks, but it was still a fun experiment.
This was the first meal we made, and both my husband and I loved it. The rice in particular was really good and had a lovely creamy texture. The toddler at least tried the meatballs, which is great, because he is usually picky. Good start!
My husband and I LOVE this recipe! We make it at least twice a month and appreciate how tasty and nutrient packed it is. (Good, cozy vibe. Feels like comfort food!)
This rice (and the smell of it toasting with the spices) is DIVINE. My meatballs were dry the first round, but I gave the recipe a second go and: listen to Jenn! Make 12! The first time I made more/smaller and that was the problem. Sooooo yum!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!!
I started trying out the budget grocery series, and my husband and I have come back for these meatballs and rice SEVERAL times. They also work if you sub in oatmilk because you forgot to pick up coconut milk, but it is tastier with the coconut milk (and I’m a coconut skeptic).
This recipe was so delicious and so simple to make. I have made it several times since it was posted, and honestly I’m grateful for a delicious and healthy meal I can make in a pinch!!
This is my favorite Jenn recipe! I’ve made it several times, reliably, but came back to report in that incorporating my leftover caramelized onions from thanksgiving was a genius move! Yum. Thanks, Jenn! Looking forward to your cookbook.
This dish is the undisputed MVP in your lineup! The lemon-forward vibe in the rice is like a zesty party in my mouth, and adding coconut milk takes the flavor to a rich and next level. I’ve cooked up this masterpiece multiple times, and its generosity knows no bounds – dinner stretches into a lunch encore the next day. It’s the superhero of satiety, leaving me full and delighted with every bite. Simply delicious!
My family loved this recipe. The sauce for the rice was creamy and delicious. Loved the veggies within the rice. 10/10 will be a staple in our house for sure!
I love this recipe because it’s simple, delicious, filling, and super adaptable! It also uses a lot of ingredients I typically have on hand so I can keep it in my back pocket and make it when I’m running low on produce without needing an extra trip to the store!
11/10! These are delightful! The turkey is a satisfying protein and the lemon really elevates the dish!
Loved this recipe! I made this as part of the grocery series, and I have made it again since then because this was my favorite of the week. Creamy rice, great lemony meatballs. I added a side of broccoli because the spinach wasn’t quite enough veggie for us. Will be making again and again!
Just made this and I am a huge fan!! I already had most of the things at home which made it an easy trip to the grocery store! 10/10 will be making again!
I came to sing this recipe’s praises and Jenna B stated my sentiments exactly — “The lemon-forward vibe in the rice is like a zesty party in my mouth, and adding coconut milk takes the flavor to a rich and next level.” The herbs in the turkey meatballs were also delicious, especially compared to the less flavorful way I typically cook them. I will definitely be adding this into our regular rotation!
This recipe is divine!!! I’ve never had a dairy free dish as creamy as this one. I’m blown away that coconut milk can make this rice so creamy! The flavors are delicious and light, which is wonderful in a richer dish. We’ve made it a bunch and taken it to friends with newborns. Everyone loves it!
I am so excited to be following Jenn!! This meal was awesome and having the weekly meal plan was fantastic!!
Love this recipe. I’ve become addicted to my rice cooker and forgot how flavorful rice can be! Yum yum yum.
Huge fan of this recipe! It held up so well to eat for lunch the next few days. Will be coming back to this again soon.
Marilyn
Insanely delicious. Clean eating. Fresh taste. Yum! Thanks Jenn!
Just made and enjoyed!! One addition I’ll make next time is an egg – the meatballs are a touch dry, but the flavors are on point!
I made this and it was delicious! Looking forward to the leftovers for lunch!
This recipe was awesome! Made it exactly as written. Fabulous and will make again!
Another great recipe from Jenn! I added broccoli instead of spinach to give it a little more veggie. Next time, I might only do half a lemon instead of a full lemon as it is very lemon forward!
This was delicious and easy! I will be adding it to the menu rotation. I ended up using ground chicken because I had that on hand. I can’t wait to make this again!
Delicious! I didn’t have time to make meatballs so I just browned the turkey, removed it while the rice was cooking, and added it back in at the end. We all loved it!
Can you use minute rice?
Recipe was easy to follow and tasty! I liked that I didn’t need to add breadcrumbs and egg to the meatballs too!