Description
These Baked Salmon Meatballs with Creamy Avocado Sauce offer a quick, healthy, and delicious meal featuring tender salmon meatballs baked to perfection and paired with a smooth, fresh avocado sauce. Packed with omega-3s and simple ingredients, this gluten-free dish is perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or impressing guests with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salmon Meatballs
- 1 lb boneless, skinless fresh salmon fillets
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or almond flour
- 1 large egg
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Creamy Avocado Sauce
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream (or coconut yogurt for dairy-free)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: splash of water or olive oil to adjust consistency
Instructions
- Prepare the Salmon: Finely chop or pulse the fresh salmon fillets in a food processor until coarsely ground to ensure the meatballs remain tender and juicy.
- Mix the Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground salmon, breadcrumbs or almond flour, chopped green onions, minced garlic, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and egg. Mix gently using your hands or a spoon until all ingredients are well incorporated, being careful not to overmix to maintain a light texture.
- Form the Meatballs: Shape the mixture into small, evenly sized meatballs about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. Place them on a lightly greased baking sheet or one lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the Meatballs: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake the meatballs for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until cooked through and lightly golden on the outside.
- Prepare the Creamy Avocado Sauce: While baking, blend the ripe avocado, Greek yogurt or alternative, fresh lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Adjust the consistency by adding a splash of water or olive oil if needed.
- Serve and Enjoy: Drizzle the creamy avocado sauce over the baked salmon meatballs or serve it on the side as a dipping sauce for maximum flavor.
Notes
- Avoid Overmixing: Gently combine ingredients to keep meatballs tender rather than dense.
- Uniform Size Matters: Make meatballs of equal size to ensure even cooking.
- Chill Before Baking: Refrigerate shaped meatballs for 10-15 minutes to help them hold together during baking.
- Use Ripe but Firm Avocado: This achieves a creamy texture without bitterness in the sauce.
- Watch the Bake Time: Avoid overbaking to prevent drying out the meatballs; start checking after 15 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs with sauce
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: baked salmon meatballs, creamy avocado sauce, healthy seafood recipe, gluten free salmon meatballs, omega-3 rich meal, easy dinner, party appetizers