These Sheet Pan Elote Meatballs with Roasted Veggies are anything but boring! The gluten free turkey meatballs are infused with Mexican street corn flair, then oven-baked alongside bell peppers, red onion, chickpeas and corn. Top it all off with a drizzle of a creamy, tangy and smoky yogurt sauce and you have a balanced dinner complete with 39g of protein and 13g of fiber per serving!
Long time no sheet pan meatball recipe! Sorry to leave you hanging there. But I’m back with one that’s super summer-y and delicious. These are my Sheet Pan Elote Meatballs with Roasted Veggies! It’s everything you love about Mexican Street Corn but transformed into a full, balanced meal packed with protein and fiber.
As with all my other sheet pan meatball recipes, this one features roasted veggies (rocking with bell peppers, corn & chickpeas this time), juicy turkey meatballs that are infused with more corn and mexican spices, and then rounded out with a drizzle of creamy, elote-inspired sauce. It’s smoky, spicy, creamy and tangy all in one!
This sheet pan dinner is such a good way to use up all that sweet, in-season corn while also getting in a whopping 39g of protein and 13g of fiber! It’s delicious eaten fresh, but is equally as great as leftovers — meal prep lunch anybody!? And if you like this one, you might also like some of my other elote recipes, like this Elote Pasta Salad, Elote Chicken Tacos or Chipotle Chicken and Polenta Elote Bowl.
Why You’ll Love this Mexican Street Corn Inspired Sheet Pan Dinner
- It’s baked all on one sheet pan for less mess and clean-up!
- Each serving offers 39 of protein and 13g of fiber.
- It’s everything you love about mexican street corn, but transformed into a full meal.
- Each bite has smoky, spicy and savory flavors balanced out with creaminess & tang.
- The elote meatballs are naturally gluten free.
- It stores well so it’s perfect for meal prep all week long!
What You Need to Make these Sheet Pan Elote Meatballs with Roasted Veggies
For the Elote Meatballs:
- Ground Turkey: I prefer to use 93-94% lean so that the meatballs don’t come out dry. You could also use ground chicken instead.
- Egg: 1 large egg helps bind the elote meatballs together.
- Corn: For the elote vibe, we are adding fresh corn (cut directly off the cob – no need to cook it) into the meatball mixture. You could also substitute an equal amount of canned corn or frozen & thawed fire-roasted corn.
- Crumbled Cotija: This is a Mexican-cheese that’s crumbly, salt and a key ingredient in anything elote! I find mine pre-crumbled at Whole Foods, near the feta.
- Coconut Flour: Coconut flour is a great gluten-free, grain-free substitute for panko breadcrumbs. You just need a little bit, as coconut flour is super absorbent.
- Red Onion: You’ll need about 1/4 cup of very finely diced red onion, and the rest of the onion will be added to the sheet pan.
- Cilantro: Just a bit of fresh chopped cilantro for a bright zing! If you’re sensitive to cilantro you can leave this out.
- Lime Zest: The zest is a great way to add some really pungent, tangy lime flavor without adding too much liquid to the elote meatballs!
- Chili Powder, Cumin, Smoked Paprika & Kosher Salt: This is my go-to spice blend to bring out all those elote flavors! We are repeating this same spice blend throughout other components of this recipe, as well.
For the Sheet Pan:
- Chickpeas: 1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained & rinsed. This adds some lovely fiber and volume to the dish.
- Bell Peppers: What pairs better with elote meatballs than some roasted bell peppers!? I like to use one red and one orange for color variety.
- Corn: I used fresh corn kernels cut directly off the cob, which yields about 1/2 cup.
- Red Onion: It gets deliciously sweet and caramelized when roasted…yum!
- Olive Oil: Coat all of the veggies in olive oil or avocado oil.
- Chipotle Powder, Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: Chipotle powder has quite a kick to it, so feel free to substitute normal chili powder for a milder option.
For the Sauce:
- Greek Yogurt: I highly recommend using full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr for the best flavor and texture. If you’re dairy free, you can either substitute a thick dairy-free yogurt, or use mayo!
- Lime Juice & Zest: For brightness and acidity. You’ll need about 1 lime total for this recipe.
- Honey: Or maple syrup, to sweeten up the sauce and balance out all the savory, smoky and spicy flavors.
- Chili Powder, Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Cayenne & Kosher Salt: Cayenne is an optional ingredient if you want to make this sauce even spicier!
How To Make Sheet Pan Elote Meatballs with Roasted Veggies
Prepare Elote Meatballs:
First, preheat your oven to 400F. Then, in a large bowl, add all of the elote meatballs ingredients and use your hands to mix until combined. Try not to over-mix as it will lead to denser, drier meatballs. Set aside.
Toss Veggies in Oil & Seasonings:
Next, add chickpeas, bell peppers, corn and red onion to an extra-large baking sheet (21×15″). If you don’t own one this big, I recommend splitting it between two normal-sized baking sheets. Then, drizzle oil and seasonings over top. Toss to coat and spread out evenly on the baking sheet (s). There should be minimal overlap.
Add Elote Meatballs & Bake:
Scoop out 2 tbsp of the ground turkey mixture and roll into a ball. Then, nestle the meatballs onto the baking sheet. It should make about 16-18 meatballs. Transfer to the oven to bake for 20 minutes. Optionally, switch your oven to broil for about 2-3 more minutes to get a nice golden finish on the meatballs and veggies.
Prepare the Sauce:
Meanwhile, add all of the sauce ingredients to a small bowl and stir until combined and smooth. Continue to add more milk/water as needed to thin it out to a drizzle-able consistency.
Drizzle Sauce over Sheet Pan & Garnish:
Once the sheet pan is done cooking and has cooled for a few minutes, drizzle the sauce over top. Optionally, garnish with some more chopped cilantro and crumbled cotija. Enjoy!
Can I Use Ground Chicken Instead of Ground Turkey?
Definitely! These elote meatballs can be made with either ground chicken or ground turkey, but make sure to use about 93-94% lean for the best results. If you use 99% lean, they are more prone to drying out and nobody likes a dry, tough meatball!
Are There Any Substitutes for Coconut Flour in these Elote Meatballs?
Coconut flour is a great gluten-free and grain-free substitute for panko breadcrumbs in these elote meatballs. You really only need a small amount of it too, since it’s super absorbent. However, if you don’t have any on hand, you can try using 1/2 cup of almond flour, oat flour or normal panko breadcrumbs (if you’re not gluten free).
Equipment Recommendations:
If you’ve made any of my sheet pan dinners in the past, you know that I live and die by these two equipment recommendations. They are certainly not a requirement but they will make your life easier and yield the best result!
- Extra Large Baking Sheet: This is the best $15 I’ve ever spent! This baking sheet is 21″ x 15″ and allows you to fit so much. If you don’t have one of these, you’ll want to split the recipe between two normal-sized baking sheets so that there’s not too much overlap. More overlap = more soggy veggies!
- Cookie Scoop: I always use this 2 tbsp cookie scoop to measure out my meatballs. It ensures that they’re uniform in size which leads to even cooking.
How Should I Store Leftovers?
This sheet pan dinner with elote meatballs and roasted veggies is the perfect thing to make for meal prep, or to enjoy as leftovers! Simply allow everything to cool down before transferring to an airtight container and storing in the fridge for about 4-5 days. If you prefer to warm up your leftovers, I would recommend storing the sauce separately and drizzling it on top after you’ve re-heated the sheet pan meal in the microwave. If the sauce is too thick after refrigerating, feel free to thin it out with a bit of water or milk.
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for More Sheet Pan Dinner Recipes?
- Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Meatballs and Roasted Veggies with Herb Yogurt Sauce
- Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken Meatballs with Cauliflower and Chickpeas
- Fall Sheet Pan Chicken Meatballs and Veggies with Maple Tahini Dressing
- Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Sheet Pan Dinner
- Sheet Pan Spinach Feta Turkey Meatballs with Green Goddess Sauce
- Kung Pao Chicken and Cauliflower Sheet Pan Meal
Sheet Pan Elote Meatballs with Roasted Veggies
Equipment
- fork
- 2 tbsp cookie scoop (optional)
- extra large baking sheet or 2 normal baking sheets
- small bowl
- spoon
Ingredients
For the Elote Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground turkey (93-94% lean)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup corn (cut directly off the cob)
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- zest from ½ lime
For the Sheet Pan:
- 1 can chickpeas (15oz), drained & rinsed
- 2 large bell peppers cut into chunks (I did one red & one orange)
- 1 ear of corn kernels cut off
- ¾ medium red onion cut into large chunks*
- 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp chipotle powder (sub chili powder for milder option)**
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the Sauce:
- ½ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- zest from ½ lime
- ½ tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- cayenne (optional, for extra spice)
- water or milk as needed to thin
Optional Garnishes:
- chopped cilantro
- crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F. Then, in a large bowl, add all of the elote meatballs ingredients and use your hands to mix until combined. Try not to over-mix as it will lead to denser, drier meatballs. Set aside.1 lb ground turkey, 1 large egg, ½ cup corn, ¼ cup finely diced red onion, ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese, 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp coconut flour, ½ tsp chili powder, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp kosher salt, zest from ½ lime
- Add chickpeas, bell peppers, corn and red onion to an extra-large baking sheet (21×15"). If you don't own one this big, I recommend splitting it between two normal-sized baking sheets. Then, drizzle oil and seasonings over top. Toss to coat and spread out evenly on the baking sheet (s). There should be minimal overlap.1 can chickpeas, 2 large bell peppers, 1 ear of corn, ¾ medium red onion, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp chipotle powder, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp black pepper
- Scoop out 2 tbsp of the ground turkey mixture and roll into a ball. Then, nestle the meatballs onto the baking sheet. It should make about 16-18 meatballs. Transfer to the oven to bake for 20 minutes. Optionally, switch your oven to broil for about 2-3 more minutes to get a nice golden finish on the meatballs and veggies.
- Meanwhile, add all of the sauce ingredients to a small bowl and stir until combined and smooth. Continue to add more milk/water as needed to thin it out to a drizzle-able consistency (I used about 1 tbsp).½ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr, 1 tbsp lime juice, zest from ½ lime, ½ tbsp honey, ¼ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, cayenne, water or milk
- Once the sheet pan is done cooking and has cooled for a few minutes, drizzle the sauce over top. Optionally, garnish with some more chopped cilantro and crumbled cotija. Enjoy!chopped cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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