Seasonal Recipes

Fresh Apple & Herb, Turkey Meatballs – with Tagge’s CSA Box

September 4, 2026

Cooking with Tagge’s CSA Produce Box

This summer, I’m excited to be partnering with Tagge’s Farm to experience their 15-week CSA produce box, and to share how I’m cooking, eating, or preserving their farm-fresh seasonal produce all summer long.

You can visit my ‘CSA Cooking Journal’ to learn more about Tagge’s CSA, see what comes in the box each week, and find weekly recipes and updates on how we use the produce.

Tagge’s CSA services Logan to Santaquin in Northern Utah. It runs from early July through mid-October. Sign up to join

Featured Seasonal Ingredient: Apples

Every recipe here at Together We Bloom is based around a ‘featured’ seasonal ingredient.

This week, after opening the CSA box, I decided that I wanted to create a savory recipe with the apples in the box. These apples have been sooo delicious to eat fresh. Honestly, they would have been eaten up regardless. However, I love coming up with unique recipes to utilize ingredients in non-typical ways, so I wanted to actually cook with them this week.

Click here to explore all apple recipes

When are apples in season in Utah?

Locally grown apples are mostly harvested in September and October in Utah.

This recipe is tagged as both a summer & fall seasonal recipe; you can explore the summer seasonal recipes & fall seasonal recipes here.

Other Local, Seasonal Ingredients Used in This Recipe / Meal

Onion- Also in the Tagge’s CSA Produce Box
Parsley– From my home herb garden
Thyme– From my home herb garden
Sage– From my home herb garden
Garlic- Also in the Tagge’s CSA Produce Box (last week)

About This Recipe

These turkey meatballs are filled with little pieces of fresh apple and herbs, then baked.

The apple adds moisture and a subtle sweetness, while the herbs, onion, garlic, and Dijon keep them undeniably savory.

I really wanted to make something satisfying and cozy and celebrate apples in a unique way.

Adjusting the recipe to your palate and what’s in season

The recipes that I share here are meant to be a starting point or an inspiration for you in your own kitchen.

I enjoy creatively exploring seasonal ingredients and finding new ways to use what’s abundant, rather than trying to create one final “perfect” recipe.

Here you can really use any ground meat, switch out different herbs, play with seasoning, or even shape it into more of a burger patty than a meatball. Feel free to use what you have in your garden, pantry, or fridge.

Seasonal cooking is flexible, and experimenting is part of the fun!

Serving Suggestions

For this dinner, I chose to make a maple-Dijon glaze to toss the meatballs in and add a little bit of sweetness.

However, looking back, I wish that I had opened up one of my jars of home-canned ‘Rhubarb-bbq Sauce’ (RECIPE COMING SOON) from my pantry to use instead. This would have been a great way to cook with preserved foods.

I also decided to pair these meatballs with my Kale Colcannon Recipe. This is essentially mashed potatoes with sautéed greens incorporated (often kale or cabbage)

Suggested Supplies:

The items below are Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase from the link, a very small amount of that purchase goes toward supporting this blog. This is at no additional cost to you.

Internal Thermometer:

If you cook meat, I feel that an internal meat thermometer is a non-negotiable in the kitchen. It is my personal opinion that you should always be temping meat. Not only to prevent undercooking but also to prevent overcooking. This is the one that we have, and I like it because it has the meat temps listed on the thermometer. Of course, you can use it on more than just meat, but for cooking meat, a necessity.

Disposable Gloves:

Again, if you work with raw meat in your kitchen, disposable gloves are great to keep around. We use them for all sorts of things in the kitchen, especially when cooking for gatherings (and sometimes even for cleaning.) I always wear a glove on the hand that is touching raw meat.

Garlic Press:

If you like to cook with garlic, a garlic press is a supply that you should really consider. Lightly crushing the clove with the side of your knife allows you to quickly peel of the skin and then you press the clove through. It is faster than mincing garlic, more consistent in texture, and allows for better flavor release. This is THE recommended way to get the most out of your garlic, and I use it nearly every time I cook.

The Recipe:

Fresh Apple & Herb Turkey Meatballs

Seasonal Recipe From: Together We Bloom

A seasonal apple recipe. These apple & herb turkey meatballs are easy to make, flavorful, and delicious. Serves 4 people

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

1 lb ground turkey
½ apple finely diced (about ½ cup)
½ yellow onion finely diced
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
3 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
1 tablespoon sage finely chopped
1 tablespoon thyme removed from stems
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For Cooking:

1 tbsp olive oil

Maple-Dijon Glaze

3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp dijon mustard
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the oven and baking sheet- Place a (rimmed) baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 425°F.
Make the meatball mixture In a large bowl, combine the meatball ingredients. Mix gently by hand until everything is evenly incorporated and distributed. Do not overmix.
Rest the meatballs: Let the mixture rest for at least 5 minutes so the breadcrumbs can absorb some of the moisture.
Shape the meatballs: Divide the mixture into 8-10 equal portions and gently roll each into a round meatball about 2 inches in diameter. Don't pack the meatballs tightly. A light touch will give you a more tender texture.
Move Meatballs to Hot Pan: Remove the hot sheet from the oven and add the oil to the pan. Use a brush or rotate the pan to get a layer of coverage. Add more oil as needed. Then place the meatballs, leaving space between each one.
Bake Meatballs: Bake for 15 minutes, then pull from the oven to flip the meatballs. (Spatula recommended) Continue baking for another 8–12 minutes, until browned and cooked through. The centers should reach 165°F.
Optional, Make Maple-Dijon glaze: While baking, use a fork or small whisk to combine the maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt & pepper until combined. Taste and adjust as desired.
Finish Meatballs: When meatballs are finished cooking, slowly drizzle the glaze over the meatballs. Rotate them until they are all glossy and have coverage. More glaze can be made and added.

Notes

Other glazes or sauces could be used
Feel free to try this recipe with other ground meats or herb variations.
Try pairing this recipe with our ‘Kale Colcannon’ mashed potatoes with kale recipe
Visit Together We Bloom for more seasonal recipes from farmer/foodie Taylor.

Do you love Pinterest too?

Click the image below to visit this pin on pinterest and save it for later. Also- check out my Apple Recipe Pinterest Board for more recipe ideas and inspiration.

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Thanks for joining me in the kitchen

Thanks so much for joining me in the kitchen today as we explored another recipe inspired by the season and the incredible farmers, growers, and producers who make local food possible.

As a farmer and foodie, I love sharing what I’m actually cooking, preserving, and enjoying week by week with ingredients that are fresh, local, and at their peak. I hope that these recipes help you feel confident trying new ingredients and making the most of what’s in season.

If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to visit my In the Kitchen page, where you’ll find more seasonal recipes, preserving projects, and kitchen inspiration for a farm-to-table life.