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Leaner than beef, these Turkey Meatballs are healthy, packed with flavor, and incredibly moist on the inside. A combination of fresh and dried herbs give these meatballs an Italian flare while also providing a balance of flavors.
Try your ground turkey in my favorite turkey tacos or turkey chili! You might also enjoy my homemade rotisserie chicken recipe or copycat Chipotle Chicken, a long time reader favorite.
Good and good for you, these meatballs freeze beautifully and can be reheated in no time.
To sauce or not to sauce, I leave that up to you!
What are the benefits of eating turkey?
Turkey is like the underrated protein powerhouse. It sure packs a nutritional punch by providing a high amount of protein, a low amount of fat, and a number of vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin B6, and niacin, which are essential for the body’s energy production.
How long do you cook turkey meatballs?
The length of time varies based on the size of the meatball and cooking method. Just keep in mind turkey is poultry, so cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
How do you keep the meatballs from falling apart?
Eggs. In the case of meatballs, the egg’s job is simply to act as a binder. For every pound of meat, one egg is the perfect amount.
What’s the best method to get equal portions?
The easiest method is to use a small ice cream scoop. Not only does this give you equal portions, but creates the round shape you’re looking for. If you would like an even more precise measurement, scoop and place on your kitchen scale. Your looking for a 1 ½ ounce measurement for each meatball.
How do you freeze and reheat the meatballs?
- Scoop, cook, cool, and line the meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or until solid.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container, label, date, and keep for up to one month.
To reheat, place on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake in a 300-degree oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
If you would like to reheat in your favorite sauce, simply place the meatballs in with the sauce and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until heated through.
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Turkey Meatballs
Equipment
- Baking sheet (I love Nordic Ware!)
- Mixing bowl (I recommend using these nesting bowls from Amazon)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground turkey 93% lean
- 1 cup bread crumbs or panko or rolled oats
- 2/3 cup onion minced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley minced
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil (for frying)
Instructions
To make the meatballs:
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, bread crumbs, onion, parsley, eggs, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Using a strong spatula or your hands (I like to wear latex gloves), mix well. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls (you should have around 48 total).
To bake the meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Coat a wire rack with nonstick spray and set on prepared baking sheet.
- Arrange meatballs on rack, brush with oil, and bake until browned with crispy edges, about 15 to 20 minutes (an internal thermometer should read 165 degrees for 15 seconds).
To fry the meatballs:
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in batches until browned on all sides and the meatballs are cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes per batch (an internal thermometer should read 165 degrees for 15 seconds). Add more oil between batches if the skillet looks dry.
To freeze the meatballs:
- Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, not touching. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and store up to 1 month.
Recipe Video
Notes
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
My entire family LOVES these meatballs. I followed the recipe as written. I serve them with escarole and white beans. I do make sure to make the escarole and beans juicy. Soooo Good.
Sounds delicious!!! So happy to hear that you, and your family, love them! – Meggan
Great recipe! I added balsamic vinegar and honey to the onions and these came out awesome. Highly recommend as a base protein for meal prep.
Thanks for sharing!
Sounds like a winning combination! – Meggan
Hi can you put these in an air fryer? Thank you
Hi! Yes, you definitely can! Here are some instructions for you: https://www.culinaryhill.com/air-fryer-meatballs/
I hope you enjoy! -Meggan
Best turkey meatballs I’ve made!85% fat Perfect flavor, perfectly moist. And didn’t fall apart. Did add more of my own
spices. . Didn’t measure!
How do you warm them after frozen??
Hi Jan, I’m so happy you loved them! To reheat them from frozen, place on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake in a 300-degree oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through. If you would like to reheat in your favorite sauce, simply place the meatballs in with the sauce and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until heated through. Take care! – Meggan
I have made these 3 times. They are so good. I am amazed at how good they are. I use 85-15 Ground Turkey and put in the oven. Perfect.
I’m so happy you loved them, Karen! – Meggan
Made these tonight. Doubled the garlic and used an Italian seasoning blend. Also added about a cup of fresh grated parmesano reggiano. I forgot to brush the meatballs with oil, so I brushed them with oil for the final 5 minutes of baking with the convection fan on. No doubt they would’ve benefitted from being brushed with oil for the entire bake time. The meatballs were moist and delicious, but not quite as good as the 4 meatballs that I fried in a skillet (they didn’t fit on the baking sheet). Very nice recipe that will definitely prepare again (properly)!
Hi Chef Stev, thank you so much for your comment! I’m sorry you missed that step, it’s happened to the best of us! I hope the next batch is even more delicious. Take care! – Meggan
Can you cook them in the spaghetti sauce?
Hi Mary, yes. I would brown them first, then gently cook them in the sauce until they reach 165 degrees internally to make sure they hold together and are are properly cooked. I hope you love them! – Meggan
First off, I love these turkey meatballs. That being said I did have to make 3 slight modifications to the recipe, due to pantry limitations. 1. I used dehydrated minced onion instead of fresh, 2. Used Italian Herb blend instead of just basil and oregano, 3. Used dried parsley instead of fresh.
These came out delicious, held together perfectly, and are very versatile in their use. I’m just about to make another batch to freeze so I’ll have them on hand when needed; they are that good!
I’m so happy you loved them, Ellen! I’m happy the recipe was versitile and able to work with what you had on hand! – Meggan