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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 minced onion
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
- 2 eggs
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon 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, salt, and 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.
These were beautiful and delicious. I baked them and then threw them in some sauce with spaghettini. So yummy!
Sounds delicious, Marnie! Thank you! -Meggan
Tried the turkey meatball recipe tonight with my spaghetti and it is absolutely delicious. I will use this recipe on my turkey burgers as well. Thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you, Rea! So glad you liked them! -Meggan
Family loved it thank you ☺️ ❤️
Thank you Mrs. Fuller! -Meggan
Found this recipe during the pandemic and it has been a staple at least once every two weeks. It’s soooo delish all by itself! But I also like to serve inside a cassava tortilla with peppers, onions, and avocados. So good! Love your recipes❣️
Hi Karen, thank you! So glad you love the recipe! -Meggan
Delicious! Even my beef eaters thought they were really good. Thank you!
Thank you Cupcake! -Meggan
These were amazing. I made meatball subs with them.. They have right amount of flavor. However, I did add 2 Tbsp of Italian seasoning to the 7 serving size recipe. My 14 year old took a couple left over meatballs out of the baggie and said ” oh my gosh mom these are even delicious cold, you have to make them again ” if it doesn’t become a weekly staple in our home it will be an every other week.
Oh, I also sprayed the cookie sheet before placing the meatballs on and I sprayed them with canola oil cooking spray just before I baked them.
Hi Shawna, that variation sounds delicious! So glad the whole family enjoyed. -Meggan
These meatballs were delicious! I didn’t make any modifications to the recipe – was perfect as is. Paired it with GoGo Quinoa spaghetti, tomato sauce and topped with freshly grated parmesan. A winner!!!
Hi Elissa, I am so glad you enjoyed. That version sounds amazing! -Meggan
This recipe is great, turned out so yummy and had a lot left over so i’ve been eating turkey meatballs for dinner for a few days now! I found that cooking them around 15 minutes made them more moist, the batch I left in for 18-20 was a little bit dry. Overall great recipe and I enjoyed them with a side of broccoli and barbecue for dipping sauce. Yum!
Hi Hailey, so glad you’ve enjoyed them! They sound great with barbecue sauce! -Meggan
I made these for dinner tonight and all I can say is yum!! I divided the recipe in half and the result was delicious. They are so flavorful and not dry! Thank you!! 🙂
Hi! Is the 306 calories serving sized based on 7 meatballs? Just wanting to confirm the serving size portion 😊 excited to try these!
Hi Amanda, it’s based on 1/7th of this recipe, so about 7 meatballs would be the closest estimate. The amount of meatballs the recipe yields can vary a little depending on the size of the meatballs made. I hope you enjoy them! – Meggan