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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 fantastic! I have had terrible experience with ground turkey, but couldn’t resist picking some up at a real low price. I added 1/2 cup of Romano cheese, and I swear I couldn’t tell the difference from beef. More importantly, my horribly finicky sister said they were delicious. I will NEVER tell her they were turkey 😉
Thanks Michele! – Meggan
Absolutely delicious!!!! I had all the ingredients on hand, very easy to make. I did subsititute minced onion for onion powder. The result was a crispy meatball. Thank you!!!
Cooked this for my parents with zucchini noodles and tomato sauce as a healthier meal since my dad has health issues. I am not a regular reader of this site and just stumbled onto this recipe, but after how good these meatballs were, I will definitely look at more recipes on here. These were absolutely fantastic.
Hi Travis, thanks! I’m so glad you all loved the meatballs. Hope you enjoy more recipes! – Meggan
I usually don’t comment on recipes. However, these meatballs are delicious! A must try! So moist and healthy as takes very little time.
my roommates and i LOVE this recipe!! as a college student who works out a lot this is a great way to get protein and make an easy meal. we like to make a huge batch and freeze them to reheat later in the toaster oven. i’m not a huge fan of onions so we use a cheese grater to make the pieces really fine, so that’s a good idea if you want to serve this to a picky eater. thanks for this amazing recipe!
Thanks Alexa, so glad you guys love it! – Meggan
Delicious!
I have a question ! Its 306kcal for how much of the balls in weight?
Thanks!
Hi Marie, I’m sorry I don’t know the exact weight but it’s 306kcal for 7 meatballs! Hope that helps. – Meggan
so yummy and EASY. perfect for weeknight dins. definitely add parm to the mixture (not that i know what it’s like without it but cheese never hurts anything). the only turkey meatball recipe ya need (:
Mmmmmmm
Should these be thawed before reheating when taking out of the freezer? Or do you reheat them
Straight from the freezer?
Hi Chris, you can reheat straight from the freezer. – Meggan
Looking forward to making these! I have a question about the nutrition though. What is the serving size for the nutrition label that you provided? Are those the accurate numbers for all 48 meatballs?
Hi Yvonne, one serving is 1/7th of the recipe, which is between 6 to 7 meatballs each, depending on how large or small they are made. The nutritional information comes from a database, and is for estimation purposes, as nutrition amounts vary based on the products you would use to make the meatballs. I hope this helps! – Meggan