This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you purchase through those links (at no extra cost to you).
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.
More From Culinary Hill
Join Us
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.
Made as recipe except used dried Italian seasoning for herbs(what I had) . Divided into burgers and had as turkey burgers,delicious! Topped with some blue cheese crumbles and franks hot sauce. Thank you for great recipe.
SO EXCELLENT! I’ve tried a ton of turkey meatball recipes and these take the prize. I used rice flour instead of bread crumbs (give it good texture), and added shredded parmesan which also helps keep them moist. Thanks for recipe!
This is a really great basic recipe! I added in a bit of grated Parmesan since turkey can be a bit on the bland side. Sometimes I’ll throw in half an avocado or some guacamole just to add in a healthy fat and some moisture. I usually skip the 1/4 cup olive oil and just spray my hands with cooking spray to shape or just spray the meatballs before baking…just enough to help brown. I also trade the parsley out for kale every now and then. I destem raw kale, pulse it in my food processor, and (voila) super food hidden in something my family eats. 😉 I’m that mom, sigh. Thanks so much for the recipe!
My family loves this recipe! It has become one of the favorites over the last year, thank you for sharing. In fact, it is so popular, that I use 3 lb of turkey and two large red onions, which add even more flavor. I opted for the oats from the start. I grind them the food processor first, after which I process the onions there and squeeze out the liquid. Finally, the parsley and garlic (sometimes fresh mint and basil too) also end up in the food processor. That way everything is much quicker to prep. I do have to get my hubby to help shaping the balls – we end up with two cookie sheets packed with them:)
this was really easy midweek dinner. needed to use up some sauce, had ground turkey. just halved the recipe, basically. dried parsley instead of fresh because i didn’ t have any on hand, and added some grated pecorino romano cheese. i cooked the turkey meatballs which were a little larger than yours (per request) at 400 degrees f, for 35 minutes total at which time they registered 145 degrees F. they are yummy. thanks
Please be aware that all poultry should be cooked to 165° to be safe.
Love your Turkey meatball!!! My mini family is a bit mix Iam from the Dominican Republic and my life-partner is Peruvian , our two boys are US born. But like to always try new recipes of different native countries… Thank you for teaching new ways to cook such great recipes !!!
Such a good recipe, loved everything about it.I used 1lb of turkey ground meat, and just did the ingredients in half and it still came out perfect ☺️
I just did the same thing last night for my meatball recipe, and used 1lb of ground turkey and I substituted worcestershire sauce with liquid smoke and it was very good!
Ive been looking for a good turkey meatball recipe. Many of the beef ones I have seen suggest mixing in some shredded parmesan cheese to the mixture. Would this work with this turkey recipe?
Hi Claire, I don’t see why not! Sounds delicious. – Meggan
There’s another recipe I’ve been using for years. I’ve been looking for another one. I am SO glad I found this. The turkey meatballs were fantastic. We loved them. This will be our recipe moving forward. Thank you so much!
I mean I should have read through the instructions before just adding the ingredients list to the bowl, mixing and making the turkey meatballs, but I ended up forgetting the salt and pepper as a result and they taste kinda bland, nothing that hot sauce can’t fix though. Looking forward to making them again WITH the appropriate seasoning.