These juicy Turkey Meatballs are packed with great flavor and are a leaner option than using ground beef! Perfect for serving over pasta with marinara sauce, a Greek orzo pasta, or with a little BBQ sauce for an easy appetizer or game day snack!
The Best Turkey Meatball Recipe
Unless you are new around here, you know that here at The Wooden Skillet we absolutely love a good meatball recipe! Chicken meatballs, lamb meatballs, ground beef meatballs, and now these ground turkey meatballs. They are seared to perfection on the outside and juicy on the inside! Perfect for adding to any of your favorite meatball recipes or meal prep ahead of time and store in your fridge or freezer until you are ready to use them.
If you love cooking with ground turkey, like we do, you should also checkout our Classic Juicy Turkey Burgers or our Avocado Turkey Burgers!!
What You Will Need
- lean ground turkey – the lean meat base of these tender meatballs!
- white onion – simply shred and give it a squeeze to remove excess moisture and it will add so much flavor.
- frozen butter & mayonnaise – our secret ingredients for keeping these easy meatballs super tender and juicy!
- garlic, worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, & parmesan cheese – these ingredients are all about bringing the flavor.
- lemon zest – a little bit of acidity to really amplify all the amazing flavors going on in this recipe.
- kosher salt & ground black pepper – simple seasonings that are always a must when cooking any type of meat.
- bread crumbs – either pick-up your favorite ones from your local grocery store or make homemade breadcrumbs to help bind everything together!
How To Make Turkey Meatballs
To start these simple turkey meatballs, place all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
Mix to fully combine with a large spoon or your hands.
Pro tip: if the mixture seems a little wet or sticky, you can place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to roll the meatballs.
Scoop approximately 1.5 tablespoons of the meat mixture into your hand, roll into a meatball, and set on a plate. We love to use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to make them a uniform shape.
When you are ready to cook, bring a large cast iron skillet to a medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, and toss in the meatballs to sear on all sides in a single layer. Then drop the heat a bit, cover, and continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
How To Serve Turkey Meatballs
These easy turkey meatballs are a super versatile recipe and can be used in so many different ways:
- spaghetti and meatballs – a great way to make the classic spaghetti and meatballs a little bit leaner! Toss with an easy pasta sauce and serve over noodles.
- dipping – these would also make a great appetizer or game day snack! Just serve with your favorite sauce, like BBQ sauce or buffalo sauce!
- Other pastas – we have also loved enjoying these tender meatballs with our Greek orzo pasta or some cheesy orzo!
- They are a great option for adding to any of your favorite meatball recipes!
We love serving them with some Greek Orzo with Whipped Feta!
Love Turkey Meatballs – try our Greek Turkey Meatballs for a fun spin on this classic recipe!
Recipe FAQ
- keep meatballs from falling apart: we used regular breadcrumbs to help bind all of the ingredients together, but you could also use gluten-free breadcrumbs or almond flour!
- flavor options: to mix-up some of the flavors, consider adding onion powder, Italian seasoning, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, or some hot sauce or red pepper flakes for a bit of a kick!
- cooking meatballs in the oven: these healthy turkey meatballs can easily be made in the oven too! Just spray an oven-safe wire rack with non-stick cooking spray, place it on top of a baking sheet, and the meatballs on top. Bake on the middle rack of the oven at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F.
- freezing before cooking: roll the turkey mixture into meatballs, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer until they are completely frozen. Then move to a freezer container and store for up to 3 months.
- freezing after cooking: after they are fully cooked, you can place the baked turkey meatballs on a sheet pan in the freezer until frozen completely, then move to a freezer-safe container and store for 3 months.
- double batch: option to make a double batch to enjoy some now and some later!
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Other Meatball Recipes You Might Like
Turkey Meatballs
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Approx. 20 meatballs
- Category: Meatballs
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Turkey Meatballs – a delicious, tender and flavorful turkey meatball recipe that is perfect on its own, with spaghetti or in a sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/4 cup white onion, shredded
- 2 tablespoons frozen butter, shredded
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (regular or gluten-free) OR almond flour
Instructions
- Combine: Combine ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. (If you feel the mixture is super sticky, feel free to place in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before scooping).
- Scoop: Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop out approx. 1 1/2 tablespoons of meatball mixture, forming a ball, and place on a large plate. Continue until all of the meatball mixture is used.
- Sear: Take large/medium cast iron skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and use a spatula to spread evenly to coat the pan. Add turkey meatballs and sear on all sides, about 3 minutes.
- Cover: Turn down heat to medium and cover the pan.
- Cook: Allow meatballs to cook about 10-15 minutes or until fully cooked (165 degree F. internal temperature – I recommend using a meat thermometer). If you feel the pan is too dry feel free to add a splash of water and then cover again.
- Remove meatballs from pan and serve as-is, with spaghetti, in a yummy sauce or with some Greek Orzo Pasta!
Notes
- To Bake: line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place an oven-safe cooling rack on top – spray the rack with olive oil. Place meatballs on top of the rack and place in the oven, middle rack, at 400 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes or until they are fully cooked (165 degree F. internal temp).
- Freeze: place uncooked meatballs on a cookie sheet, ensuring they are not touching. Place in the freezer for approx. 1 hour or until meatballs are frozen. Then place in a labeled, freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Storage: store cooked meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 249
- Sugar: 0.9 g
- Sodium: 447.4 mg
- Fat: 16.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.4 g
- Protein: 19.6 g
- Cholesterol: 78.6 mg
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