Turkey Meatballs
These Turkey Meatballs are the best flavorful, tender baked turkey meatballs! They’re quick and easy to make and perfect for a healthy, satisfying meal.
My family loves meatballs for dinner, and these turkey meatballs are one of our all-time favorites. Like my go-to classic Meatball Recipe, these ground turkey meatballs are easy to make using simple ingredients. And the result is truly mouthwatering!
Turkey meatballs can sometimes have the reputation of being dry or lacking in flavor. To ensure that these healthy meatballs turn out tender, juicy and go-back-for-seconds delicious, I use a few tricks and special ingredients. They’re seasoned with fresh onion and garlic as well as dried seasonings to really pack in a punch of flavor. Panko breadcrumbs lock in moisture as the meatballs bake, and a bit of ketchup adds extra moisture and flavor.
Baking these turkey meatballs in the oven at high temperature helps to brown the outsides of the meatballs while sealing in the juices. And baking meatballs is super easy – you won’t have to fuss with flipping meatballs in a skillet or worry about grease splattering as they cook.
Turkey Meatballs Recipe Ingredients
When I developed this recipe, I wanted to be sure it would make meatballs that were so flavorful, you wouldn’t miss the beef one bit. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the best turkey meatballs:
- Egg: One egg helps to bind the meat mixture together.
- Onion & Garlic: For flavor. Chop the onion up finely, and mince or press the garlic cloves.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs help to bind the meatballs together. Panko breadcrumbs work best because the larger crumb pieces trap more moisture in the meatballs, making them juicier.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grated Parmesan cheese adds delicious flavor to the meatballs.
- Ketchup: For added moisture and flavor.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds umami flavor and a slightly beefy flavor.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper give these turkey meatballs the best flavor.
- Ground Turkey: I recommend using a ground turkey with a little bit of fat to it, such as 93%. The leaner the ground turkey, the drier the meatballs will be. Find more ground turkey recipes here.
How to Make Turkey Meatballs
You can have these delicious turkey meatballs on your table in just a few simple steps, and less than 30 minutes. Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 450° F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with canola oil to prevent the meatballs from sticking as they bake.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the ground turkey. Use a fork to mix everything together.
- Add the ground turkey to the bowl and mix with a fork or your hands until just combined.
- Shape the meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at 450° F for 10-14 minutes, until they are cooked through. Turkey meatballs are done when the centers register 165° F on an instant read thermometer. Then serve and enjoy!
Turkey Meatballs Recipe Tips
- Use ground turkey with a little bit of fat in it, such as 93% lean. It’s best to avoid 99% lean ground turkey, as it may make the meatballs turn out dry.
- Try not to overwork the meat when you mix it with the other meatball ingredients. First mix together all of the ingredients except for the turkey, and then mix in the ground turkey until just combined.
- Overcooking the meatballs can cause them to turn out dry. Start checking them after 10 minutes in the oven and use an instant read thermometer to measure the internal temperature. As soon as they are cooked to 165° F, take them out of the oven.
- Some brands of ground turkey are more wet than others, which can make the meatball mixture sticky. If you find that it is sticking to your hands a lot as you shape the meatballs, you can work with slightly wet hands. I also find that washing my hands halfway through shaping the meatballs helps.
Serving Suggestions
Meatballs are a versatile meal and there are many ways that you can serve them. Here are a few ideas:
- Spaghetti and Meatballs: Serve the meatballs over spaghetti noodles, topped with Marinara Sauce or your favorite pasta sauce. On the side, enjoy Garlic Bread and an Italian Salad.
- Meatball Sub: Serve them with cheese and marinara sauce on toasted hoagie rolls to make delicious meatball sub sandwiches.
- With Rice: Enjoy them with Brown Rice or Instant Pot Rice.
- Zucchini Noodles: For a low carb meal, serve the meatballs with zucchini noodles instead of pasta.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Homemade meatballs are perfect for meal prep, and they freeze wonderfully for quick meals later on. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. The best way to reheat meatballs is to heat them together with marinara sauce over medium-low heat on the stove. Individual portions may also be reheated in the microwave. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Favorite Meatball Recipes
- Instant Pot Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Meatballs
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Chicken Meatballs
- Swedish Meatballs
Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- canola oil, for greasing the baking sheet
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup very finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound ground turkey*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450° F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with canola oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine egg, onion, garlic, Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir with a fork to mix.
- Add the ground turkey and mix until just combined.
- Use your hands to shape the meat mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs and place on the greased baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs for 10-14 minutes, until they are cooked through. Meatballs should register 165° F in the center when measured with an instant read thermometer. Serve meatballs with spaghetti and marinara sauce, or as desired.
Notes
- For best results, use ground turkey with a little bit of fat in it, such as 93% lean. Using 99% lean ground turkey may make the meatballs dry.
- Baked meatballs may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I just wanted to let you know that I made the Turkey Meatballs this afternoon and they were delicious! I didn’t have any pasta to pair the meatballs with so I opted for Brussels Sprouts. Best thing is that the meatballs are healthy!