Quick and easy turkey meatballs made with basic ingredients! Simple to prepare, so tender and delicious, these are a family favorite. Make them in bulk and freeze them, or eat them throughout the week!
Do you ever think to yourself, “If I don’t get a meatball immediately, I’m going to throw myself on the ground like a limp ragdoll and pitch a fit?”
No?
Well, then you’re a better person than I, because when I need a meatball, man, I need it bad!
There’s just something about a tender, flavorful meatball, engulfed in steamy melty cheese that satisfies the soul so thoroughly, the experience cannot be replicated in any other way.
So here we are with this easy turkey meatball recipe, fashioning up the absolute best turkey meatballs in no time at all. They turn out super tender with incredible rustic flavor on account of the herby red sauce.
Let’s dive into the simple ingredients!
Ingredients for Turkey Meatballs:
Ground Turkey: The main ingredient! We’re using lean ground turkey to make homemade meatballs. I use Diestel Turkey, as their birds are humanely raised, and all of their products are are antibiotic-free.
Breadcrumbs: Used to keep the meatballs held together nicely. I use gluten-free bread crumbs, but regular panko breadcrumbs work just as well. This ingredient is how we make tender meatballs!
Egg: One egg adds a little fat and also helps keep the ingredients held together nicely.
Olive Oil: We add some healthy fat for richness since turkey is so lean. A little bit goes a long way to add flavor.
Yellow Onion and Fresh Garlic: Big flavor enhancers. For the best results, finely chop the onion as tiny as possible before adding it to the meatball mixture.
Dried Oregano, Dried Parsley, Sea Salt, and Black Pepper: The seasonings to add flavor. Swap out the oregano and parsley for Italian seasoning or fresh herbs like fresh basil or fresh parsley. Toss in red pepper flakes for a little heat if you like it.
Tomato Pasta Sauce: Pick your favorite store-bought tomato sauce, or make your own. I always go for quality, organic sauces that are made with fresh ingredients and don’t contain preservatives. I love marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce.
Recipe Customizations:
- Use equal parts ground turkey and ground turkey sausage. If you know you like your meatballs with a little sausage flair, definitely consider implementing this adaptation.
- For a grain-free paleo option, replace the gluten-free breadcrumbs with ¼ cup of almond flour plus 1 tablespoon tapioca flour.
- Incorporate various dried herbs and spices into the meat to play with the flavor.
- Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of red wine to the sauce for more complex flavor.
- Change the meat selection to ground chicken, ground pork, ground beef, ground lamb, bison, elk, you name it. If you change the meat to pork, beef, or lamb (a fatty meat) omit the oil from the recipe.
- For easy baked turkey meatballs, bake in a casserole dish at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes covered in aluminum foil, or until ground turkey meatballs are cooked through.
How to Make Turkey Meatballs:
Preparing this turkey meatball recipe is very simple.
All you do is mix the ingredients using a stand mixer. If you don’t own a stand mixer, mix the ingredients using your hands or a wooden spoon in a large bowl.
With wet hands, form any sized ball my heart desires (I make them large and in charge).
Sear the raw meatballs in a cast iron skillet in a single layer over medium-high heat to develop a golden brown crust over much of the outside of the balls.
Once the meat has browned, reduce the heat to medium heat so that the sauce doesn’t splatter, and carefully pout in a jar of your favorite store-bought sauce. Be sure to buy extra if you’re a mega sauce lover!
Continue cooking the turkey meatballs the rest of the way in the sauce for optimal flavor. According to the food and drug administration, poultry is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of some of the meatballs to spot check them for doneness.
Serve over pasta noodles with some fresh parm, and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Tips:
- If you aren’t under a time crunch, cooking the meatballs extra slowly to really jazz up the flavor is a wise choice, but definitely not mandatory. You can even transfer the turkey meatballs to a slow cooker and finish them off there.
- Make the meat mixture ahead of time and store the raw meatballs in the refrigerator in a sealed container until you’re ready to cook – up to 48 hours.
- Double the recipe to make more meatballs. This recipe can easily feed 3 to 4 very hungry individuals, but if you’re looking to feed more people, it’s very easy to double the recipe. If doubling, consider adding 1 pound of ground turkey sausage as opposed to another pound of regular ground turkey. Use it as a meal prep recipe too!
Serving Suggestions:
- Serve these easy turkey meatballs over pasta noodles with freshly grated parmesan cheese or feta cheese.
- For a low-carb option, serve on a bed of zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
- Turn them into a meatball sub with crusty bread and mozzarella cheese.
- For a gluten-free option, go any kind of veggie noodle, gluten-free pasta noodles, rice, or risotto.
Looking for more sensational ground turkey recipes? Try these gems!
More Ground Turkey Recipes:
- Avocado Stuffed Turkey Burgers
- Soy-Ginger Ground Turkey Bowls
- Ground Turkey Taco Casserole
- Whole30 Turkey Chili
- Hearty Ground Turkey Soup with Vegetables
And we’re meat ballin’
Easy Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the ingredients are well-incorporated and the meat begins to ball up. Note: If you don’t have a mixer, you can mix everything by hand (yes, with your actual hands) in a mixing bowl.
- Form balls out of the turkey meatball mixture (mine were 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter), and place them on a plate.
- Heat a large (10-inch) cast iron skillet to medium-high and add enough olive oil (or algae oil or cooking oil of choice) to generously coat the surface. Once the skillet is hot, carefully place the meatballs on the hot surface, giving ample room between each ball.
- Cook for 1.5 minutes, flip the meat balls over, then cook an additional 1.5 minutes. Turn the meatballs a couple more times to get a good sear on them, but don’t cook them all the way through. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Carefully add the sauce to the skillet (if the skillet is too hot, the sauce will splatter out..watch out for sauce debris). Cover the skillet and allow the meatballs to cook at a gentle boil for 20 minutes (or cook over medium-low at a simmer for an hour).
- Serve meatballs over choice of zoodles, rice, pasta, gluten-free noodles, etc.
Hi- when you say “mix all the ingredients” Is it correct to mix in the olive oil into the meatballs?
@Maureen,
When I made these I did not add olive oil or pasta sauce the the meatball mixture. The olive oil was to add to the skillet for cooking and the pasta sauce at the end for the 20min gentle boil. I agree, saying to “mix all ingredients” was initially confusing to me as well. Mine turned out delicious!
What can be used in place of egg
Didn’t have ground turkey so we substituted ground chicken. Everyone loved them – Thanks.
I’m so happy to hear it, Chris! Thanks a bunch for the feedback! xo
We’re mega meatball lovers in this house, especially Diestel turkey meatballs! These are making me want to throw a fit because I don’t have any and that needs to change quick. These are going on the meal plan!
YUM!!! I love meatballs in pretty much any way shape or form. These sound divine! I bet they would be stellar on a meatball sub sandwich too 🙂