These Baked Turkey Meatballs are full of flavor and easy to whip up in minutes with simple ingredients! Serve them with your favorite marinara sauce over pasta, in a sub, or on their own. They’re perfect for meal prep, kid-friendly, and are sure to be a hit with the whole family!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Turkey Meatball Recipe
- Quick & Easy: If you love quick meals, these homemade meatballs take just 10 minutes to prep! Make some pasta while the meatballs are in the oven and voila! You’ll have dinner on the table in 30 minutes!
- Perfect for Meal Prep: These homemade turkey meatballs keep well in the fridge for a few days and can be frozen for a future meal too.
- Versatile Recipe: You can enjoy these meatballs as part of a spaghetti dinner, use them to make meatball sandwiches on a hoagie roll, serve them with a soup or side salad, or eat them any way your heart desires! They’re great as a main dish, side, or even an appetizer.
- Kid-Friendly: This is one of my go-to recipes and one of my kids’ favorites (who just happen to be picky eaters).
For another Italian-American inspired dish, try our stovetop chicken parmesan recipe.
Ingredients
- Ground Turkey: Offers a leaner alternative to traditional beef meatballs, while still being tender and juicy. I used 93% lean ground turkey as I find pure ground turkey breast to be too dry.
- Egg: Acts as a binder, helping to hold the meatballs together.
- Italian Style Breadcrumbs: Add texture and helps absorb moisture. If you only have plain breadcrumbs, you can use them, but you may want to add in some dried Italian herbs like oregano, basil, and thyme to make up for the missing seasonings.
- Pecorino Romano Cheese: Infuses the meatballs with a sharp, salty flavor and authentic Italian taste. Feel free to use Parmigiano Reggiano instead.
- Garlic: Adds a savory and aromatic flavor, complementing the other ingredients. Fresh is best here but if you’ve only got garlic powder on hand, you can use 1/2 teaspoon in place of the two cloves.
- Fresh Parsley: Brings a touch of freshness and brightness to the meatballs, balancing the richness of the cheese and meat. While fresh is best and highly recommended, you can use 1/3 of the amount of dried parsley instead if that’s all you’ve got on hand.
- Black Pepper: Enhances the other flavors in the meatballs.
See the recipe card below for the full recipe and ingredient measurements.
How to Make Baked Turkey Meatballs
Get Prepared: First, preheat your oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the Meatball Ingredients: Next, grab a large mixing bowl and add all of the meatball ingredients. Mix everything together until it’s well combined, but be careful not to overmix because that can make the meatballs tough.
Roll the Meat Mixture into Balls: Roll the meatball mixture into balls, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, using your hands or a cookie scoop. You should end up with 12 meatballs.
Place the Meatballs on a Baking Sheet: As you roll each one, place it on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between them so they cook evenly.
Bake the Meatballs: Pop the baking pan into the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
Remove Excess Fat: Once they’re done, take the cooked meatballs out of the oven and let them sit for a minute or two. Remove any excess fat before serving.
Enjoy: Serve them up just as they are, or toss them with your favorite sauce.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make these ground turkey meatballs gluten-free.
- Dairy-Free: Swap the Romano for a plant-based Parmesan cheese or use nutritional yeast instead.
- Spicy: Add a kick of heat by mixing in some crushed red pepper flakes.
- Cheese-Stuffed: Place a small cube of mozzarella cheese in the center of each meatball before baking for a gooey, cheesy surprise inside!
Serving Suggestions
Here are some different ways you can enjoy these juicy turkey meatballs:
- Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs: Serve over spaghetti with marinara sauce with some more Pecorino Romano on top.
- Meatball Subs: Place the meatballs in a toasted sub roll, smother them with marinara sauce, and top with melted mozzarella or provolone cheese.
- Meatball Salad: For a lighter option, skip the sauce and serve the meatballs on a bed of mixed greens, drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. Add some cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and shaved Parmesan for the perfect flavor combination.
- Appetizer Skewers: Turn these meatballs into a crowd-pleasing appetizer by rolling them smaller and serving them on skewers with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. Pair with a dipping sauce like marinara or pesto for extra flavor.
- Meatballs with Zoodles: Serve the meatballs over zucchini noodles for a fun and nutritious twist.
Expert Tips
- Don’t Overmix: When combining the ingredients, mix just until everything is incorporated. Overmixing can make the meatballs dense and tough, so keep it gentle for a tender result.
- Use a Light Touch When Rolling: Roll the meatballs with a light hand to avoid compacting the mixture too much. This will help keep them airy and prevent them from becoming too firm.
- Chill the Mixture: If you have a few extra minutes, chill the meatball mixture in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before rolling. This makes the mixture easier to handle and helps the meatballs hold their shape better while baking.
- Check for Doneness: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165°F. This guarantees they’re fully cooked and safe to eat without drying them out.
- Experiment with Seasonings: Don’t be afraid to tweak the seasonings to suit your taste. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat, or mix in some dried Italian herbs for extra flavor.
FAQ
Yes, you can pan-fry these meatballs instead of baking them! To do this, heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook them for about 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally to brown all sides evenly. Once they’re browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F, remove them from the pan and let them rest on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Pan-frying gives the meatballs a nice, crispy exterior while keeping them juicy inside.
Absolutely! You can easily double the recipe to make a larger batch of meatballs. Just double all the ingredients and follow the same steps. just be sure to space the meatballs out on the baking sheet so they cook evenly. You may need to use two baking sheets or cook them in batches if your oven space is limited. This is a great option if you’re meal prepping or serving a crowd! Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge or frozen for future meals.
Allow the cooked meatballs to cool and then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place the meatballs in a baking dish, cover with foil, and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. You can also reheat them in the microwave, but be sure to cover them with a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out. If they were served with sauce, reheating them in the sauce on the stovetop is another great option.
Easy Baked Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey 93% lean
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- Roll meat mixture into balls, approximately 1 1/4 inches to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, until you have 12 meatballs. Place each meatball on the baking sheet as you go, leaving 1-2 inches between each one.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached at least 165° F.
- Remove any excess fat drippings from each meatball before serving. Enjoy plain or with your favorite sauce.
Notes
- Don’t Overmix: When combining the ingredients, mix just until everything is incorporated. Overmixing can make the meatballs dense and tough, so keep it gentle for a tender result.
- Use a Light Touch When Rolling: Roll the meatballs with a light hand to avoid compacting the mixture too much. This will help keep them airy and prevent them from becoming too firm.
- Chill the Mixture: If you have a few extra minutes, chill the meatball mixture in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before rolling. This makes the mixture easier to handle and helps the meatballs hold their shape better while baking.
- Check for Doneness: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165°F. This guarantees they’re fully cooked and safe to eat without drying them out.
- Experiment with Seasonings: Don’t be afraid to tweak the seasonings to suit your taste. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat, or mix in some dried Italian herbs for extra flavor.
Nutrition
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed.