Turkey Meatballs

Shannon Cairns

December 31, 2022

Recipes

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Turkey Meatballs are packed with flavor, healthy and incredibly moist on the inside. The combination of flavors will have the entire family wanting more!

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Whether you need a quick weeknight dinner or wanting to meal prep, these ground turkey meatballs are a family favorite. What I love about these meatballs is they are a healthier alternative to ground beef and often times the family doesn’t realize they aren’t made with ground beef.

Related: Turkey Meatball Sub Recipe

How long do you cook turkey meatballs?

It depends on how you want to prepare them. You can cook in a skillet oven the stove, bake in the oven and even air fry them!

Stovetop method

In a skillet you’ll want to add olive oil so that the meatballs crisp nicely. Cook over a medium high heat for about 8-10 minutes, ensuring that you flip often so that the meatball doesn’t burn. Since this recipe has mozzarella cheese the meatball will tend to burn easier.

Oven method

If you prefer to bake the meatballs, place on a baking sheet and bake at 400Β° for 15-20 minutes.

Turkey should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165Β°.

Air Fryer method

If the air fryer is preferred, place the meatballs in a greased air fryer basket and air fry at 400Β° for 5 minutes. Once the 5 minutes are up, flip over and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Whichever method you prefer you’re looking for an internal temperature of 165Β°.

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Can I freeze meatballs?

Yes! Meatballs are a great staple to have on hand. Whether you want to double or triple this recipe, make the meatballs and form them. Place on a baking sheet in the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour to harden. Once the meatballs have hardened you can place in a freezer ziploc bag or air tight container.

When you’re ready to cook thaw the meatballs and do as directed in the recipe card below.

Ingredients for Turkey Meatballs

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  • ground turkey
  • garlic
  • red pepper flakes
  • red onion
  • mozzarella
  • eggs
  • basil
  • salt and pepper

How to Make Turkey Meatballs

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In a large bowl, add all of the meatball ingredients: turkey, garlic, red pepper flakes, onion, cheese, eggs, basil, salt and pepper. Next, using your hands mix until just combined.

Shape the mixture into a round shape and divide evenly. You can get 10-12 1 1/2″ meatballs or more for smaller sized meatballs. The choice is yours!

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Add olive oil to a large skillet over high heat. Add the meatballs and carefully sear on all sides, turning gently with tongs to help hold their shape.

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Allow to cook for 10-15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through, turning to cook on all sides. They should register 165Β° with an instant read thermometer.

Serve over your favorite marinara sauce as an appetizer or spaghetti noodles, ravioli or zucchini noodles for dinner!

Yield: 10

Turkey Meatballs

Turkey Meatballs

Turkey Meatballs are packed with flavor, healthy and incredibly moist on the inside. The combination of flavors will have the entire family wanting more!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 c mozzarella, shredded
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • 1/8 c basil, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

In a large bowl, add all of the meatball ingredients: turkey, garlic, red pepper flakes, onion, cheese, eggs, basil, salt and pepper. Next, using your hands mix until just combined.

Shape the mixture into a round shape and divide evenly. You can get 10-12 1 1/2" meatballs or more for smaller sized meatballs. The choice is yours!

Add olive oil to a large skillet over high heat. Add the meatballs and carefully sear on all sides, turning gently with tongs to help hold their shape.

Allow to cook for 10-15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through, turning to cook on all sides. They should register 165° with an instant read thermometer.

Serve over your favorite marinara sauce as an appetizer or spaghetti noodles, ravioli or zucchini noodles for dinner!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 133Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 293mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 13g

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hi! I'm shannon

I’m a wife, mom of three, doctor, and blogger! In 2018, I decided to turn my mom blog, into a personal finance blog so others could follow along on our journey to pay off over HALF a MILLION dollars in student loan and practice start up debt. I hope you enjoy following along, and maybe even find some inspiration along the way.