These Healthy Turkey Meatballs are juicy and browned to perfection. Our recipe requires minimal prep and cleanup, and tastes delicious in weeknight dinners like Italian Wedding Soup, spaghetti with meatballs, meatball sandwiches, and more.
These healthy turkey meatballs are lean and full of garlicky, herby, cheesy flavor. Aside from the ground turkey, the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples you likely already have in your kitchen. Plus, it takes just a few minutes to prep and roll into meatballs, then 10 minutes to pan fry or 20 minutes to bake them.
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About Healthy Turkey Meatballs
- Taste – The turkey is lean and light but the herbs provide robust flavor.
- Texture – The outside is firm and lightly crispy and the inside is perfectly tender.
- Effort – All you need to do is mix the ingredients, form the meatballs, then cook them over the stove or bake them in the oven.
- Time – It takes about 10 minutes to make the meatballs then 10 minutes to cook them on the stove or 25 minutes to bake them.
Ingredients
- Lean ground turkey - Ground turkey is a lean protein with delicious flavor.
- Egg - Egg binds the meat so the meat doesn't fall apart. They are a source for moisture and you only need one egg for 1-2 pounds of ground meat.
- Panko - Panko gives the meatballs texture and weight. Panko breadcrumbs are airy and light but can be substituted with regular or Italian breadcrumbs.
- Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano - Cheese adds flavor and salt! Parmigiano-Reggiano is a deliciously funky cheese that gives the meatballs Italian flavor.
- Garlic and Parsley - Meatballs need seasoning. Garlic and parsley brighten the meatballs with fresh herby flavors. Fresh garlic and parsley can be substituted for garlic powder and dried parsley or other herbs, like sweet basil, rosemary, and more.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken Meatballs - Use ground chicken instead of turkey if you prefer the flavor.
- Gluten free – If you want to make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free panko instead of regular panko.
- Herbs – We use fresh garlic and parsley, but you can substitute these for garlic powder and dried parsley or other herbs like sweet basil, rosemary, and oregano.
- Dairy free – Omit the parmesan cheese to make this recipe dairy free.
- Beef - You can also make this recipe with lean ground beef (93% ground) if you prefer the taste to turkey and still want healthy meatballs.
- Italian seasoned breadcrumbs - In order to make these meatballs more more flavorful, use Italian season breadcrumbs instead of panko.
- Spicy - Add red pepper flakes to make the meatballs spicy.
- Spinach – Add spinach to the meatballs for a nutritious and flavorful addition.
Instructions
Oven Baked Turkey Meatballs
- Preheat the oven - Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine ingredients - Combine ground turkey, egg, garlic cloves, panko, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Gently toss with your hands and break up the meat until evenly mixed. (Photo 1 and 2)
- Form meatballs - Use your hands to roll and shape 1-inch meatballs. This turkey mix yield about 24 meatballs. (Photo 3 and 4)
- Prepare baking sheet and cook - Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil, place raw meatballs on the baking sheet, and cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes. (Photo 5 and 6)
Pan Fried Stovetop Turkey Meatballs
- Mix ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, egg, 2 minced garlic cloves, panko, cheese, parsley, kosher salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Form meatballs - Gently toss with your hands and break up the meat until evenly mixed. Then use your hands to roll and shape 1-inch meatballs.
- Heat oil and cook meatballs - In a large thick-bottomed pot, skillet, or dutch oven, add oil and warm on medium heat. Add the meatballs to the pot, leaving some space between them. Cook the meatballs on one side until browned, about 3-5 minutes, then use a spoon to gently flip over. The meatballs are done on one side when they detach from the pot easily. Allow the meatballs to cook on the other side for an additional 3-5 minutes until browned.
Pro-tip: Do not over-mix meatballs - Use your hands to mix the meat and form the meatballs. Your hands offer a gentler touch than a spoon or fork, which can crush the meat and make it tough. Additionally, only combine the meat and ingredients until just mixed.
What to Serve with Turkey Meatballs
These Italian baked or pan fried meatballs taste delicious in so many dishes! Italian meatballs can be incorporated in:
- Spaghetti with meatballs - Spaghetti with turkey meatballs is a leaner alternative to traditional beef, veal, or pork meatballs. Place the meatballs on top of a nest of al dente spaghetti and top with a spoonful of marinara sauce and grated parmesan cheese.
- Meatball sub - Turkey meatball subs are a delicious twist on an Italian hoagie. They are a delicious lunch or weeknight dinner and go well with a bright and refreshing caprese or prosciutto and rocket salad.
- Italian Wedding Soup - Italian Wedding Soup with Turkey Meatballs is a healthy, hearty soup made with tender garlicky turkey meatballs, farro, white beans, and baby kale. A cozy bowl of this lean and nutritious soup will warm you right up.
- Meatball dinner - Enjoy these meatballs as a main course with delicious sides like Miso Mashed Potatoes, and Oven Baked Asparagus or Bacon Brussel Sprouts.
Storage
Store these easy baked meatballs in an air-tight container or freezer bag (make sure to push air out of it) in the fridge for up to 3 days. After 3 days, you need to freeze the meatballs and they can be frozen for up to 4 months. In order to reheat the meatballs, heat the oven to 300°F, then reheat meatballs for 10 minutes or until heated through. If frozen, let the meatballs thaw first before reheating them.
Recipe FAQs
There are pros and cons to both frying and baking meatballs. Frying meatballs provides a delicious crust but requires more cleanup and potential oil splatter. In contrast, oven baked meatballs require less cleanup, no oil, and is a healthier method than frying.
As long as you use egg and panko, you shouldn't have any issues with the meatballs falling apart. The cookie scooper also helps to press and keep the meat together.
The meatballs are okay to eat once their internal temperature reaches 165°F. Additionally, the center of the meatball will be fully cooked and not pink when cut in half.
Top Tips
- To make moist and tender turkey meatballs, use a half cup of breadcrumbs and one egg for every one pound of ground meat. This ratio allows the turkey to bind and retain moisture without tasting dry.
- The size of your meatballs will depend on how you want to serve them. For soups, we make the meatballs bite size, about 1 inch. But for Spaghetti or when meatballs are the main course, we make them 1.5 inches.
- Sear the meatballs before you add them to a soup or sauce. This ensures the meatballs will have a crispy outside texture and juicy inside.
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Turkey Meatballs (Baked or Pan-Fried)
Equipment
- 1 knife
- 1 cookie dough scooper optional
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko
- ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil if cooking on stovetop
Instructions
Baked Turkey Meatballs
- Heat the oven - Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Mix ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, egg, 2 minced garlic cloves, panko, cheese, parsley, kosher salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.1 lb ground turkey, 1 egg, ½ cup panko, ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- Form meatballs - Gently toss with your hands and break up the meat until evenly mixed. Then use your hands to roll and shape 1-inch meatballs.
- Prepare baking sheet and cook - Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil, place raw meatballs on the baking sheet, and cook in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove the meatballs and set aside.
Pan-Fried Stovetop Turkey Meatballs
- Mix ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, egg, 2 minced garlic cloves, panko, cheese, parsley, kosher salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Form meatballs - Gently toss with your hands and break up the meat until evenly mixed. Then use your hands to roll and shape 1-inch meatballs.
- Heat oil and cook meatballs - In a large thick-bottomed pot, skillet, or dutch oven, add oil and warm on medium heat. Add the meatballs to the pot, leaving some space between them. Cook the meatballs on one side until browned, about 3-5 minutes, then use a spoon to gently flip over. The meatballs are done on one side when they detach from the pot easily. Allow the meatballs to cook on the other side for an additional 3-5 minutes until browned.1 tablespoon olive oil
Video
Notes
- To make moist and tender turkey meatballs, use a half cup of breadcrumbs and one egg for every one pound of ground meat. This ratio allows the turkey to bind and retain moisture without drying out.
- Don't over-mix meatballs - Use your hands to mix the ground meat and form the meatballs. If you use a spoon or fork, it can crush the meat and make it tough. Additionally, only combine the meat and ingredients until just mixed.
- The size of your meatballs will depend on how you serve them. For soups, we make the meatballs bite size, about 1 inch. But for Spaghetti or when meatballs are the main course, we make them 1.5 inches.
- Sear the meatballs before you add them to a soup or sauce. This ensures the meatballs will have a crispy outside texture and juicy inside.
- Refrigerate meatballs in an  air-tight container or freezer bag (make sure to push air out of it) for up to 3 days. After 3 days, you need to freeze the meatballs and they can be frozen for up to 4 months. In order to reheat the meatballs, reheat them at 300°F for 10 minutes or until heated through. If frozen, let the meatballs thaw first before reheating them.
Nikki
If I’m making the 3x portion and put them all in the oven at the same time, do I need to cook longer or at higher temp?
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Nikki, great question! It depends on the size of your oven. I recommend keeping the temperature the same so the meat doesn't dry out, then testing one of the meatballs at around 20 minutes to see how they're doing. You may need to cook the meatballs longer, closer to 30 minutes. Let us know how it goes!