Best Baked Turkey Meatballs (+ 7 Flavors)

The BEST baked turkey meatballs are juicy and delicious, made with simple everyday ingredients! Bake up classic meatballs, or jazz them up with one of 7 different flavor options. Healthy, freezer-friendly and absolutely delicious!

Ground turkey is so versatile, don't you think? From hoisin turkey meatloaf to ground turkey lettuce wraps, baked turkey meatballs and more, ground turkey is a staple in our freezer and is perfect to lighten up your favorite comfort food.

Simple ingredients for great flavor

These classic baked turkey meatballs are made with simple ingredients that allow the natural flavors of the turkey to shine. With ground turkey, egg to bind, breadcrumbs for structure, worcestershire sauce for umami and to enhance the turkey flavor, and salt to bring all the flavors together, these meatballs are easy to prepare and are loved by all.

Seek out the dark meat

When it comes to making meatballs, a higher fat content will always mean juicier meatballs, and ground turkey is no exception. Ground turkey most often comes labelled simply as 'ground turkey', which includes a mix of dark and white meat. This works perfectly well in baked turkey meatballs. Avoid packages labelled as 'ground turkey breast', which is the leanest cut and is prone to drying out. If you find 'ground thigh', you have hit the jackpot!

How to make baked turkey meatballs

To make these meatballs, we will mix together our ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. The best way to ensure the ingredients get mixed evenly, but the meat is not over-mixed (which can lead to dense meatballs), is to get in there with your hands.

Once everything is mixed together, you are ready to roll. I recommend using a cookie scoop to get equal-sized meatballs that cook through evenly.

Arrange meatballs on a baking sheet, then bake up for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through. A great way to check if they are cooked through is to use a digital thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 165°F.

Meatball video

Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped four of these meatball recipes. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.

Make ahead and freeze

You can freeze these meatballs before or after cooking, but I recommend freezing before cooking.

Why before?  Because when you thaw them and bake them up, they taste no different than if you had baked them fresh.

I find when re-heating pre-cooked meatballs, you do tend to lose a bit of moisture, however they are still plenty tasty.

To freeze raw meatballs:

1. Roll the meatballs into 1.5 tablespoon balls and space out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You don't need to space them out, just make sure they're not touching each other.
2. Freeze for 1-2 hours. This will depend on how many meatballs are on your tray. They should be frozen enough that they won't lose their shape when you toss them in a freezer bag. You can freeze them overnight if you'd like.
3. Portion out into large freezer bags or reusable silicone bags. Make sure to label your bags with the flavor, date, and re-heating instructions (see below).
4. To re-heat: thaw completely in the fridge. Bake for 20 minutes at 375°F.

To freeze baked meatballs:

1. Roll into 1.5 tablespoon balls.
2. Bake for 20 minutes at 375°F on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow to cool completely.
3. Portion out into large freezer bags or reusable silicone bags. Make sure to label your bags with the flavor, date, and re-heating instructions (see below)
4. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake in a covered baking dish for 15 minutes, or until heated through.

Tips for perfect meatballs

• Swap the ground turkey for ground beef or ground pork. Ground chicken tends to be quite lean and would be best mixed with something of higher fat content.
• Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to get even-sized meatballs. This ensures the meatballs will cook through evenly.
• Mix the meatballs by hand to prevent over-mixing the meat. Over-mixed meatballs can end up dense and dry.
• Skip the breadcrumbs for a lower carb option, but be prepared for softer meatballs that are more difficult to roll.

7 meatball flavors

The classic turkey meatballs are delicious as written, but you can get creative and add all sorts of flavor add-ins to change up the flavors:

1. Thai curry- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste, 1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoons fish sauce
2. Taco- 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning
3. Italian- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ¼ cup shredded parmesan
4. Greek- 1 clove garlic minced, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, ½ cup feta cheese, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
5. Hoisin Ginger- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated
6. Maple Chipotle- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, optional: ½ chipotle pepper for extra spice
7. Lemongrass & Ginger- 1 stalk lemongrass outer leaves removed, cut into small chunks, 1 shallot or half a small onion cut into chunks, 1 inch peice of ginger sliced, 1 tablespoon oil (processed in food processor then sautéed for 5 minutes)

Serve your meatballs with

• 7 Easy Rice Recipes
• 7 Cauliflower Rice Recipes
• Sauteed Green Beans
• Zucchini Noodles
• Spaghetti Squash

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

Best Baked Turkey Meatballs (+ 7 Flavors!)

4.63 from 24 votes

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

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The BEST baked turkey meatballs are juicy and delicious, made with simple everyday ingredients! Bake up classic turkey meatballs, or jazz them up with one of 7 different flavor options. Healthy, freezer-friendly and absolutely delicious!

20 meatballs

Ingredients

base recipe

• ▢ 1 lb ground turkey (450 g; avoid 'ground turkey breast')
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ ½ cup breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt

Thai Curry Turkey Meatballs

• ▢ 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoons fish sauce

Taco Turkey Meatballs

• ▢ 2 tablespoons taco seasoning

Italian Turkey Meatballs

• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ ¼ cup shredded parmesan

Greek Turkey Meatballs

• ▢ 1 clove garlic minced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• ▢ ½ cup feta cheese
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Hoisin Ginger Turkey Meatballs

• ▢ 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• ▢ 2 tbsp fresh ginger grated

Maple Chipotle Turkey Meatballs

• ▢ 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ▢ 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
• ▢ optional: ½ chipotle pepper for extra spice

Lemongrass Ginger Turkey Meatballs

• ▢ 1 stalk lemongrass outer leaves removed, cut into small chunks
• ▢ 1 shallot or half a small onion cut into chunks
• ▢ 1 inch peice of ginger sliced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon oil
• ▢ 2 teaspoons soy sauce

Instructions 

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Combine the ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, worcestershire sauce and salt in a bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together evenly. Do not over-mix.
• Use a scoop to roll into 1.5 tablespoon balls, and place on the baking sheet 1 inch apart.
• Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Use a digital thermometer to check if they have reached 165°F.

Lemongrass Ginger Meatballs

• Place the lemongrass, shallot, ginger and oil in a small food processor and puree until smooth.
• Add to a small pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes, until lightly golden and cooked through.
• Transfer to a medium bowl containing all the remaining ingredients.
• Roll into 1.5 tablespoon balls and freeze or bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.

To freeze before baking

• Arrange meatballs on a baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours, before transferring to a meal prep container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thaw completely before baking as directed above.

To freeze after baking

• Cool completely, then freeze in a meal prep container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
• Thaw completely before warming in a covered baking dish at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through.

Tips:

Storage

Meatballs may be rolled and stored in the fridge for several hours before baking them up. 

Meatballs may be baked ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

To reheat

Place in a covered baking dish and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.

Tips

• Swap the ground turkey for ground beef or ground pork. Ground chicken tends to be quite lean and would be best mixed with something of higher fat content.
• Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to get even-sized meatballs. This ensures the turkey meatballs will cook through evenly.
• Mix the meatballs by hand to prevent over-mixing the meat. Over-mixed meatballs can end up dense and dry.
• Skip the breadcrumbs for a lower carb option, but be prepared for softer meatballs that are more difficult to roll.

 

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 3meatballs (base recipe), Calories: 157kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 110mg, Sodium: 359mg, Fiber: 1g

Author: Denise Bustard

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

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