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Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Turkey

Easy Turkey Meatballs

Nov 3, 2023 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links which earn us commissions if purchases are made · 5 Comments

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Turkey meatballs with a text title overlay.

A leaner alternative to traditional meatballs, these Easy Turkey Meatballs are juicy and tender. Smothered in marinara and put on top of spaghetti, it is delicious comfort food with a lighter twist. These meatballs are packed with flavour, but so simple to make.

A bowl of spaghetti and meatballs in a tomato sauce next to a blue and white towel.

Using turkey mince makes these Easy Turkey Meatballs learner than more traditional meatballs that would use beef. You still get all the flavour and if you follow our tips, you will still get juicy meatballs.

No dry turkey here! This is simple comfort food that the whole family will love.

If you are looking for some other meatball recipes to try, then why not try our Sticky Chicken Meatballs, Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Slow Cooker Meatballs, Air Fryer Meatballs or our Ricotta and Chicken Meatballs.

Jump to:
  • Why You Will Love Them
  • Ingredients and Substitutions
  • Step by Step Instructions
  • Oven Baked Meatballs
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Extra Tips
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Turkey Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Feedback

Why You Will Love Them

  • Easy - This is so simple! After the shallots and garlic have been softened, you just mix everything together, roll into balls and then fry them. Leaving you to get on with whatever you are serving the meatballs with. We have lots of suggestions for that below.
  • Filling - These turkey meatballs are protein packed and really filling. We would happily eat a bowl of these by themselves, but put them with some sides and they are a hearty and filling meal.
  • Family friendly - Spaghetti and meatballs always goes down well in our house and these turkey meatballs are no exception. You can adjust the flavours to suit what your family likes, and it's an easy recipe for kids to help make, as they will love rolling the meatballs.
  • Can be prepared in advance - You can prepare the meatballs in advance and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.

Ingredients and Substitutions

All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.

A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

  • Oil - We softened the shallots and garlic in olive oil. However, you could use sunflower or vegetable oil too.
  • Shallots - These add some extra texture to the meatballs. We like shallots, as they have a slightly sweet flavour, but you could swap it for a small brown onion.
  • Garlic - Freshly crushed is best, however you could save some time by using frozen of crushed in a jar. Make sure the garlic is very finely crushed, almost like a paste. This will ensure even distribution of the garlic in the meatballs.
  • Turkey mince - We used 2% fat turkey breast mince to keep it really lean. However, you could use 7% fat turkey mince, which would add more flavour.
  • Egg - This is used to help bind the meatballs. You could swap it for milk, which would also bind the meatballs and make them more tender.
  • Breadcrumbs - These are important because they absorb the moisture from the meat and trap it inside and prevent the meatballs from getting dry.
  • Parmesan - We love adding cheese to meatballs. Parmesan adds a slight nutty texture and flavour.
  • Sun-dried tomato paste - This is an easy way to give a huge flavour boost to meatballs, and it adds extra moisture too.
  • Herbs - We used dried oregano and thyme for those delicious Italian flavours. You could use your favourite Italian herb blend though.
  • Salt and pepper - Season to taste.

More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.

Step by Step Instructions

One: Heat the oil in a pan and add the shallots and garlic. Cook over a low heat until softened, about 4 minutes.
Two: Put in a bowl with the other ingredients (except the oil) and mix well.
Three: Using your hands, form into 12 meatballs.
Four: Heat the remaining oil in a pan and cook the meatballs for 5-7 minutes, until cooked through.

A plate of cooked meatballs with chopped herbs sprinkled over them.

Oven Baked Meatballs

If you want to make these even lighter, then you can bake them in the oven too. You could brown them in the frying pan first, to get some crispy edges, and then finish them off in the oven. They would need around 15 minutes in the oven at 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.

If you are going to cook them in the oven, then we would recommend brushing them with some olive oil first, as this helps them to go brown.

Twelve uncooked meatballs on a baking tray.

Serving Suggestions

Spaghetti and meatballs are the perfect match. You could make a lower carb version and use courgette noodles, or a mixture of the two, but we wanted classic comfort food so opted for spaghetti.

We mixed the meatballs with our Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce too. Once you have that, you need some garlic bread to go with it. Why not try our Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread recipe. It's so easy to make and great for bulking out the meal if you are serving it to guests.

You could also keep it simple with a big green salad. The key to an epic green salad is to use a variety of greens, like romaine, spinach, kale and rocket.

You want leafy greens, but crunch too. Then you need the perfect dressing. Why not try our Lemon Vinaigrette, Honey and Mustard Dressing or Tomato and Basil Vinaigrette? You could also try our Grilled Little Gem Salad.

If you want to add a big side of vegetables, then we recommend our Garlic Spring Greens, Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli, Garlic Green Beans, Air Fryer Carrots, or Roasted Lemon Asparagus.

If you have leftovers of these turkey meatballs (more details on storage advice below), then we recommend reheating them and serving them in a sandwich with extra cheese. Meatball sandwiches are SO good.

Extra Tips

  • Make sure the shallots are really finely diced, as it will help the meatballs to stay together.
  • Save a bit of time by using frozen onion and garlic.
  • If you want to hide some vegetables in these turkey meatballs, then finely grate some carrot and courgette and mix them in.
  • To ensure that you have equal sized meatballs, use an ice cream scoop, or weigh the balls.
A fork picking up some spaghetti from a plate with meatballs on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you cook turkey meatballs for?

Cooking time will depend on the size of your meatballs. We cooked ours for 6 minutes and they were perfectly cooked.

How can you tell if turkey meatballs are cooked?

The best way to check that turkey is cooked is to use a meat thermometer. The safe internal temperature for cooked turkey is 74°C/165°F. It should be inserted into the thickest part of the meat.

How to store turkey meatballs.

Wait for leftovers to cool completely and then you can transfer them to an air tight container and keep them in the fridge for 2 days.

Can you freeze turkey meatballs?

Yes, this freezes really well. Once cooled, transfer to a freezer container and then they will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze them before cooking them. Put them on a tray and in the freezer - this is called flash freezing. Once they are frozen, you can take them off the tray and put them in a freezer bag. Then, when you want to cook them, just take them out of the bag and defrost and then follow the cooking instructions.

How to reheat turkey meatballs.

Once fully defrosted in the fridge, you can heat it through in a frying pan, or in the microwave. We like to reheat them within a sauce.

Can you cook turkey meatballs in the slow cooker?

Yes, you can easily do this in the slow cooker. Follow our recipe for Slow Cooker Meatballs, but swap the beef for turkey.

Are turkey meatballs gluten free?

As long as you use gluten free breadcrumbs and make sure there is no cross contamination, then these can be gluten free.

More Turkey Recipes

  • Turkey bolognese on top of spaghetti.
    Easy Turkey Bolognese
  • Turkey pie in a baking dish and some on a blue plate.
    Turkey Pie
  • Slices of air fryer turkey on a wooden board with sprigs of rosemary and thyme.
    Air Fryer Turkey
  • Slow cooker turkey crown on a board with slices cut off.
    Slow Cooker Turkey Crown

If you’ve tried this turkey meatball recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe

Easy Turkey Meatballs in sauce on some spaghetti.

Easy Turkey Meatballs

By: Dannii Martin
A leaner alternative to traditional meatballs, these Easy Turkey Meatballs are packed with flavour, but so simple to make.
5 from 9 votes
Pin Print Save recipe Saved!
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: British, Italian
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 7 minutes mins
Total: 17 minutes mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 348kcal
Allergens:
An illustration of a carton of milk.
Dairy
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Eggs
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Gluten
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Meat

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil - for the shallots
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil - for the meatballs
  • 1 Shallots - finely diced
  • 2 Garlic clove - crushed
  • 1 Egg
  • 40 g (0.66 cups) Panko breadcrumbs
  • 500 g (1.1 lb) Turkey mince
  • 1 tablespoon Sun-dried tomato paste
  • 25 g (0.25 cups) Parmesan - grated
  • 1 pinch Sea salt
  • 1 pinch Ground black pepper
  • 0.5 teaspoon Dried oregano
  • 0.5 teaspoon Dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh parsley - chopped

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a pan and add 1 Shallots and 2 Garlic clove. Cook over a low heat until softened, about 4 minutes.
  • Put in a bowl with 1 Egg, 40 g Panko breadcrumbs, 500 g Turkey mince, 1 tablespoon Sun-dried tomato paste, 25 g Parmesan, 0.5 teaspoon Dried oregano, 0.5 teaspoon Dried thyme1 tablespoon Fresh parsley and 1 pinch Sea salt and mix well.
  • Using your hands, form into 12 meatballs.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a pan and cook the meatballs for 5-7 minutes, until cooked through.

Recipe Tips

  • Make sure the shallots are really finely diced, as it will help the meatballs to stay together.
  • Save a bit of time by using frozen onion and garlic.
  • If you want to hide some vegetables in these turkey meatballs, then finely grate some carrot and courgette and mix them in.
  • To ensure that you have equal sized meatballs, use an ice cream scoop, or weigh the balls.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 3meatballs | Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 358mg | Potassium: 344mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.

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Comments

  1. Kristen says

    November 27, 2021 at 1:59 pm

    5 stars
    These meatballs turned out great! So nice to have a lighter option.

    Reply
  2. Michelle says

    November 27, 2021 at 12:09 pm

    5 stars
    This is such a great way to make healthier meatballs. Lots of great flavour in there too!

    Reply
  3. Cathleen says

    November 27, 2021 at 11:13 am

    5 stars
    I LOVE turkey meatballs, and your recipe looks like a definite winner! Bookmarked to make for my next weeknight meal, thank you so much for the recipe :)

    Reply
  4. Mandy Applegate says

    November 27, 2021 at 11:12 am

    5 stars
    These turkey meatballs were perfect!

    Reply
  5. Claudia Lamascolo says

    November 27, 2021 at 10:34 am

    5 stars
    I love the flavors in these the kids will gobble them up quick!

    Reply
5 from 9 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.

Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

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