Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs are tender and juicy, made with a handful of ingredients like lean ground turkey, gluten free breadcrumbs, and seasoning, ready in 30 minutes!
These meatballs are a quick dinner to make, made with lean ground turkey and seasoning, and one of my favorite air fryer recipes! You can make these ahead of time, and even freeze them for later. This is a simple recipe that’s perfect for meal prep, or a quick weeknight dinner. Serve these over gluten free pasta and your favorite sauce, rice, or make meatball subs for lunch. Homemade meatballs are easy to make and have a ton of different ways to serve them, and you end up with tender meatballs every time!
If you love this recipe, check out my other meatballs recipes: Baked Turkey Meatballs, or my family’s favorite Meatballs and Gravy! I also like these meatballs with homemade Marinara Sauce.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
EASY to make! These homemade turkey meatballs are really simple to make! Just mix all of the ingredients together, roll into balls, then let the air fryer do the rest.
Gluten Free. We’re using gluten free ingredients so you can be confident this air fryer meatball recipe is 100% gluten free! Just make sure you buy a gluten free brand of Worcestershire sauce, and gluten free breadcrumbs.
Perfect texture. Don’t worry about using a leaner meat like ground turkey, because these amazing turkey meatballs are tender and juicy! Just watch your time and don’t over-mix the meat to avoid rubbery meatballs.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ground Turkey. I like to use 85% lean ground turkey, which will be lean but still juicy when it’s cooked.
Plain Gluten Free Breadcrumbs. This helps hold everything together.
Plain breadcrumbs give you more control over the seasoning of the dish. Gluten free panko breadcrumbs would also work.
Egg. Eggs help bind everything together to keep your meatballs from falling apart.
Worcestershire Sauce. This ingredient adds a really nice depth of flavor! Make sure the one you choose is gluten free, because this can vary by brand.
Parsley. I like to add some fresh parsley for flavor, but you can also use dried parsley. 1 teaspoon dried parsley = 1 tablespoon fresh parsley in a recipe.
Spices. I’m keeping it really simple with some basic spices that will give you a really delicious flavor, like garlic powder, dried mustard, dried oregano, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
You can also mince garlic cloves instead of using garlic powder for more flavor.
Kitchen Tools
For this recipe, you’ll need an air fryer and a large mixing bowl.
How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Time needed: 25 minutes
- Mix the ingredients together.
Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl, and using your hands mix together until everything is combined (but not over-worked).
- Form the meatballs.
Roll the ground turkey mixture into balls, about 1 1/2-inches each, placing them on a plate or baking sheet as you make them. Using a medium-sized cookie scoop can help make sure the uncooked meatballs are all the same size.
- Add to the air fryer.
Once all of the meatballs are formed, lightly coat the air fryer basket in non-stick cooking spray and place the meatballs in, leaving some space between each one.
- Air fry for 15 minutes.
Air fry meatballs for 15 minutes, flipping the meatballs over halfway through. They are finished when they are golden brown and reach 165°F in the middle using a meat thermometer.
Recipe Variations
- Make these spicy by adding red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, or chili powder to the meatball mixture.
- Try making these with a few teaspoons of my Homemade Italian Seasoning blend instead of the regular spices for something closer to Italian meatballs. Or add some extra flavor with curry power, taco seasoning, or ranch seasoning.
- You can also make this with other types of ground meat, like ground chicken for chicken meatballs, lean ground beef for beef meatballs, or ground pork. Chicken or turkey would be the lean protein option in most cases.
- Add a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese to the meat mixture for more savory cheesy notes.
- Add some veggies by mincing 1/2 a sweet onion in the food processor to add to the meatball mixture.
Recipe Tip! Don’t over-mix the meat mixture, just gently combine everything with your hands. Over-mixing is one of the reasons you’d get chewy meatballs.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make these meatballs without bread crumbs by substituting for equal amounts of rolled oats. If you’re on a gluten free diet, make sure you’re using certified gluten free oats. This should absorb about the same amount of water as the breadcrumbs would have, and help hold everything together.
Recipe Tip! Use a medium cookie scoop to help measure the meat before rolling it into a ball. This will help keep all of your meatballs about the same size, so they’ll all finish cooking at the same time!
More Ground Turkey Recipes
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
- Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
- Crockpot Sloppy Joe’s
- Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
Storage
Refrigerate air fryer meatballs in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Freeze leftover meatballs in a freezer-safe bag for 2-3 months.
Freeze on a prepared baking sheet first, then place them into the freezer-safe bag after they’re frozen. This will keep them from sticking together.
Cooking Tips
- To keep the ground turkey from sticking to your hands, keep a small cup of water next to your mixing bowl. You can wet your hands as-needed to help keep it from sticking.
- It’s totally fine to prep these the day before and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Place them on a sheet pan, and cover with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
- The cooking time might be more or less depending on the size of your meatballs. Larger meatballs can take extra time.
- Try using an air fryer liner to help with cleanup after.
- Use a medium sized ice cream scoop to measure the meatballs and make them all the same size.
- Make a double batch and freeze them for quick lunches later! Just reheat in the air fryer.
If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!
Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs, plain
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce , gluten free
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl, and using your hands mix together until everything is combined (but not over-worked).
- Roll the ground turkey mixture into balls, about 1 1/2-inches each, placing them on a plate or baking sheet as you make them.
- Once all of the meatballs are formed, lightly coat the air fryer basket in non-stick cooking spray and place the meatballs in, leaving some space between each one.
- Air fry meatballs for 15 minutes, flipping the meatballs over halfway through. They are finished when they are golden brown and reach 165°F in the middle using a meat thermometer.
Notes
- To keep the ground turkey from sticking to your hands, keep a small cup of water next to your mixing bowl. You can wet your hands as-needed to help keep it from sticking.
- Don’t over-mix the meat mixture, just gently combine everything with your hands.
- It’s totally fine to prep these the day before and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Place them on a sheet pan, and cover with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
- The cooking time might be more or less depending on the size of your meatballs. Larger meatballs can take extra time.
- Use a medium sized ice cream scoop to measure the meatballs and make them all the same size.
Nutrition
We are a participant in both the RewardStyle and Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which are affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and through RewardStyle.
