Baked Turkey Meatballs
Baked Turkey Meatballs made with simple ingredients like lean ground turkey, parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley, ready in less than 45 minutes!
Baked Turkey Meatballs are one of my family’s favorite weeknight meals! They’re really easy to make and a lighter version of classic meatballs. These are great for meal prep because they freeze really well, and you can make a really big batch at one time!
This is, in my opinion, the perfect meatball recipe. These tender meatballs are packed with flavor, and lower in calories than traditional beef meatballs. Once they’re done cooking, you can simmer them for a few minutes in your favorite sauce and serve over gluten free pasta.
If you love these baked meatballs, you might also like one of my favorite meatball recipes Meatballs and Gravy! Or try my Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy to Make! These are really quick and easy to make, and using a cookie scoop makes it even faster! Plus you don’t have to stand over a skillet on the stovetop, because all you need is a rimmed baking sheet for this recipe.
Perfect for Meal Prep: We like to make these turkey meatballs for weekday lunches because you can use them in a lot of different lunch options for a quick meal. Try turkey meatball sandwiches, rice bowls, in marinara sauce, or over a baked potato.
Gluten Free: These juicy meatballs are homemade so you can be 100% sure that they’re gluten free!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ground Turkey. I like to use lean ground turkey, because it won’t have as much grease that releases when it’s cooking.
Breadcrumbs. This helps hold the meatballs together. I use plain gluten free breadcrumbs, so I can add my seasoning separately. Gluten free panko breadcrumbs would also work.
If you’re not gluten free, you can use the regular Italian breadcrumbs.
Eggs. This acts as a binder, which holds the meatballs together.
Parmesan. I like to add this to give a nice savory/salty flavor to the meatballs.
Parsley. Fresh parsley will give you the best flavor, but you can also substitute with dried parsley. 1 teaspoon dried parsley = 1 tablespoon fresh parsley in a recipe.
Worcestershire Sauce. This adds a really nice deep savory note in the meatballs. This type of ingredient can vary by brand if it’s gluten free or not, so make sure you check it out before using it.
Spices. I like to add spices that I already have in my pantry, like dried oregano, dried mustard (you can substitute a teaspoon of dijon mustard instead), onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and of course kosher salt and black pepper.
You can also use minced fresh garlic for more flavor.
Or substitute a few teaspoons of my Italian Seasoning or Homemade Ranch Seasoning instead.
Kitchen Tools
For this recipe, you’ll need a baking sheet, a mixing bowl, and a medium-sized cookie scoop.
How to Make Baked Turkey Meatballs
Time needed: 45 minutes
- Mix the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (or spray with non-stick cooking spray) and set aside. Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl, and using your hands mix together until everything is combined (but not over-worked).
- Form the balls.
Roll the mixture into balls, about 1 1/2-inches each, placing them on the baking sheet as you make them. Leave at least an inch of space between each one. Using a medium-sized cookie scoop can help make sure the raw meatballs are all the same size.
- Bake until golden brown.
Once all of the meatballs are formed, bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and reach 165°F in the middle using a meat thermometer.
Recipe Variations
- Add a small amount of red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce to the meat mixture to make these ground turkey meatballs spicy.
- If you’re dairy free, just leave the parmesan out completely.
- I like to break the spices out instead of using seasoned bread crumbs, but it’ll be fine if you use the seasoned kind, too.
- You can also swap out the ground turkey for ground beef, ground chicken, or ground pork in the meatball mixture.
- For even more flavor, add a small minced yellow onion, white onion, or shallot. The easiest way is to “chop” it in the food processor, then add right to the turkey mixture.
Recipe Tip! Use a medium-sized cookie dough 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!
Frequently Asked Questions
If your meatballs are falling apart, the first thing to do is make sure you measured the ingredients correctly. The eggs and breadcrumbs help hold everything together, but will make everything fall apart if there’s too much added.
If your meatballs turned out tough, make sure they’re not cooking for too long or at too high of a temperature. Use an oven thermometer to check that the temperature of the oven matches the temperature you’re setting it for.
Also, make sure not to over-mix the ingredients together in the beginning. You can also use a less lean ground turkey, which will help keep the meatballs moist.
Recipe Tip! If the meat mixture is sticking to your hands, keep a small cup of water next to your mixing bowl and wet hands as-needed to help keep it from sticking.
More Ground Turkey Dinner Recipes
Storage
Refrigerate leftover cooked meatballs in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Freeze leftover baked turkey meatballs in a freezer-safe container (or freezer-safe bag) for 2-3 months.
Freeze on a prepared baking sheet first, then place them into the container after they’re frozen. This will keep them from sticking together. Frozen meatballs can be defrosted in the refrigerator the night before.
Cooking Tips
- When combining everything into the meatball mixture, mix gently so it doesn’t get over-mixed. Over-mixing will make the meatballs more tough.
- I like to use 93% lean turkey for these baked turkey meatballs, but that’s a personal preference. You can also use 85% lean ground turkey.
- If you have a busy weeknight coming up, you can prep these the day before! Store in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap until you’re ready to cook the next day.
- Your cooking time can vary depending on the size of your meatballs. Large meatballs will take longer to cook than smaller sized meatballs.
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!
Baked Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup gluten free bread crumbs, plain
- 1/3 cup parmesan, grated
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, gluten free
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 medium cookie scoop
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl, using your hands to mix everything together until just combined (but not over-worked).
- Roll the mixture into balls, about 1 1/2-inches each, placing them on the baking sheet as you make them. Leave some space between each one.
- Once all of the meatballs are formed, bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F using a meat thermometer.
Notes
- When combining everything into the meatball mixture, mix gently so it doesn’t get over-mixed. Over-mixing will make the meatballs more tough.
- I like to use 93% lean ground turkey, but that’s a personal preference. You can also use 85% lean ground turkey.
- If you have a busy weeknight coming up, you can prep these the day before! Store in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap until you’re ready to cook the next day.
- Your cooking time can vary depending on the size of your meatballs. Large meatballs will take longer to cook than smaller sized meatballs.
- If the meat mixture is sticking to your hands, keep a small cup of water next to your mixing bowl and wet hands as-needed to help keep it from sticking.
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.
I will definitely be making a double batch of these to have some on hand in the freezer! It’s such a lifesaver to have those back-ups on crazy days. Or lazy days… 🙂 Know the whole family will love these meatballs!
These look pretty easy to make and delicious! Thanks for the recipe – I’m going to give them a try! Love that they are made with turkey.
These look SO good. Pinning this recipe 🙂
They look delicious
These look awesome! And so does the marinara sauce! I will be trying them together!! 🙂
Lovely recipe! thank you for sharing!
This recipe sounds sooo good! Meatballs are one of my favourites, so I’m always looking for new recipes to try out! Will be making these ASAP!
Love this recipe! Great call about making it in batches and freezing some for a later time. There’s nothing better than coming home after an exhausting day and NOT having to cook a meal, and this recipe lends itself for those very situations. I’ll be pinning and saving for next week’s menu (making some batches to freeze, of course). Thank you for sharing, Jacqui!