Turkey Meatballs
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Winner, winner, weeknight dinner! These turkey meatballs are a lighter take on the classic that still delivers big flavor.
Photo by Edalin Photography
This turkey meatball recipe is a lighter take on my classic Italian meatballs made with ground beef, pork, and veal. They’re tender and delicious, with garlic, onions, basil, and Pecorino Romano adding plenty of flavor. Pan-frying them in olive oil not only boosts flavor but also keeps things simple—just one skillet for the meatballs and sauce makes cleanup easy. If you have a good homemade tomato sauce, use it, but for those busy weeknights, a high-quality jarred marinara like Rao’s works perfectly. OK
Note: You’ll get the best flavor if you pan-fry the meatballs, but they can be baked. To bake, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes. Once baked, transfer to a pan with marinara and simmer for about 10 minutes.
“These are the best tasting, easiest turkey meatballs I’ve ever made!”
What You’ll Need To Make Turkey Meatballs
- Egg: Helps hold the meatballs together and adds a bit of moisture to the mix.
- Fresh basil and dried oregano: Bring classic Italian flavor to the meatballs.
- Garlic and Onion: Bring savory depth and a hint of sweetness while keeping the meatballs juicy.
- Water: Helps keep the meatball mixture moist and the cooked meatballs tender.
- Ground turkey: Go with 93% lean (a mix of light and dark meat) for meatballs that are flavorful and moist—extra lean turkey breast tends to turn out dry.
- Italian-style bread crumbs: Serve as a binder and add built-in seasoning. If you’d like to make the meatballs gluten-free, use gluten-free Italian-style bread crumbs (and be sure to check that all other ingredients, like your marinara sauce, are certified gluten-free).
- Pecorino Romano cheese: Adds salty, sharp flavor—Parmigiano Reggiano works great too if that’s what you’ve got.
- Olive oil: Used for browning the meatballs before simmering.
- Good quality marinara sauce: Simmered with the meatballs to infuse flavor and keep them super tender.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the egg with the seasonings. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, basil, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, and water until combined. Whisking the seasonings with the egg first helps them distribute more evenly throughout the meat mixture.
Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients. Add the onion, ground turkey, bread crumbs, and cheese. Mix with your hands until evenly blended. (Mixing by hand keeps the texture tender.)
Step 3: Form the meatballs. Lightly wet your hands and shape the mixture into balls just a bit bigger than golf balls. (Don’t pack the meatballs too tightly—gently forming them keeps the meatballs from getting dense or tough once cooked.) Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, then add the meatballs in a single layer.
Step 4: Sear the meatballs. Brown the meatballs on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes total. (Don’t rush the sear—browning adds flavor and helps the meatballs hold their shape in the sauce.)
Step 5: Simmer in sauce. Pour the marinara sauce over the browned meatballs, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until fully cooked through, about 15 minutes. Meatballs can be made up to 3 days ahead or frozen for longer storage.
Serving Ideas
Meatballs and marinara usually mean pasta—but there are plenty of fun ways to mix it up if you’re not in the mood for noodles:
- Serve the meatballs over polenta for a creamy, comforting twist.
- Go low-carb and serve them over spaghetti squash or mashed cauliflower or alongside roasted broccoli or a big Italian salad.
- Tuck the meatballs into sub rolls and top with some mozzarella or provolone for a classic meatball sub. Or skip the sandwich and serve with crusty bread or garlic bread on the side.
- Top with a dollop of ricotta and serve as an appetizer.
- And if you do want noodles, try your hand at homemade pasta instead of the boxed stuff—it’s easier than you might think.
Video Tutorial
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Turkey Meatballs
These turkey meatballs are a no-fuss dinner everyone loves. Serve them over pasta, creamy polenta, or tucked into a roll with extra sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil (plus more for serving)
- Heaping ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons minced yellow onion, from 1 small onion
- 1⅓ pounds 93% lean ground turkey (see note)
- ⅔ cup dried Italian style bread crumbs (such as Progresso)
- ⅓ cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese (plus more for serving)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
- Large jar (24 oz) good quality Marinara sauce (such as Rao's)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, basil, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, and water. Add the onion, turkey, bread crumbs, and cheese, and mix with your hands until the mixture is uniform.
- Lightly wet your hands with water and form the mixture into balls just slightly larger than golf balls (keep wetting your hands as you go to prevent the meatball mixture from sticking to your hands).
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes total. Pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and cheese, if desired, and serve.
- Note: For best results, I recommend using 93% lean ground turkey, which is a combination of light and dark meat, rather than 99% lean ground turkey breast, which is all white meat.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: To make the turkey meatballs ahead of time, you can prepare and cook them as instructed, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you'd like to freeze them, the meatballs can be frozen in their sauce for up to 3 months. To freeze, let them cool completely, then transfer them (along with the sauce) to a freezer-safe container or bag. When you're ready to serve, defrost the meatballs overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat them on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are hot in the center.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Serving size: 3 meatballs
- Calories: 347
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Sodium: 779 mg
- Cholesterol: 113 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hello, I made the Turkey Meatballs for Fathers Day dinner.
I followed the recipe and I think the meatballs were too dense.
The only thing I did differently is simmer the meatballs for an hour.
Would this have made them dense?
Thanks for replying.
Janis Collier
Hi Janis, yes, simmering them for that long may have made them tough.
This was so easy and so good! Family loved them. Will be making on repeat!