Turkey Meatballs
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These turkey meatballs are tender, juicy, and full of Italian flavor. Browned in a skillet and simmered in marinara sauce, they’re an easy weeknight favorite.
Photo by Edalin Photography
This turkey meatball recipe is my go-to when I’m craving classic Italian meatballs but want something a little lighter. Made with lean ground turkey, fresh basil, garlic, and Pecorino Romano, the meatballs are tender, juicy, and packed with flavor.
The cooking method makes a difference, too. I brown the meatballs in olive oil first, which gives them a flavorful golden crust and helps them hold their shape, then finish them gently in marinara sauce so they stay moist and tender. Best of all, it all comes together in one pan. If you prefer to bake your meatballs, I’ve included instructions for that method below, too.
Turkey meatballs keep and freeze beautifully, making them a great option for meal prep or busy weeknights.
“These are the best tasting, easiest turkey meatballs I’ve ever made!”
Homemade Turkey Meatball Ingredients
- Ground turkey: Use 93% lean ground turkey for meatballs that are flavorful and juicy; extra-lean turkey can make them dry.
- Egg: Helps bind the meatballs and keeps them tender.
- Basil & oregano: Fresh basil adds brightness, while dried oregano brings classic Italian flavor.
- Garlic & onion: Add savory depth and flavor to the meatballs.
- Pecorino Romano: Adds a salty, sharp bite. Parmigiano-Reggiano works well, too.
- Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs: Help bind the mixture while keeping the meatballs tender.
- Olive oil: Used to brown the meatballs, creating a flavorful golden crust.
- Marinara sauce: A good-quality jarred marinara keeps this recipe quick and easy, but you can also use my homemade tomato sauce.
- Salt, pepper & water: Salt and pepper season the meatballs, while a little water adds moisture and helps keep them tender.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How to Make Turkey Meatballs
Mix and form the meatballs: Whisk the egg with the seasonings first so they distribute evenly throughout the meatballs. Add the remaining ingredients and mix gently with your hands, then shape into balls just larger than golf balls. Avoid overmixing or packing them too tightly, which can make the meatballs dense or tough.
Brown and simmer the meatballs: Brown the meatballs in olive oil until golden on all sides; this adds flavor and helps them hold their shape. Add the marinara sauce and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should register 165°F.
Pro tip: You’ll get the best flavor if you pan-fry the ground turkey meatballs as directed, but you can also bake turkey meatballs in the oven for a more hands-off option. Bake them on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 350°F for about 20 minutes.
Serving Ideas
Turkey meatballs are a natural with pasta, but there are plenty of other ways to serve them:
- As an appetizer: Serve the meatballs with a dollop of ricotta and toothpicks.
- Over pasta or polenta: Serve with your favorite pasta or creamy polenta.
- With vegetables: For a lighter option, serve over spaghetti squash or mashed cauliflower, or pair with roasted broccoli and a Caesar salad.
- As a meatball sub: Tuck the meatballs into rolls, spoon over extra sauce, and top with mozzarella or provolone.
- With crusty bread: Serve with garlic bread for soaking up the sauce.
Love meatballs? For the classic beef-and-pork version, try my Spaghetti and Meatballs, or check out my Turkey, Spinach & Cheese Meatballs for another turkey variation.
Video Tutorial
More Italian Meatball recipes You’ll Love
Turkey Meatballs
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 lb 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
- 1 (24-oz) jar 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; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register 165°F. Sprinkle with more basil and cheese, if desired, and serve.
Notes
- 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/Freezing 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
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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Can I make the meatballs in advance today, and wait to fry the meatballs and finish the recipe tomorrow for dinner? Will waiting that long to cook the meatballs cause the breadcrumbs and grated cheese to lose integrity in the meat mixture? (I’ll wait to comment until I’ve actually made the recipe.)
That should be fine, Chrissy. Enjoy!
Excellent! Very moist and great flavor. I made my own homemade Marina sauce in my Dutch oven. While it was simmering on the stove I made up the meatballs and baked them in the oven at 350 for about 15 minutes then added them to the Marina sauce on the stovetop covered for about 15-20 minutes. I served the meatballs along with Fettuccine with fresh parsley, garlic and red pepper flake. So tasty!!
Made this last night for the first time with a few minor changes and turned out excellent! Never had such flavorful turkey meatballs before. Instead of using 1-1/3lbs of ground turkey I just used the whole 2lbs that I bought since it only comes in 1lb. packages. Since I had no fresh basil I used some of my homemade pesto and just increased all the other ingredients to what I thought would work using your recipe as a guide. They were so good. Honestly, I haven’t made one recipe from your site that I haven’t liked. I’ll be making these again!
I made these last night, followed recipe as written. OUTSTANDING!!
If I use dried basil instead of fresh, will it change the texture of the meatballs because of the lack of moisture?
Hi Gwen, I don’t think the change will be significant. If you’re using dried, you’ll only need a generous teaspoon of dried basil. Please LMK how they turn out.
So flavourful, delicious and easy to prepare! I used ground chicken and the meatballs were tender and moist. I will try turkey next time as I’ll definitely be making these again!
Thanks again Jenn for another great recipe1
I was lucky to have a snow day today due to cold weather in Ohio. I decided to make the meatballs in my le creuset dutch oven. I followed the recipe exactly. They were delicious, so moist and flavorful. It was an easy weeknight dinner. A perfect meal for a cold winter’s day! Thank you again, Jenn.
I made this tonight for dinner. There is a reason Jenn says to fry the meatballs in a NON-STICK skillet. I did it in a cast iron and it was a nightmare getting the meatballs unstuck. I was so disappointed that I ruined dinner…NOPE. Damn, those meatballs are incredible!! So soft and flavourful. I used the Rao’s marinara sauce as well. I’m truly impressed.
Can you use ground chicken instead?
Sure, that should be fine. Please LMK how they turn out with chicken!
Can these also be baked, instead of pan frying, like you do with the beef meatball version?
Yep 👍