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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These meatballs were absolutely excellent! Ground turkey is a hard sell with my husband, but he really liked these. First night we put them on sub rolls, added a little mozzarella and provolone and ran them under the broiler for a minute. Tonight we are looking forward to having the leftovers over spaghetti. My turkey came from a local farmer and was in a 1 pound package, so I had to monkey with the proportions a little. Worked great, you can always adjust the amount of breadcrumbs a little to get the perfect consistency. I’ll definitely make this again.
I love these meatballs and made them at my son’s house; everyone LOVED them, from
DIL’s mother (who hates turkey, but we didn’t tell her) to my adult grandson. My one recommendation is to make your own marinara–it’s so easy. I tried them once with Paul Newman’s and ended up rinsing it off and digging out an old batch of my own from the freezer. Much better. I also used plain parmesan since it was all I had! I love that they are so easy to freeze in batches.
These turkey meatballs are AMAZING! I’m not a traditional meatball fan either, but these are so good. My husband on the other hand is a traditional beef meatball fan and he also raved over these turkey meatballs! So flavorful and overall easy to make. I paired this with the Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Squash and they were wonderful together…and relatively healthy might I add! Thank you, Jenn for another hit recipe! I’m so glad I found your website.
Thank you very much for this recipe…delicious and simple. The entire family loved it.
Hi Jen. This is a long shot, but is there anything I can use in place of the cheese in this recipe? I’ve been eager to make turkey meatballs but I have people in the family who can’t eat cheese. Thanks in advance.
Hi Kathy, If dairy is an issue, you could use dairy-free cheese. Also, I’ve never used nutritional yeast but I know it stands in for cheese for many people. I can’t say for sure how it will work as a substitute as I haven’t tried it, but I suspect it should work. Please LMK how the meatballs turn out if you try them!
Great recipe,I used gluten free bread crumbs,added bell peppers,used chicken stock instead of water!Was excellent!
Best meatballs I have ever made. Very good recepie, simple and easy to follow.
These are absolutely perfect! Tender, flavorful and delicious. I’ve been making turkey meatballs for years, with various recipes and tweaks, but this is now the only recipe I’ll use. The ground turkey in our stores comes in 1 lb. packages, so I adjusted the other ingredients down slightly. Such a great dinner with a good (or homemade) marinara over spaghetti. Make them!
Delicious!! Definitely holds up to beef meatballs. I was pleasantly surprised. will be my spaghetti and meatball go-to!
Made these along with the tomato sauce recipe (staple in our house, since making this recipe, I have made no other). Such a quick and easy recipe to do. I great alternative to pork and/or beef versions.