Baked Turkey Meatballs
Super tender baked turkey meatballs that the whole family will love! Easily adjusted to your dietary preferences and needs, this is the perfect meatball recipe!
These turkey meatballs are so good! I love them so much and so does the whole family. My kids request spaghetti and meatballs at least once a week and while I am definitely not above giving them frozen meatballs, these are just so much better! Everyone is happier when I take the time to make these. And I can ensure that the whole family is eating nourishing food made with quality ingredients. That’s what I am all about this year! Cooking with quality ingredients and making homemade food as much as possible.I don’t obsess over the extra sugar or things that they eat when we’re out of the house, but when we’re eating at home, I want to give them the best food possible. And that means making a few more things from scratch to avoid the unnecessary additives and processed ingredients. So basically these meatballs will be on repeat this year!!
These turkey meatballs come together super quickly by mixing ground turkey, bread crumbs (can use gluten free bread crumbs!), parmesan, eggs, and some herbs together! Roll them into balls and bake until juicy perfection. While sometimes baked meatballs can be dry and boring, these are certainly not! They are flavorful and juicy and just delicious on top of a pile of pasta, or even just on their own. To keep things easy, I usually serve them with quality store bought marinara such as, Rao’s or Carbone. I love to keep the meatballs warm in the sauce until the pasta is cooked, this ensures they are extra moist and flavorful! The beauty of these meatballs is they are totally flexible. You can use any meat you would like such as, beef, chicken, pork, or do a combo of a couple different types! And add any fresh herbs you have on hand or even chopped spinach. Use this meatball recipe as a good starting point and then mix it up to fit your preferred flavor profile and what you have on hand!
The best part about these is they can be made ahead of time and frozen. I like to make a double batch and after the meatballs have baked, I let them cool to room temperature. I then place a batch on a cookie sheet and freeze for about an hour. Then I will put them in a ziploc bag or an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then whenever you need, you can grab a few meatballs for the kids for a quick meal, or warm up the whole batch and feed the whole family. I take them straight from the freezer and put them in a small sauce pan with a jar of sauce and warm them together. And voila! You have a yummy dinner in the time it takes to cook some pasta. So trust me, make the double batch and you will thank yourself later!
Baked Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs ground turkey
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs (can use gluten free)
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, add all ingredients.
- Mix together using large spoon or your hands (I think hands works best to really ensure everything is mixed up!).
- Roll meatballs into 1 inch balls using a small spoon or cookie scoop.
- Line large baking sheet with parchment paper and place meatballs on baking sheet
- Bake in over for 15-20 minutes, until browned and cooked through to internal temperature of 165°. If you plan to finish cooking the meatballs in sauce, they do not need to be fully cooked when removed from the oven as they will finish cooking in the sauce.
I hope you and your family love this one as much as we do!
As always, let me know if you make it!
XO,
Darcy
