Healthy Baked Turkey Meatballs

We love making all kinds of delicious dinner dishes with meatballs. Wonderfully versatile and so very tasty, tender plump meatballs are perfect for making any meal complete and comforting. But, sometimes I want to make something a little healthier than the Crockpot Swedish meatballs my kids are always asking for, so I make these healthy baked turkey meatballs.

Made with lean ground turkey, less fat than regular meatballs and low-carb ingredients they still have a terrific texture and bright, juicy flavor, and they can be made gluten-free with just one simple swap. Pair them with any sauce, with regular or gluten-free pasta, over zoodles, on sub rolls, in soups… Or really anywhere meatballs are welcome!

Maureen – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is the best turkey meatball recipe! Great flavor & very moist! The broiling gives them a nice baked color.

Sommer’s Recipe Highlights

Simple flavors mean so many side dish options – I’ve flavored these juicy baked meatballs with just Parmesan, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning to make them super versatile, so unlike something like my lemongrass turkey meatballs that belongs firmly in one cuisine, they work with everything from tomato sauce and zucchini noodles, to mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes!

Great for meal prep – As we’re baking not frying these turkey meatballs I find they’re so much better than regular meatballs for meal prep as you can big-batch a load of them at once. I like to keep them in the refrigerator to add to dinners through the week, or flash freeze a batch into a zip lock bag to sort dinner out for future you (I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel bad serving store-bought sauce when I’m rushed, if the meatballs are homemade!)

Key Ingredients & Tips

Ground turkey – Get white meat for the leanest meatballs, or I sometimes like to use a combination of white and dark meat so that the turkey flavor is more pronounced. If the store is out of ground turkey, ground chicken would be a good substitute.

Panko breadcrumbs – I’ve also had good results subbing gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Parmesan cheese – Use grated parmesan, not shredded for the best texture. Also, I find it is best the grate the cheese yourself so you don’t get any of the anti-caking agents pre-grated cheese is usually coated in. This can make the meatball mix a bit gluey.

Onion – I find the easiest way to prep onions for meatballs is to shred it using a cheese grater!

Eggs – This is essential to bind the meatballs. But, in a pinch 1/4 cup of mayonnaise will also work in the same way for each egg.

Worcestershire sauce – I find this adds a rich, almost smoky flavor to almost any meatball recipe.

Seasonings – I like to keep things simple here with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, but you can also add smoked paprika for a heartier taste.

How to Make Ground Turkey Meatballs

Get prepared – First, I preheat the oven to 400°F. I line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.

Make the mixture – To make the meatball mixture, add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl. I gently toss and mix everything by hand until the ingredients are evenly dispersed, being careful not to pack the mixture together, which will make the meatballs tough!

Shape – Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, I portion out the meatball mixture. I then gently roll each meatball between my hands until smooth and round, then place them on the prepared baking sheets. PS – damp hands helps stop the meat from sticking to you.

Bake – I bake the meatballs for 15 minutes until they’re firm. Then, I turn on the broiler and broil them or 1–2 minutes until the tops are golden. Depending on the size of your baking sheets, you might need to broil in batches.

Brush with oil – Sometimes, I brush the turkey meatballs with olive oil as soon as they come out of the oven so they glisten! The oil also adds an extra oomph of juiciness to the meatballs.

Recipe Variations

Add Asian flavors – Fresh grated ginger added to the mixture, and soy sauce in place of the Worcestershire sauce will make these go great with Asian-inspired side dishes.

Add zucchini – I find this is a great way of getting the kids to eat more veggies! Simply toss 2/3 cups of shredded zucchini per pound of ground turkey with salt, set aside for 10 minutes, then squeeze as much moisture out of the zucchini as possible over the kitchen sink before adding it to the meatball mix.

Add a glaze – Brush the meatballs with something sticky and tasty just before the final few minutes of cooking without the foil. Teriyaki sauce works particularly well, and would be great if you’re serving these meatballs as an appetizer, or on an Asian-inspired rice bowl.

I mean, really, what doesn’t go with these amazing little meaty morsels?! I’ve purposely kept the flavors of these turkey balls versatile so they can work with as many sides as possible!

Serve them as classic Italian meatballs in your favorite pasta dishes with a zesty tomato sauce or homemade Marinara. To keep things light and healthy, serve them with spaghetti squash or zucchini “zoodles”, or over cauliflower rice.

Or, you could serve these meatballs on a fluffy bed of mashed potatoes (or mashed cauliflower), or egg noodles, covered with a mushroom gravy.

They are also excellent for including in soups, loading into sub sandwiches, or serving on their own as an appetizer with a dipping sauce, or just as a snack!

Storage Notes

Cool the baked turkey meatballs completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 4-6 days.

You can freeze the meatballs in an airtight container for up to 4 months. To keep them loose so that you can pull a few of them out of the freezer at a time, it’s best to flash freeze the meatballs on the baking sheets before placing them in a sealed container and freezing.

How many servings of meatballs will I get out of this recipe?

This recipe makes approximately 36 meatballs, and each serving is about 5-6 meatballs, so one batch is roughly 6 servings. Bake as many as you like to enjoy some now, some for lunches later in the week, and freeze the rest as a last-minute dinner option!

Can I use a scoop to portion these meatballs out?

Yes! I find a 2-tablespoon scoop is best. You can make them smaller or larger, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Why are my turkey meatballs tough?

Usually I find this happens when the mixture has been over-worked. While you want the ground turkey and the rest of the meatball ingredients to be properly combined, taking things too far is what will make your meatballs tough. Try to use the lightest touch possible!

Can I fry these turkey meatballs instead?

Yes, but it is healthier and a lot less messy to bake them. I find also baking is much easier when I’m making a big batch.

Can I make these meatballs in the air fryer?

I’ve not tried it myself, but I can’t see why not! Arrange them in a single layer in the basket with a little space around each meatball, checking them for doneness (an internal temperature of 165°F) from the 10 minute mark.