Tender, moist, and packed with Italian flavor, these baked Turkey Meatballs are a great way to lighten up a classic.
Meatballs are a staple in our meal plan, and I love to throw together these baked Italian turkey meatballs for a lighter choice. The secret to a great turkey meatball is to pack it with big flavors and get a beautiful brown color on the outside.
Make these baked Italian turkey meatballs because...
- These baked turkey meatballs come together really quickly for a great weeknight meal.
- There is no need for breadcrumbs as a binder, so they are a great low carb meal option.
- Baking meatballs is a totally hands off method once they go into the oven. These meatballs get a beautiful gold brown from just baking, no need to brown in a pan or place under the broiler.
- These Turkey Meatballs are versatile. Serve as an appetizer with your favorite marinara, or as a main dish with any sides and sauce combination you like.
- A little planning ahead, and these meatballs are an easy homemade convenience. Make them ahead of time and frozen for later use.
- They reheat easily, and make a great meal prep option as well.
Ingredients
Ground Turkey- Choose the ground turkey that is 93% lean rather than the fat free. Just a little bit of fat will make the meatballs more moist after baking.
Tomato Paste- A spoonful of tomato paste adds a great punch of flavor, moisture, and also helps the normally pail turkey meat get a rich brown color.
How to Make It!
Step 1: Season and Mix
- Add an egg, tomato paste, and spices to the ground turkey and mix together until it is well combined.
Step 2: Form Meatballs
- Then, form the turkey into approximately two inch balls and place them on a lined baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake
- Finally, bake turkey meatballs at 400° for 15-20 minutes.
FAQs
While many meatball recipes call for breadcrumbs, they aren’t necessary for a turkey meatball. Ground turkey is much more fine than other types of ground meat and sticks together easier. An egg can add the necessary moisture and bind the meat together.
They are done when the center of the meatballs reach 165°.
It all starts with the binder. Egg and tomato paste help hold the turkey meatballs together. Baked meatballs are also easier to handle and stay together better because they are being moved around while they cook.
Diana's Tips for Success
Don’t overmix the ground turkey. Work it just until the seasonings and egg are just worked through evenly. Overmixing will lead to a tight, dense meatball.
Wet your hands with some water to keep meatballs from sticking to your palms. Rolling the meatball mix between wet hands will help you get a nice smooth meatball.
Don’t press or squish the meatballs together. Use light pressure to prevent overly dense, tough turkey meatballs.
Use a spoon or a cookie scoop to make each meatball the same size so they all cook at the same rate.
Serving and Storage
You can serve these baked turkey meatballs many different ways and make them your own using your favorite sauce. My favorite way to serve them is to add them to my 15-Minute Creamy Tomato Pasta. The pink sauce uses up the extra tomato paste and comes together in the time it takes to bake the meatballs.
You can add these meatballs to some marinara or serve them as an appetizer with a delicious aioli dip as well.
You can make the raw meatballs and store them in the refrigerator for baking up to 24 hours in advance.
Cooked turkey meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
Frozen cooked meatballs are great for convenience and can be an easy go-to weeknight meal. Defrost in the refrigerator the night before and add to a simmering sauce for about 10 minutes to heat all the way through.
Related Recipes
- Authentic Italian Meatballs in Red Pasta Sauce
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Italian Grilled Chicken
- Spinach Pesto Pasta
- Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions
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📖 Recipe
Italian Baked Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1.25 Pounds Ground Turkey 93% Lean
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 Egg
- 1 Teaspoon Granulated Garlic
- 1 Teaspoon Granulated Onion
- 1 Teaspoon Dry Parsley
- 1 Teaspoon Oregano
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Add an egg, tomato paste, and spices to the ground turkey and mix together until it is well combined.
- Form the turkey into approximately two inch balls and place them on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake turkey meatballs at 400° for 15-20 minutes.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the ground turkey. Work it just until the seasonings and egg are just worked through evenly. Overmixing will lead to a tight, dense meatball.
- Wet your hands with some water to keep meatballs from sticking to your palms. Rolling the meatball mix between wet hands will help you get a nice smooth meatball.
- Don’t press or squish the meatballs together. Use light pressure to prevent overly dense, tough turkey meatballs.
- Use a spoon or a cookie scoop to make each meatball the same size so they all cook at the same rate.
- You can serve these baked turkey meatballs many different ways and make them your own using your favorite sauce. My favorite way to serve them is to add them to my 15-Minute Creamy Tomato Pasta. The pink sauce uses up the extra tomato paste and comes together in the time it takes to bake the meatballs.
- You can add these meatballs to some marinara or serve them as an appetizer with a delicious aioli dip as well.
- You can make the raw meatballs and store them in the refrigerator for baking up to 24 hours in advance.
- Cooked turkey meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
- Frozen cooked meatballs are great for convenience and can be an easy go-to weeknight meal. Defrost in the refrigerator the night before and add to a simmering sauce for about 10 minutes to heat all the way through.
Nutrition
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Nikki says
These Italian turkey meatballs are fantastic and I really like the pairing with the all the veggies and pasta.
Sara Welch says
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and they were a hit all around the table! Easy, hearty and delicious; easily, a new favorite!
Carrie Robinson says
Homemade meatballs are always the best! 🙂 Love that these are made with ground turkey.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I'm obsessed by homemade meatballs just now and these look great.
Jess says
I love this healthier version of a favorite meal!