Baked Italian Turkey Meatballs Recipe

Name: Italian Baked Turkey Meatball Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 43 min
Ingredients: 1.25 lb ground turkey (combination turkey (dark and light meat) if possible); 1 large egg; 1/3 cup parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup breadcrumbs; 1 tbsp dried basil; 1 tbsp dried parsley; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tbsp salt and pepper

Turkey Meatballs at a Glance

👩🏼‍🍳 Cook Level: Very easy/beginner

⏱️ Cook Time: These meatballs will bake for 28 minutes.

😋 Taste: Savory, juicy, moist meatballs with herby notes from dried parsley, oregano, and basil.

🍽️ Best Served With: Serve these with a side of garlic herb mashed potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes, or serve with a simple mixed greens salad. You could also add these on top of my fresh tomato sauce pasta for a healthier spaghetti and meatballs riff.

Key Tips and Reminders

If you want uniform meatballs, use a large cookie scoop, then roll in between your hands gently to keep the meatballs airy and light.

For baking the meatballs, be sure to spray the aluminum foil with some nonstick spray before placing the meatballs down on the tray. This will alleviate them from sticking and ripping apart.

Instead of kneading or squeezing, lightly "rake" your fingers through the mixture, lifting and gently tossing it together. This keeps the meat airy and prevents it from becoming dense. Continue raking and folding the mixture until everything is just combined. The goal is to distribute the ingredients while keeping the texture light.

Not into baked meatballs? You can pan fry these, air fry, or even add directly into a large pot of sauce to cook. Adding the meatballs to sauce directly makes these meatballs incredibly tender. Read more below!

Important Ingredients

Ingredients to make Italian baked turkey meatballs.

Ground Turkey: If you can get combination turkey meat, that's great! If not, when you go to the grocery store, look for ground turkey that has a little more fat to it (preferably a 90/10 or a 93/7)

Egg: Using egg in meatballs helps to bind the ingredients together.

Breadcrumbs: This will help the meat stick together. If you want to make this gluten free, swap with GF breadcrumbs.

Parmesan Cheese: Gives a little bit more moisture and flavor, it also helps the meatballs hold their shape.

Worcestershire Sauce: In all my years of making meatballs and even making meatloaf, I always add in a dash or two of Worcestershire Sauce. It gives an umami and savory flavor profile.

Dried Parsley: Similar to dried basil or even dried oregano, it gives specks of green and more flavor.

Dried Basil: I like to use dried basil in my meatballs for a sprinkle of color and of course, flavor. You could always opt for fresh basil, but you'll need to mince it.

How to make Italian baked turkey meatballs

ground turkey mixture with breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan cheese and seasonings

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375º and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a large mixing bowl, add in the ground turkey meat, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasonings.

ground turkey meatball meat combined in a glass bowl

Step 2: Using your fingers, rake the ingredients together by folding and gently turning the meat together until the egg and seasonings are fully incorporated.

Let the meat mixture sit for 5 minutes.

cookie scoop with turkey meatball mixture

Step 3: Form the meatballs by using a cookie scoop to scoop the meat mixture into a ball.

ground turkey meatball on a baking sheet

Step 4: Place on the baking sheet and repeat until all the meat has been used. Place the meatballs in the oven and bake for 28 minutes.

Methods of Cooking

Baked: Meatballs when baked tend to have a juicier interior, in my opinion. It also alleviates any splattering of oil on the stove and in the kitchen. To be honest, I loathe cleaning my stove so if I can avoid this, I will at all costs.
Pan-fry: Pan-frying meatballs gives them a crusty, crisp exterior and also a very tasty interior. You can quickly pan-fry meatballs and throw them in a pot of sauce to finish cooking, which is what I typically do. I would suggest frying in a cast iron skillet as it keeps an even heat.
Air Fry: Add the meatballs to the air fryer basket and cook for 20-25 minutes at 350º, flipping the meatballs halfway through.

Turkey Meatball FAQs

How do I store these meatballs? Are they good to add to the freezer?

If you have any leftovers or if you are meal prepping these meatballs, simply add them to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to five days.

These meatballs will do really well in the freezer for up to two months in a airtight plastic food storage bag. Label the date they were baked before adding to the freezer.

Can I make these meatballs and add to a large pot of sauce to cook?

You can easily omit the frying or baking and simply add them to a large pot of marinara sauce. Cook on a medium heat for 20-25 minutes. The meatballs will be super flavorful and tender this way.

How do I prevent the meatballs from falling apart when I roll them?

I like to make sure my hands have enough oil on them to round out the edges of the meat when forming the meatball, otherwise it becomes tacky and jagged on the outside.