Try this delicious and healthy recipe for baked turkey meatballs. They are easy to make and perfect for a quick and tasty dinner.
Spaghetti and meatballs are my dad’s specialty, and I secretly always looked forward to my mom being away for an evening so he could make me this meal. I’ve healthified it a bit by using ground turkey and adding spiralized zucchini to pad the pasta, but it’s still SO delicious!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Healthy option: Since you’re using a leaner protein, they’re healthier than traditional beef meatballs.
- Freezer-friendly: Make a big batch and stick them in the freezer for later.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like avocado oil.
- Spaghetti – linguine or fettucine would be good too.
- Spiralized zucchini – buy pre-spiralized zucchini or spiralize your own at home.
- Pasta sauce – use your favourite jarred tomato sauce.
Baked turkey meatballs
- Ground turkey – ground chicken or extra-lean ground beef will also work.
- Parmesan cheese – nutritional yeast is a good dairy-free substitute.
- Fresh parsley – use 1 tbsp. dried parsley instead.
- Yellow onion – white onion or shallots would be the best substitutes here.
- Dijon mustard – stone-ground mustard will have a similar flavour.
- Garlic – I prefer freshly minced garlic but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
How to make turkey meatballs
Step 1: Make the meatballs.
Roll the meatball mixture into balls, then bake.
Step 2: Cook the noodles.
Cook until al dente, adding the zucchini in the last minute.
Step 3: Serve meatballs over noodles.
Toss the noodles with sauce and serve with meatballs.
Step 4: Freeze for later.
Freeze the cooked meatballs for up to 3 months.
Recipe tips
Here are my top tips for making the best meatballs:
- Don’t overhandle the meat: This will lead to dry rubbery meatballs, so handle them as little as possible.
- Add fresh herbs: Fresh parsley, basil or rosemary will add amazing flavour.
- Keep them the same size: Roll them the same size so they cook evenly.
- Use a meat thermometer: If you’re not sure if they’re done, use an instant read thermometer to see if their internal temperature is at least 165°F.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my turkey meatballs rubbery?
If your meatballs are dry or rubbery, you overcooked or overhandled them. Make sure to handle the meat as little as possible and only cook them for 18-20 minutes.
How do I keep them from falling apart?
The parmesan in these meatballs will keep them from falling apart, since they act as a binder.
Is it better to bake or pan fry the meatballs?
It’s all a matter of preference! Baking them makes them a bit healthier because you’re not frying them in oil.
Serving suggestions
Here are some of my favourite ways to serve these meatballs:
- Swedish meatballs: Add Swedish meatball sauce and serve them over egg noodles.
- Soup: Use them to make turkey meatball soup.
- Sub sandwich: Add to your favourite bread roll with marinara sauce and cheese.
- Lettuce wraps: Toss them in a sticky sriracha sauce and serve as lettuce wraps.
- Rice bowls: Swap them out for the chicken in these falafel bowls or add them to a healthy buddha bowl.
Storing and freezing
Storing: Store the meatballs in the fridge for 5 days.
Reheating: Sprinkle some water over top so they don’t dry out, then microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Freezing raw meatballs: Place raw meatballs in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and put in the freezer. Once frozen, place in a Ziploc bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F for 25-30 minutes.
Freezing cooked meatballs: Freeze the cooked meatballs for 3 months. Reheat them straight from frozen in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
More meatball recipes
Meal prep tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this recipe into meal prep.
- I get all my free-range ground chicken and turkey from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your meatballs are cooked through.
- Store your meatballs in labelled freezer bags.
- Use these Ziploc bag holders to add your meatballs to your freezer bags more easily.
- Freeze these meatballs in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
Easy Baked Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- Olive oil or cooking spray for cooking meatballs
- 1/2 lb spaghetti
- 2-3 zucchini, spiralized I just buy a 500g package from the grocery store but you can spiralize yourself
- 1 jar pasta sauce make sure there's no sugar added for Whole 30
Baked turkey meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey or ground chicken or ground beef
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley or 1 tbsp dried
- 1 small yellow onion grated
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and preheat oven to 400 F if baking. Skip this step if frying meatballs in a skillet (instructions below).
- Mix all ingredients for ground turkey meatballs in a large bowl, stirring until well-combined. Wet hands with water and roll into 1-inch meatballs, creating 24 of them. Add to baking sheet in rows, spray with cooking spray and bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Alternatively, cook meatballs in a large skillet over medium heat with a bit of olive oil for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a large pot of boiling water over hight heat and add a pinch of salt. Cook spaghetti for 10 minutes, adding zucchini in during the last minute of cook time. Drain and then add back to pot, tossing with pasta sauce over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes until hot.
- Serve pasta in bowls with 6 meatballs for each serving. Leftovers will last up to 5 days in the fridge. If freezing, place in a thick plastic bag and label with date. Will keep in freezer up to 3 months.
Comments & Reviews
Jen says
What was the old recipe? I don’t remember the ratio of breadcrumbs to meat.
Taylor Stinson says
Occasionally we update recipes to improve them so unfortunately the old recipe is no longer available. We only made a minor tweak to this recipe, removing the egg and breadcrumbs. They simply aren’t needed and actually result in drier meatballs. I hope you try the new recipe, it’s MUCH better!
imsen says
LOVE this meatball recipe. It’s my go-to favorite recipe for meatballs.
Jasmine says
Can you heat the zucchini in the microwave with the meatballs?
Taylor Stinson says
Yes for sure! They’ll get cooked a tiny bit (just the right amount). That’s how I reheat this meal.
Kayla Gleaves says
Hi!! I am very new at this and starting a keto diet and I made this recipe which is great by the way! But I was curious how many carbs are in each meatball?
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Kayla – I’m so happy you enjoyed! I don’t have the carb count for each meatball unfortunately. You can plug the ingredients into an app like Myfitnesspal and it will let you know the exact carb count per meatball.
Hannah says
Would you recommend decreasing the baking time if I plan to freeze to ensure they do not dry out when reheating after thawing? Have you ever made these with Zucchini in the meatball as well? Assume you can freeze just the same?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Hannah – have not tried the zucchini in the meatball but it sounds yummy! I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. And yes you could decrease the cook time up to 2-5 minutes. I wouldn’t suggest any more just because you don’t want the meat to be undercooked. Hope that helps!
Jamie says
Can you freeze the zucchini as well?
Taylor Stinson says
Honestly I wouldn’t! It’s just a suggestion of what to serve with them once you have reheated or if you are enjoying fresh 🙂
Kimberly says
I love these! So easy to make, delicious, and love that you can freeze them (makes life easier when I’m not sure what to make for dinner/lunch). Versatile too–I like the zucchini idea you suggested. I also made meatball subs and, at another time, had them with rice and veggies.
Mary Grady says
Hi
I’m in Chrome and I see no print option. You can do a File print but you get 23 pages worth.
Cheri says
Hi there – your print option does. It work for this recipe. Thanks
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Cheri – my print option should be working for the recipe yes!