How to Make Turkey Meatballs

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: May 27, 2019 References Tested

If you're trying to eat healthier but don't want to sacrifice flavor, make meatballs with turkey instead of beef or pork. Season the meat with Parmesan, Italian herbs, and breadcrumbs. Once you form the mixture into meatballs, bake them in the oven or on the stove until they're a rich brown color. To save time, toss the raw meatballs in the slow cooker to cook until they're tender.

Ingredients

Classic Italian Meatballs

1 cup (100 g) of plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup (50 g) of finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/4 cup (5 g) of chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup (5 g) of chopped fresh Italian parsley
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of whole milk
1 tablespoon (15 g) of tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon (4.5 g) of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, grated
1 pound (450 g) of ground dark turkey meat
1 pound (450 g) of spicy Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
4 cups (900 g) of pasta sauce, optional

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Shortcut Slow-Cooker Meatballs

1 pound (450 g) of ground turkey
¹⁄₄ pound (110 g) of ground spicy Italian turkey sausage
1/3 cup (30 g) of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (25 g) of finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons (2 g) of chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon (1 g) of chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups (900 g) of pasta sauce

Makes 6 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:
Classic Italian Meatballs

1
Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C) and line a sheet with parchment paper. Get out a rimmed baking sheet and tear off a piece of parchment paper. Lay it on the baking sheet and set it aside.^{[1]
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- Although you don't have to use the parchment paper, it will prevent the meatballs from sticking to the sheet and it will make clean up easier.
2
Put the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, herbs, milk, and tomato into a bowl. Get out a large mixing bowl and put 1 cup (100 g) of plain breadcrumbs into it along with 1/2 cup (50 g) of finely grated Parmesan. Add 1/4 cup (5 g) of chopped fresh basil, 1/4 cup (5 g) of chopped fresh parsley, ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of whole milk, 1 tablespoon (15 g) of tomato paste, 3/4 teaspoon (4.5 g) of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of pepper.^{[2]
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Variation: To make gluten-free meatballs, substitute grated Parmesan for the breadcrumbs. For example, instead of using 1 cup (100 g) of breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup (50 g) of Parmesan, use a total of 1 1/2 cups (150 g) of Parmesan.
3
Add the eggs, garlic, and onion. Crack 2 eggs into the bowl with the seasonings and add 2 cloves of minced garlic. Take 1 small onion and grate it against the large holes of a box grater. Put the grated onion into the mixing bowl.
- The eggs will bind the meatballs together.^{[3]
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4
Stir the mixture until it's combined. Use a wooden spoon to mix the breadcrumbs with the seasonings. Keep mixing until you no longer see egg yolks or whites. By mixing the flavorful filling before adding the turkey, you won't risk overmixing the turkey.^{[4]
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5
Mix in the turkey until it's incorporated. Add 1 pound (450 g) of ground dark turkey meat to the bowl along with the meat from 1 pound (450 g) of spicy Italian turkey sausage links. Use your hands to gently combine the meat with the filling mixture.^{[5]
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- Don't work the meatball mixture for too long or the meatballs won't be light and tender.
6
Shape the meat into 22 to 24 meatballs. Use 2 spoons or a cookie scoop to form a meatball that's around 1 ¹⁄₂ inches (3.8 cm) in size. Repeat this until you've used all of the meat and made almost 2 dozen meatballs. Roll them gently between your palms to make a rough ball shape.
- If the meat sticks to your palms, dip your hands in warm water.
7
Arrange the meatballs on the baking sheet and put them in the oven. Place the meatballs on the parchment paper-lined sheet so they're at least ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) apart. Then drizzle the meatballs with a little extra-virgin olive oil and put the sheet in the preheated oven.^{[6]
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8
Bake the turkey meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes. Leave the turkey meatballs to cook until they reach an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C) with a meat thermometer. The meatballs should become a rich brown color.^{[7]
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Variation: If you'd rather cook the meatballs on the stove, pour 4 cups (900 g) of pasta sauce into a skillet and turn the burner to medium. Once the sauce bubbles a little, lower the meatballs into the sauce and cover the skillet. Cook the meatballs for 25 to 30 minutes.
9
Serve the turkey meatballs with noodles or bread. Remove the sheet of meatballs from the oven and spoon them into warm pasta sauce. Then serve the turkey meatballs with cooked pasta, steamed rice, or crusty bread.^{[8]
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- Store the leftover meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:
Shortcut Slow-Cooker Meatballs

1
Put the breadcrumbs, cheese, egg, and seasonings into a bowl. Get out a mixing bowl and place 1/3 cup (30 g) of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs into it along with 1/4 cup (25 g) of finely grated Parmesan cheese. Crack 1 egg into the bowl and these seasonings:^{[9]
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- 2 tablespoons (2 g) of chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon (1 g) of chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2
Stir the mixture until it's combined. Use a spoon to stir the ingredients so the egg is incorporated and you have a wet filling mixture. The breadcrumbs and egg will bind the meatballs so they don't fall apart in the slow cooker.^{[10]
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- Keep stirring until the mixture is uniform and there aren't pockets of dry breadcrumbs in the bowl.
3
Mix the ground turkey meats into the bowl. Add 1 pound (450 g) of ground turkey and ¹⁄₄ pound (110 g) of ground spicy Italian turkey sausage to the mixing bowl. Then use your hands to gently break up the meat into the filling mixture.^{[11]
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- Avoid handling the meat too much or the meatballs will be tough.
Tip: If you can't find ground spicy Italian turkey sausage, buy a spicy Italian sausage link. Split it open with a knife and squeeze the sausage into the bowl.
4
Shape the meat into about 20 balls. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to form the meat into balls that are around 1 1/2 tablespoons in size. Place the scoop of meat between your palms and roll it gently to form a ball the size of a golf ball. Keep making meatballs until you've used all the meat.^{[12]
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- Use a gentle touch when you're rolling the meatballs. If you press too hard, the meatballs will be dense instead of tender.
5
Put the pasta sauce and meatballs into a slow cooker. Pour 4 cups (900 g) of homemade or your favorite jarred pasta sauce into a slow cooker. Then put the meatballs directly into the sauce and put the lid on the slow cooker.^{[13]
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- The meatballs should be almost completely covered by the sauce.
6
Cook the meatballs on low for 4 to 6 hours. Turn the slow cooker on to the low setting and leave the meatballs to cook completely. Begin checking the meatballs after they've cooked for 4 hours.^{[14]
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- If you're short on time, turn the slow cooker to high and cook the meatballs for 3 to 4 hours.
- The meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C) with a meat thermometer.
7
Serve the slow cooker turkey meatballs with rice or pasta. Turn off the slow cooker and spoon the meatballs with sauce over cooked noodles or rice. You could also toast a baguette and make meatball sandwiches.^{[15]
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- Refrigerate the leftover meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.