• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Trending Now: Simple One Pan Meals!
  • About
  • Lifestyle
  • Favorite Products
  • Contact

Mad About Food

Easy Healthy Whole Food Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Sides
    • Dessert
    • Snack
    • Cocktails
    • Sauces, Dips, and Dressings
  • Protein
    • Chicken
    • Beef
    • Pork
    • Seafood
    • Turkey
    • Meatless
  • Method
    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Grilling
    • 30 Minute Meals
    • One Pan Meal
  • Dietary
    • Gluten Free
    • Dairy Free
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
    • Egg Free
    • Nut Free

Trending:

30 Minute Meals

Instant Pot

Air Fryer

One Pan

Meal Prep

Breakfast

Sauces, Dips and Dressings

Home Blog Recipes

Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs

print comments
Share
Share on:
Jump to Recipe
By: MadelinePosted: 01/02/2022Updated: 12/30/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Make these Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs for an easy 30 minute meal. Toss the air fryer meatballs in some marinara sauce and serve over your favorite pasta!

Above view of air fryer turkey meatballs served with red sauce and pasta

Quick and Delicious Weeknight meatballs

Sometimes all I want is meatballs and pasta but the idea of making meatballs on a weeknight can feel daunting, you know? This air fryer turkey meatballs recipe is here for the craving rescue.

These air fryer meatballs come together quickly and cook super fast in the air fryer. The convection aspect of the air fryer makes the consistency amazing. Get delicious and tender turkey meatballs in less than 30 minutes.

Side view of turkey meatballs in air fryer on pasta

Kitchen Tools

  • Measuring spoons and measuring cups
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • Large mixing bowl
  • 2 tbsp scoop
  • Air fryer

How to serve

Once prepared there are many ways to serve air fryer meatballs. I like to warm jarred marinara sauce on the stove and toss the air fryer turkey meatballs in it.

Then I spoon the meatballs and sauce over cooked pasta. My go-to pasta shape lately is rigatoni, but any shape works!

For a low carb or keto meal you can substitute pasta with some zoodles or serve them over a cooked spaghetti squash.

These air fryer meatballs are ideal for making meatball subs. They are medium in size and extremely tender.

I like to toast small rolls in butter and then line them with marinara, meatballs and slices of mozzarella cheese. Then, I warm them under the oven broiler to melt the mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients for air fryer meatballs

Air Fryer Turkey Meatball Ingredients

  • Ground turkey (dark meat ground turkey preferred)
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Egg
  • Grated parmesan cheese
  • Oregano
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Crushed red pepper (optional)

To make tender and flavorful turkey meatballs in the air fryer it is important to use dark meat ground turkey. Lean white meat ground turkey will result in dryer and less flavorful meatballs. I like to look for the 94% lean and 6% fat label at the grocery store.

ingredient substitutions

You can make these with any type of ground meat you like best or have on hand. These air fryer meatballs are great with ground chicken, ground beef, ground pork or even a blend of meats.

You can make vegetarian air fryer meatballs by replacing the ground turkey with a plant based ground meat. If you are dairy free, you can try a dairy free version of grated parmesan or replace it with some nutritional yeast.

To make this recipe gluten free you can use a gluten free panko breadcrumb mixture. You can also make these air fryer meatballs keto friendly by replacing the breadcrumbs with pork panko or finely ground pork rinds.

I made my own seasoning blend by combining salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder and crushed red pepper. You can use the same blend or use any Italian seasoning blend you have.

Step by step assembly of air fryer turkey meatballs

How to make air fryer turkey meatballs

Step 1: prepare Ingredients

Measure out the panko bread crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, and spices. Get the egg and ground turkey out of the fridge.

Step 2: Mix the meatballs

Add the ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg, parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper into a large bowl. Mix the ingredients together gently with a spoon or your hands until a smooth, even mixture remains.

Be careful not to overmix as this causes tougher meatballs!

Step 3: Prep the air fryer and meatballs

Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick spray and preheat the air fryer to 350F.

Use a 2 tbsp scoop to scoop out 12 meatballs. If you do not have a 2 tbsp scoop, use any kind of measuring device to make even sized meatballs.

Using wet hands, roll the meatballs into tight balls. Then, arrange them on the air fryer basket in an single layer.

Step 4: Air Fry the meatballs

Once the air fryer is warm, place the basket inside and the meatballs in the air fryer at 350F for 14 minutes. The meatballs will be cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 165F.

air fryer meatballs tossed in red sauce on pasta topped with parmesan cheese

Can i make these in the oven?

If you do not have an air fryer, you can prepare these turkey meatballs in the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.

Storage, Reheating and freezing

Allow the meatballs to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat in the air fryer at 350F for about 5-10 minutes, or until warmed thorugh.

Make a batch or a double batch of these air fryer meatballs and freeze them for later. Place the cooked meatballs in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the meatballs to defrost and reheat in marinara sauce on the stovetop.

Check out these other simple meatball Recipes

  • Cast Iron Meatballs
  • Pesto Turkey Meatballs
  • Sweet and Sour Chicken Meatballs
  • Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Meatballs
  • Easy Instant Pot Meatballs

You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!

Image for pinning air fryer turkey meatballs on Pinterest
Air fryer turkey meatballs in red sauce on rigatoni
Recipe

Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs

★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews

Make tender and delicious air fryer turkey meatballs in less than 30 minutes!

Recipe By: Madeline
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 14 minutesTotal: 24 minutes
Print Pin it Rate recipe Save recipe
Servings: 3 servings 1x

Ingredients

  • 1lb ground turkey (I like to use dark meat ground turkey)
  • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (omit if you don’t like spice)

Instructions

  1. Pour ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg, parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper into a large mixing bowl. Mix together with a spoon or your hands until a smooth, even mixture remains. 
  2. Spray air fryer basket with non stick spray. Use a 2tbsp scoop to scoop out 12 meatballs. Roll them into tight balls with wet hands and arrange on the air fryer basket.
  3. Preheat your air fryer to 350F. When the air fryer is warm, place the basket inside and cook at 350F for 14 minutes or until the internal temp of the meatballs reaches 165F.

** To serve I like to heat a jar of marinara sauce over med-low heat on the stove. Then, I toss the meatballs in the sauce and serve over pasta!

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Did you make my

Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs?

Rate recipe Share on Insta Save recipe

I appreciate your reviews SO much! Mention @mad_about_food and hashtag your photo with #madaboutfood

  • Facebook
  • Email
Above view of flaky biscuit recipe in a cast iron skillet
Previous Post
Flaky Butter Biscuits in Cast Iron Skillet
Tender oven baked chuck roast recipe served with au jus
Next Post
Oven Baked Chuck Roast Recipe

About Madeline

Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!

Learn More

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Julie Shranko says

    Posted on 1/3 at 5:51 pm

    Made these last night and they are AWESOME! Can’t wait for the leftovers tonight. Thanks for another great recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/6 at 1:34 pm

      awesome thanks Julie!

      Reply
    • Melissa D says

      Posted on 1/28 at 9:50 am

      These are so easy and flavorful! I will never buy frozen meatballs again now that I have this recipe saved. I have been making it on Sunday afternoons and then using them for pasta meals that night or even Monday night when I’m tired from work and half of dinner is already made 😉

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Madeline says

        Posted on 1/31 at 9:48 am

        wonderful!! thank you so much!!!

        Reply
  2. Carol Lunger says

    Posted on 1/5 at 10:08 am

    I made these meatballs last night in my air fryer, and they were delicious! So easy to make and clean up super quick.

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/6 at 1:36 pm

      thanks Carol!

      Reply
  3. Carol Lunger says

    Posted on 1/5 at 10:09 am

    Sorry forgot to give it the rating!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Maureen says

    Posted on 1/6 at 2:42 pm

    I just pulled these out of the oven and they are DELICIOUS!! SO dang easy to make. Bonus is that I used a thing of ground turkey from Costco so that I could prep a bunch for the freezer. Definitely an easy weeknight meatball recipe for a quick dinner

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/7 at 5:46 pm

      that’s a great idea! thanks Maureen!

      Reply
  5. Stephanie R. Katz says

    Posted on 1/12 at 10:14 am

    These were delish, very tasty seasonings! I made them with nutritional yeast instead of cheese and was very pleased. Very quick meal in the air fryer. Can’t wait to have them again.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/12 at 11:07 am

      great to know that works well! thanks Stephanie!

      Reply
  6. Olivia says

    Posted on 1/24 at 6:06 pm

    Made these for dinner tonight and we loved them!

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/26 at 10:33 am

      thanks Olivia!

      Reply
  7. Cailin says

    Posted on 2/6 at 9:31 pm

    Holy cow these were amazing! I loved the crispy exterior from the air fryer. I used dairy free parm and gluten free breadcrumbs. Usually making meatballs is so messy and time consuming that I never make a recipe twice but these are going into our regular rotation!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  8. Katie Parides says

    Posted on 11/23 at 9:50 pm

    I’ve made these twice so far, super easy and tasty. I made these as part of my postpartum prep and reheated very well!

    My air fryer baskets are kind of small so I made in oven in convection mode, worked great.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 11/24 at 9:04 am

      That’s great! These meatballs are perfect for meal prepping. I am glad you were able to improvise and use your oven.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!

Read More

Popular Posts

Whole30 BLT Chicken Salad

Blueberry Coconut Chia Seed Pudding

Ground Beef Baked Tacos

No Bread Turkey Club

Grab my

Top 5 Tips for Simplifying Meal Time!

Sign me up!

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Join me and 145k friends on instagram

"This is my third time making this recipe and it’s a fave for meal prepping! So delicious, quick and easy ☺️" - Jessica

Get Recipe

"This was so simple and delicious!! Worked late and still quickly put together a great meal." - Dana

Get Recipe

"So good! Not only was this incredibly easy to make, the flavor was perfect. I will definitely make this again and again!" - Mandy

Get Recipe
@mad_about_food
Back to Top

Courses

Dinners

Breakfasts

Desserts

Dips & Sauces

Popular

Instant Pot

Air Fryer

Meal Prep

Chicken Recipes

Back to Top
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
© 2023 Mad About Food
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled