Make tender Baked Turkey Meatballs in your oven with this easy recipe. The secret to adding extra flavor to the ground turkey is to mix in soft, sauteed yellow onions. Serve these meatballs for an easy weeknight dinner or prep a batch to enjoy all week long.
Serve these with marinara sauce over pasta or use in a meatball sub with a layer of melted cheese. To add some vegetables I will add finely chopped spinach to the meatball mixture or serve it with a simple green salad tossed in a creamy balsamic vinaigrette.
30 minutes
High Protein
Quick Look: Oven Baked Turkey Meatballs
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 👩🍳 Cook Time: 20 minutes
- 🕖 Total Time: 30 minutes
- 🍝 Servings: 4 servings of 3-4 meatballs
- ⚡️ Calories: 247 calories per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Bake in oven at 350F
- 🛒 Main Ingredients: ground turkey, yellow onion, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs
- ⭐️ Difficulty: Easy! This recipe is great for weeknight eating!
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Renee left this 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I love making these for meal prep! I love having them for lunch, and I’m always sad when they’re gone!”
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy and ready in 30 minutes – This meatball recipe is so easy to make and comes together in a half an hour!
- Great for meal prep – I love making a double batch of baked turkey meatballs to enjoy all week long for quick and easy lunches.
- Delicious high protein meal – Three meatballs will give you over 40 grams of protein! I love having these on hand in a pinch for healthy weeknight dinners.
- Freezer friendly – Make extra meatballs and toss the leftovers in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for the next time you need an easy meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients you need to make this oven baked turkey meatball recipe. For a full list of ingredients and amounts please head to the full recipe.
- Yellow onion: the onion provides the base of flavor in your meatballs. Ground turkey can some times taste a little bland or dry so the sauteed onions help add flavor and moisture! Add even more flavor by smashing a few cloves garlic and sauteeing them with the onions. Just be sure to take the whole cloves out before mixing the meatballs.
- Ground turkey: I recommend using 93/7 lean ground turkey so there is enough fat to keep your meatballs tender
- Grated parmesan cheese: freshly grated parmesan cheese is best for melting into your meatballs
- Bread crumbs: plain panko breadcrumbs add texture to the ground meat and help keep these meatballs tender. I recommend using plain so you can control the amount of seasoning. If you only have Italian breadcrumbs, reduce the amount of italian spices by 1 teaspoon.
- Italian seasoning: I use a pre-made seasoning blend, but you can make your own mix of oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, parsley, black pepper, or anything else you would like!
If you’re looking for more meatball recipes, try this ginger scallion meatball stir fry or crockpot meatballs and sauce.
How to make a Oven Baked Turkey Meatballs
Step 1: Preheat oven and line a baking sheet. Saute diced onion in warm oil in a frying pan until soft and translucent.
Step 2: Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl with the sauteed onions. Mix everything together until just combined. Be careful not to over mix as that can result in tough, chewy meatballs.
Step 3: Scoop ¼ cup of meatball mixture onto the lined baking sheet. You should have about 10 meatballs total. Use wet hands to roll the meatballs into smooth balls.
Step 4: Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Serve with warm marinara sauce, your favorite pasta, parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
If you’re looking for other ground turkey recipes, try these greek turkey burgers or easy baked gnocchi.
Mad’s Expert Tips for the Best Oven Baked Turkey Meatballs 🍝
- Don’t over mix your meatball mixture – to get the best texture in your meatballs, mix until just combined, and roll them loosely into meatballs
- Wet or oil your hands before rolling the meatballs – a little moisture on your hands will help make sure the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands
- Use turkey with a bit of fat content – 93/7 turkey is best because it offers a little bit of fat, which enhances the flavor and texture of your meatballs.
I also use these same tips to make air fryer turkey meatballs.
Recipe FAQs
Do you put egg in turkey meatballs?
Yes! The egg acts as a binder to hold the meatballs together.
Why do you put breadcrumbs in turkey meatballs?
Breadcrumbs help to keep all of the moisture and flavor in the meatballs by soaking it up. Without the breadcrumbs, a lot of juices will run from your meatballs.
Can you freeze oven baked turkey meatballs?
Yes! Turkey meatballs are easy to freeze. Once they’ve cooled, store them in a freezer safe airtight container and freezer for up to three months.
Other Ground Turkey Recipes
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!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Oven Baked Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese grated
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium low. Add diced onion to warm oil and saute until soft and translucent – about 5-7 minutes.
- Add ground turkey to a large mixing bowl with the egg, grated parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, italian seasoning and sauted onions.
- Mix everything together until just combined – be careful not to overmix because that will result in tough meatballs.
- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, scoop ¼ cup of meatball mixture onto the lined baking sheet. You should have about 10 meatballs total. Using wet hands. Roll the meatballs with damp hands into smooth balls.
- Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Serve with warm marinara sauce.
Recipe Notes
- Be careful not to overmix or handle your mixture too much.
- I used dried herbs, but you can use fresh herbs instead. Add a bit more than the dried herbs called for in the recipe.
- If you’re gluten free, opt for a gluten free panko or breadcrumbs.
- You can also make this recipe with ground chicken or ground beef.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition Information
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.
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