These juicy turkey meatballs are flavorful, beautifully browned, and ready in less than 30 minutes. They're an easy weeknight dinner that everyone loves.
These turkey meatballs are one of my favorite ways to turn ground turkey into a quick and flavorful dinner. They're tender inside, beautifully browned outside, and seasoned with garlic, onion, smoked paprika, and fresh parsley. Pan-frying them in olive oil gives them a delicious golden crust. They're a nice change of pace from my baked meatballs, meatballs in tomato sauce, or lamb meatballs.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Ground turkey: I use 93% lean ground turkey thighs.
- Dijon mustard: You can use yellow mustard, but Dijon mustard is better. It's thick and creamy, and its flavor is less vinegary and more mustardy.
- Chopped fresh parsley: If you don't have fresh parsley, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, oregano, or thyme. But fresh herbs add a nice flavor.
- Olive oil for frying: You can cook the meatballs in ghee (clarified butter) instead of olive oil. I like ghee's nutty flavor and richness.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Mix everything except the oil in a medium bowl. Use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to divide the mixture into 16 portions. Wet your hands and shape the portions into round meatballs.
Heat the oil in a large, lidded skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer. Brown them all over, turning them frequently.
The meatballs are nicely browned now, but they are not yet fully cooked. Add a bit of water to the bottom of the skillet, cover it, and cook for 3 more minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve them immediately.
We really enjoyed these and are making them again!
Sandi
Read more comments
We really enjoyed these and are making them again!Recipe Tips
- The mixture is quite sticky, so when forming the meatballs, it helps to lightly moisten your hands. This helps prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands and helps you form smooth meatballs.
- Use a large skillet - at least 12 inches - and make sure it has a lid. If none of your skillets have a lid, you can use aluminum foil. The meatballs will be a bit crowded in the pan, but I'm too lazy to cook in two batches. However, if your frying pan is smaller than 12 inches, you'll need to cook in two batches.
- While I originally combined all the ingredients at the same time, I've learned over the years that it's best to combine the meat and spices first, then add mayo and mustard. Otherwise, the mixture can be very moist, making it difficult to distribute the seasonings evenly.
Recipe FAQs
No. Please use ground turkey thighs (93% lean) and not ground turkey breast (99% lean). Turkey breast is very dry, and the meatballs won't be as good if you use it.
Yes, but they won't brown. Pan-fried meatballs are better. If you'd like to try baking, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet (use high-heat-resistant parchment), spray them liberally with olive oil, and bake for about 15 minutes in a preheated 400°F oven. Check to make sure they are cooked through.
When combining the ingredients and forming the meatballs, work gently and handle the mixture lightly. Overworking it will result in tough, gummy meatballs. See the image below - these meatballs were handled lightly, and you can see how tender and airy their inside is. 
I don't recommend that. I use ¼ cup of olive oil, even though about half of it stays in the skillet after frying. Being generous with the oil helps the meatballs brown.
Serving Suggestions
These meatballs are incredibly versatile. You can serve them with anything! Here are a few ideas:
- Serve them on top of mashed cauliflower.
- Serve them with microwave spaghetti squash and marinara sauce.
- Stuff them in a lettuce sandwich with mayo, sliced tomatoes, and pickled red onions.
- Or just serve them all on their own with a side dish such as roasted Brussels sprouts, steamed broccoli with cheese sauce, or the sautéed green beans shown in the image below.
If you'd like to add a dipping sauce, you can use marinara or pizza sauce (as shown in the photos on this page), harissa, tahini sauce, or ranch dip.
Storing and Using the Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power, or, as I do, snack on them cold!
You can also freeze the cooled meatballs for up to three months. I place them in a single layer in a freezer bag. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating them.
The photo below shows a recent super-easy yet delicious lunch of cold leftover meatballs served with tomatoes, pickles, and grainy mustard.
Recipe Card
Juicy Turkey Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey thighs - 93% lean; ground turkey breast is too lean
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup parsley - chopped
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons olive oil - for frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and parsley. Add the mayonnaise and mustard and mix to combine.1 pound ground turkey thighs, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ cup parsley
- Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, measure out even portions of the mixture onto a plate. I usually end up with 16 meatballs.
- With wet hands for easier handling, shape each portion into a round meatball.
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch lidded skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes.4 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook them uncovered, turning frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add ¼ cup of water to the bottom of the skillet. Pour it in slowly and stand back a bit to avoid any splatter. Cover with the lid and cook until the meatballs are cooked through (their internal temperature should reach 165°F), about 3 more minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the meatballs from the skillet to a serving plate. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Seasonings, especially salt, are just guidelines. Please adjust to taste.
- Half of the oil will remain in the skillet after cooking, but I like to use the entire amount because it helps the meatballs brown.
- If you don't have a lidded skillet, you can tightly cover it with foil. Please wear oven mitts when doing it.
- If your frying pan is smaller than 12 inches, you'll need to brown the meatballs in two batches
- I don't recommend using ground turkey breast. It's too lean.
- The mixture is quite sticky, so when forming the meatballs, it helps to lightly moisten your hands. This helps prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands and helps you form smooth meatballs.
- While I originally combined all ingredients at the same time, I've learned over the years that it's best to combine the meat and spices first, then add mayo and mustard. Otherwise, the mixture can be very moist, making it difficult to distribute the seasonings evenly.
- If you'd like to serve these meatballs with a dipping sauce, you can use marinara or pizza sauce (as shown in the photos on this page), harissa, tahini sauce, or ranch dip.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power, or do as I do and snack on them cold!
- You can also freeze the cooled meatballs for up to three months. I place them in a single layer in a freezer bag. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating them.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Gail Conder says
Can the turkey meatballs be baked in the oven. If yes, then what temp and time.
I use your turkey burger recipe all the time for myself. My husband doesn’t like turkey.
Thank you
Gail
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Gail,
Yes. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet (use high-heat-resistant parchment), spray them liberally with olive oil, and bake them for about 15 minutes in a preheated 400°F oven. Check to make sure they are cooked through. However, the pan-fried meatballs are better.
Kerrin Cahill says
These are so good and juicy, I was not used to having no egg. I guess the mayo replaced it. I used Kewpie Mayonnaise.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed these meatballs, Kerrin! Thank you very much for the review.
Sandi says
We really enjoyed these and are making them again!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Sandi! Thank you very much for the review.
Deb says
Is there a "make ahead" option... perhaps to prepare in stages?
These look like a wonderful Thanksgiving meal option from the oh-so-boring roasted or baked turkey ~ for young, middle and old;)!
Thanks:)
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Deb,
You can do steps 1-3 of the recipe ahead. Mix the ground turkey and spices and shape the meatballs the day before. Arrange them in wax-paper-lined food storage containers. If layering, separate the layers with wax paper. Follow steps 4-7 before serving them. Once they are ready, you can keep them in a 170°F oven until ready to serve and for up to two hours.
Since the leftovers are really good, another option is to make them 1-2 days ahead and reheat them covered in the microwave.
Val says
A nice alternative to beef just to switch things up! Impressively juicy for poultry which can often be dry.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked these meatballs, Val! Thank you very much for the review.