These herby, ground turkey meatballs are one of my favorite, make-ahead meals. They are a big hit with kids and adults in our family!
How to make turkey meatballs
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.Roll into 1.5 inch balls. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. Heat oil and cook in a large, deep pot or cast iron pan.
How to make this meal with kids
My kids both love meatballs of any kind, and my son is always more likely to try something new if he helped make it. Because there is raw meat involved in making meatballs, I try to give him jobs that don’t involve touching the turkey.
We grow a lot of our own herbs so the best part of this recipe is letting him go wild picking the herbs. He has a kids’ knife set as well that he loves to use to chop them up.
I let him put all of the ingredients for the meatballs other than the turkey together and stir it all up. Then I take over with the rest. Sometimes I will let him scoop the meatballs onto a plate or tray at the end, and we always make sure to wash hands really well after.
What to serve with turkey meatballs
These meatballs go great with a quick cucumber salad! Combine some chopped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives and feta cheese with a little olive oil, black, pepper and red wine vinegar. It is delicious!
We also like to serve them with naan or tortillas and some hummus and tzatziki for dipping.
Common questions
Can I make these meatballs ahead? Yes! I always make them earlier in the day and just cook them when it is time. Just cover the raw meatballs with plastic wrap on a plate and store in the fridge.
How do I reheat cooked meatballs? Reheat in the oven at 325 for 15-20 minutes or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Why are my meatballs falling apart? Turkey can be difficult to work with. I find that they stay together easier if I have let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour before cooking. Ground turkey from different stores also seems to be quiet different. If it seems too wet, add a little more breadcrumbs. If it is not sticking together, add a little more mayo.
These herby, ground turkey meatballs are one of my favorite, make-ahead meals. They are a big hit with kids and adults in our family!
Ingredients
2 lbs lean ground turkey
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise*
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives**
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano**
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill**
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary**
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Olive oil, for cooking
Directions
Combine all ingredients except the in a large bowl and mix well with a fork.
Use your hands or a cookie scoop to roll turkey mixture into 1.5 inch meatballs.
You can go ahead and cook them now or cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. I like to keep them in the fridge a while because they stay together better in the pan.
TO COOK IN A PAN
Add oil to a large, deep pot or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook until browned on all sides.
Cover and continue to cook until a meat thermometer reads 165 or until no longer pink inside. This takes about 10-12 minutes with 1.5 inch meatballs. I usually do two batches for two lbs of turkey.
TO COOK IN THE OVEN
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place meatballs a couple of inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 165. Turn them over halfway through baking.
Notes
*Hellman’s makes a vegan mayonnaise that I think tastes the closest to real mayonnaise. You can also use real mayo or 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk in place of the vegan mayo if you do not have any dietary restrictions to work around.
**I like to use fresh herbs because I have them in my garden. You can replace each of these with about 1/2 teaspoon of dried herbs. You can also use whatever herbs you have on hand.
Laura ran a food blog called PheNOMenal Phoods for over 10 years before having her two kids. Life with two toddlers was overwhelming so the blog went on the backburner. Now she is back with a new focus on all family and kid-friendly recipes. All recipes have been toddler-approved!