Baked Italian Turkey Meatballs

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Baked Italian Turkey Meatballs are full of flavor, fork tender, and the perfect accompaniment to your favorite pasta sauce.

Close up shot of turkey meatballs nestled into spaghetti, topped with marinara sauce, in a black bowl.

Would you believe me if I told you I also packed a good amount of veggies in these meatballs? Yep, not only do they add extra nutrients, the veggies also pack in more flavor and keep the turkey from being dry. That’s right, I’ve also had dry turkey meatballs, and these are anything but. There’s over two cups of veggies keeping these meatballs perfectly juicy.

Want to experiment with flavor variations? BBQ Turkey Meatballs and Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs are two more favorite meatball recipes in our house.

You’ll love how easy these healthier meatballs come together, and they also freeze well. In fact, I just pulled some out of the freezer for dinner the other night. The recipe makes sixteen meatballs, but you could incorporate this into your food prep, double the batch, and have a number of easy week night dinners available to thaw out and serve.

Overhead shot of Baked Italian Turkey Meatballs on a bed of pasta topped with marinara sauce on a black plate.

FAQS:

Is it better to fry or bake meatballs?

I prefer to bake my meatballs over frying. It’s less messy with easier cleanup. You still get nice browning, and the cooking is even.

How do you keep turkey meatballs from falling apart?

Use one egg per pound of ground meat. The eggs are what bind together the meat and breadcrumbs. If you use too many eggs, your meatballs will be too dense.

Are turkey meatballs healthier than beef?

Ground turkey has less saturated fat than ground beef, and if you opt for 99% fat free turkey, it also has less calories. Check out Healthline’s Is Ground Turkey or Ground Beef Healthier?

What can I use instead of breadcrumbs in meatballs?

For this recipe, I used almond meal as a binder, but you could also use crushed crackers, rolled oats, or crushed cereal.

HOW TO PREPARE BAKED ITALIAN TURKEY MEATBALLS:

Prepped ingredients on a wood cutting board. — **You will need these ingredients ⇧ (plus an egg)**

Begin by finely chop the onion and mushrooms. Or, simply rough chop, then place in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Sauté the onion in a skillet over medium-high heat two minutes. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, and cauliflower rice, and sauté about 5 minutes. Mince the garlic, and sauté about two more minutes. Remove from heat.
Add the ground turkey, salt, pepper, Cantanzaro herbs, Worcestershire sauce (optional), almond meal, and an egg to a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients together well with your hands—using a spoon or spatula tends to overwork the meat. Fold in the veggies, and place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill. (It’s easier to form the meatballs when all the ingredients are cold.)
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. While the oven is preheating prepare your baking sheet. I lined mine with parchment paper, but you could also simply spray with olive oil.
Roll a portion of the meatball mixture between your palms to create a golf ball sized meatball and place on the baking sheet. Repeat the process sixteen times, placing the meatballs equidistant apart on the baking sheet. The texture will be slightly soft, but they will firm up as they bake.
Bake for ten minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven, and carefully flip each meatball. Return the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for ten more minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check that the meatballs have reached an internal temperature of 165ºF. Remove from the oven, and allow the meatballs to rest for five minutes before serving.

Onions sauteeing in a cast iron skillet. — Saute onion 2 min.

Mushrooms, zucchini, and cauliflower rice added to the skillet to saute. — Saute onion 2 min.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS FOR ITALIAN TURKEY MEATBALLS:

This recipe is perfect for meal prep. Freeze cooked meatballs up to three months for a super easy weeknight dinner.
Prepare a classic Spaghetti and Meatball dinner with this easy marinara sauce recipe.
Serve with pesto over spaghetti squash.
Have a meatball sub night.
Create smaller meatballs, and add to soup.

Black bowl holding pasta, Italian Meatballs, and marinara in a black bowl with ingredients blurred in background.

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INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS:

Feel free to use bread crumbs rather than almond meal if you’re not concerned about the recipe being gluten-free.
You can use broccoli rice in place of the cauliflower rice if you prefer.
I’ve used spinach to replace the zucchini with excellent results.
Not a fan of ground turkey? Substitute ground beef or pork, or a mix of the two.
You can also add a little parmesan cheese for additional flavor.

RECIPE NOTES:

This recipe was originally published June 28, 2017, but was updated with new photos and recipe tips.
These turkey meatballs are Whole30 friendly—simply omit the Worcestershire sauce.
Banza pasta is my favorite gluten-free pasta. It’s made from chickpeas, and has a great flavor and texture.
I usually buy almond meal at Trader Joe’s, but you can sometimes find it in other well-stocked grocery stores, or of course, on Amazon.
If You Care Parchment Paper is chlorine free and compostable.

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Baked Italian Turkey Meatballs

Yield: 16 meatballs

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Baked Italian Turkey Meatballs are simple to make and taste delicious over zoodles, wilted greens, or even your favorite pasta. They also freeze well, making them a great addition to your meal prepping rotation.

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
1 medium zucchini grated (about 1 cup)
¾ cup mushrooms, finely chopped
½ cup cauliflower rice
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Cantanzaro Herbs, or Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional) (omit for Whole30)
½ cup almond meal
1 large egg

Instructions

Start by grating the zucchini, then press it as dry as possible between paper towels or in a clean tea cloth.
Finely chop the onion and mushrooms. Or, simply rough chop, then place in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Sauté the onion in a skillet over medium-high heat two minutes. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, and cauliflower rice, and sauté about 5 minutes. Mince the garlic, and sauté about two more minutes. Remove from heat.
Add the ground turkey, salt, pepper, Cantanzaro herbs, Worcestershire sauce (optional), almond meal, and an egg to a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients together well with your hands—using a spoon or spatula tends to overwork the meat. Fold in the veggies, and place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill. (It’s easier to form the meatballs when all the ingredients are cold.)
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. While the oven is preheating prepare your baking sheet. I lined mine with parchment paper, but you could also simply spray with olive oil.
Roll a portion of the meatball mixture between your palms to create a golf ball sized meatball and place on the baking sheet. Repeat the process sixteen times, placing the meatballs equidistant apart on the baking sheet. The texture will be slightly soft, but they will firm up as they bake.
Bake for ten minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven, and carefully flip each meatball. Return the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for ten more minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check that the meatballs have reached an internal temperature of 165ºF. Remove from the oven, and allow the meatballs to rest for five minutes before serving.

Notes

These turkey meatballs are Whole30 friendly—simply omit the Worcestershire sauce.
Feel free to use bread crumbs rather than almond meal if you’re not concerned about the recipe being gluten-free.
You can use broccoli rice in place of the cauliflower rice if you prefer.
I’ve used spinach to replace the zucchini with excellent results.
Not a fan of ground turkey? Substitute ground beef or pork, or a mix of the two.
You can also add a little parmesan cheese for additional flavor.