Easy Turkey Meatballs

close-up of several ground turkey meatballs on a plate with lemon wedges

5 from 8 votes

These turkey meatballs are simple to make, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. You can either fry or bake them, and they are great for making ahead and freeze well!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: turkey meatballs recipe

Servings:

Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
1 egg
2 tablespoons olive oil + more for frying
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped or grated onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean-up.
Add all ingredients to a prep bowl and mix together using your hands (a delicate touch is best... don't over-work the mixture).
Form 1" meatballs (it'll make about 24) and add them to the baking sheet as you go along.
Choose from one of the cooking methods below:
Frying instructions: You can get better browning on meatballs if you sear them in a skillet (meatballs in photos were fried). Add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet and let it heat up for a few minutes over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in two batches until all sides are browned and they're cooked through (an instant read thermometer will indicate 165F). This will take about 7-10 minutes/batch. It's easiest to turn the meatballs with tongs. You may need to add a splash more oil for the second batch.
Baking instructions: Preheat oven to 400F. Position the rack in the middle. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they're cooked through (an instant read thermometer will indicate 165F). You may want to turn them halfway to get more even browning.
Meatballs can be portioned up and frozen after they've cooled (I add 4-5 meatballs to small bags like a Ziploc or sandwich bag and then place them in a larger Tupperware container and freeze the whole thing).

Notes

If using the frying method, I recommend keeping the meatballs small (no larger than about 1") because they're likely to burn on the outside before the inside is cooked through. If you're planning on making the meatballs a lot larger, I would sear them in batches in an oven-proof skillet until browned, add all the meatballs back into the skillet, and then transfer the skillet to the oven to finish cooking them (try a 375F oven for 5-10 minutes then test for doneness).
The frying method yields a much nicer color (and better flavor, in my opinion) than the baking method.

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