This Recipe for Turkey Meatballs is quick and easy to make and great for meal prep. Spinach, sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese take them over the top and make them stand out next to any other Turkey Meatball you’ve ever had!
Need a recipe for turkey meatballs that is packed with a little bit more flavour and a step above the rest? As always, ya gal has got you covered. These ground turkey meatballs are packed with flavour from a perfect trio – spinach, sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese. They’re deliciously creamy, give off Mediterranean vibes (I’m not complaining) and bake up in the oven in less than 20 minutes. Since they hold up well in both the fridge and the freezer, these babies are the perfect candidates for meal prep or busy weeknight dinners. You can gobble ’em up plain, with tomato sauce or pesto, over a nice plate of pasta or next to a healthy refreshing salad. Either way, these flavourful turkey meatballs are deserving of a spot in your recipe box and on your kitchen table.
It’s no secret – I just loooove meatballs. My all time favourite are obviously my mom’s famous Mini Meatballs (which are actually a favourite on the blog, too!) but I’m always down for a good meatball of any kind. I mean, you can add whatever flavours you want to ground meat of any sort, roll ’em up into balls and voila, you have meatballs! They go well with so many things, make great appetizers or snacks (heck, I’m even guilty for having them for breakfast, cold, straight outta my mother’s fridge way back when) and are good for making in large batches. You know, for later. But really for now, trying to see how many of them can actually make it to later.
This recipe for turkey meatballs is one for the books. It’s proof that when simple flavours mingle something magical happens. Also proof that you don’t actually have to get on a plane, train or automobile to experience Mediterranean flavours. Just sayin’.
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE FOR TURKEY MEATBALLS
The best part about meatballs of any kind is that you don’t need a long list of ingredients to get in your face flavour. This recipe for turkey meatballs with spinach, sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese is no different. Here’s what you need in a little bit more detail:
- Ground Turkey: Well, duh! You can’t make this recipe for turkey meatballs without ground turkey. Ground turkey is lean and has a neutral flavour which makes it easy to season and customize. If you don’t have any ground turkey on hand, these Mediterranean style meatballs would also work with ground chicken, lamb, beef or pork.
- Spinach: Adds nutrition, colour and freshness to the meatballs. I used frozen spinach for this recipe for turkey meatballs but fresh will work just fine.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: Adds a ton of flavour to this ground turkey meatball recipe. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, try making your own Sun Dried Tomatoes with my parents’ famous recipe found HERE.
- Goat Cheese: Adds flavour and a creamy element to this recipe for turkey meatballs. If you don’t have any goat cheese on hand, try using feta, mozzarella, parmesan or blue cheese instead.
- Red Onion: Adds flavour and freshness to these turkey meatballs. You can use white, yellow or even green onion instead, if you prefer.
- Garlic: Cause everything’s better with a little bit of garlic, am I right? I like the freshness and flavour that comes from using real minced garlic. However, if all you have on hand is garlic powder, use 1/2 a teaspoon instead of the 2 fresh cloves.
- Egg: Adds flavour, structure and acts as a binder to hold all of the meatball ingredients together.
- Oregano/Basil: Adds flavour and seasoning to the meatballs. I used dried oregano and basil because that’s all I had on hand. However, you can definitely use fresh instead, if you prefer. Use 1 tablespoon each of the fresh herbs instead of the 1 teaspoon of dried.
- Salt/Pepper: Adds flavour to the meatballs and rounds out the flavours of the rest of the ingredients. Brings everything together and makes these turkey meatballs pop!
HOW TO MAKE TURKEY MEATBALLS (KEY TIPS)
You can find full instructions for how to make this quick and easy recipe for turkey meatballs in the recipe card down below, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
- Cut the ingredients into fairly small pieces so that nothing overpowers the entire taste of the meatball. You want each bite to have a little bit of everything (not a lot of one thing) so small pieces is what is going to help you ultimately achieve this. Small pieces will also make for better rolling as bigger pieces tend to get in the way when it comes to binding the ingredients.
- Don’t overwork your meat mixture. You want it to be properly mixed with the ingredients well distributed and combined but overworking the mixture with your hands will result in dense, tough and dry meatballs. Instead, get the mixture as combined as you can with the least amount of mixes for moist and juicy meatballs every single time.
- When rolling your meatballs, try and keep them in as uniform shapes and sizes as possible for even cooking. This recipe for turkey meatballs makes exactly 12 meatballs which should all be pretty similar in size. I always just eyeball it (they don’t have to be peeerrrfect, ok?!) but feel free to use a kitchen scale or ice cream scoop to help you if you think it’ll make it easier. RECIPE NOTE: Since there are no breadcrumbs in this meatball recipe, the mixture will be pretty wet and sticky. But don’t worry, you’ll get through this. Wash your hands in between if you need to.
- Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean up. The meatballs are a bit messy when they bake up in the oven and will release some liquid. The lining also helps prevent the meatballs from sticking to the pan.
- Spread the meatballs out on the baking sheet in a single layer with no overlapping. Air needs room to circulate around the meatballs for proper and even cooking all the way around.
- Don’t overbake. Overbaking will produce dried out meatballs instead of the juicy and moist ones we’re going for. To avoid this, simply start checking on them at the 15 minute mark (they could take up to 20). They’re done when an instant read thermometer registers at 165°F.
- Broil the meatballs for a few minutes after baking to make the tops brown and crispy, if desired (recommended for more flavour).
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The egg in this recipe for turkey meatballs acts as a binder to hold all of the ingredients together. In the absence of breadcrumbs, it plays a pretty important roll in making sure that these turkey meatballs don’t fall apart. The wetness and creaminess of the goat cheese also helps along with cutting the ingredients into really small pieces.
Yes! Another reason why I just loooove meatballs is that you can freeze them for up to 4 months. To do so, simply assemble your meatballs normally then lay them out in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours or until the meatballs are firm and solid to the touch. Then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer safe bags. If adding directly to sauces or soups, no need to thaw first.
*You can freeze cooked or uncooked meatballs using the same method.
You mean, what doesn’t go well with turkey meatballs?! Turkey meatballs go great with so many delicious side dishes, the list is actually endless. Here are some of my favs: Creamy Bacon Brussels Sprouts, Crispy Garlic Broccoli, Simple Sautéed Zucchini, Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad or Easy Sautéed Spinach with Garlic.
Besides side dishes, these turkey meatballs are great on pasta or Spaghetti Squash, in soups, stews, sandwiches or wraps, on top of salad or bowls or served up with pesto or tomato sauce.
TURKEY MEATBALLS WITH SPINACH, SUN DRIED TOMATOES AND GOAT CHEESE
This Recipe for Turkey Meatballs is quick and easy to make and great for meal prep. Spinach, sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese take them over the top and make them stand out next to any other Turkey Meatball you’ve ever had!
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Turkey
- 1 cup Spinach (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 cup Goat Cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely chopped*
- 2 tbsp Red Onion, finely minced
- 2 Cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh)
- 1 tsp Dried Basil (or 1 tbsp fresh)
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Use your hands to gently combine without overworking the mixture.
- Form into 12 even sized meatballs and lay them out on a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature registers on a meat thermometer at 165°F. For crispy and brown tops, broil on high for a few minutes. Eat as is, with pesto or tomato sauce or as part of sandwiches, soups, pasta dishes or bowls.
Notes
Try my parents' famous recipe for making your own Sun Dried Tomatoes at home.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 138Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 118mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 13g
Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.
LOVE MEATBALLS AS MUCH AS I DO? TRY MY GARLIC AND GINGER PORK MEATBALLS OR MY GLUTEN FREE MEATBALL RECIPE NEXT!
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