How to Make Healthy Turkey Meatballs You Won’t Be Able to Resist

Swap this selection of ingredients for a variety of other clean eating choices. Get creative! Lots of items you may already have on hand in your pantry work well in this recipe.

- 2 pounds ground turkey, 99 percent fat-free
- 1/4 cup whole wheat seasoned bread crumbs, or gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (1 tablespoon if using dried herb)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil (1 tablespoon if using dried herb)
- 1 teaspoon of finely chopped chives
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup Reggiano parmigiana cheese, grated (optional, avoid if eating paleo or Whole30)

1. Begin by preheating oven to 375 degrees.
2. Then, cover a baking sheet with nonstick foil or parchment paper. You can also spray a cooking sheet with a little olive oil, about 2 tablespoons.
3. Add ground turkey, bread crumbs, milk, onion, egg, garlic, herbs, and parmesan (if using) in a large mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon or knead together with your hands until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
4. Using wet hands, so the meat mixture doesn’t stick, form small meatballs. They should be about the size of a ping pong ball, about 1 1/2 inch balls.
5. Place meatballs on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. A cut meatball should show no pink inside. They should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

If you are gluten-free, you can also use a combination of equal parts of coconut flour and almond meal instead of breadcrumbs.

If you are nut-free, substitute skim milk or two percent milk for almond milk. You can also add additional vegetables to these healthy turkey meatballs. Chopped spinach or kale make a great addition.

Use an ice cream scoop to make quick work of portioning the turkey for the meatballs. The process can be time-consuming, but this will definitely speed it up!

This recipe calls for fresh herbs because they add so much additional flavor to the meatballs. Adding some crushed red pepper flakes is also an excellent addition to add a little kick.

Another great way to cook these meatballs is directly in a delicious batch of marinara sauce. You can make a super simple sauce with 2 cans of crushed tomatoes, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of oregano, a 1/4 cup of chopped basil, and a diced onion.

After sautéing the garlic and onion, add the rest of the ingredients and simmer on low. Then, you can cook the meatballs directly in the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes. This method adds great additional flavor and makes a great simple sauce.

In addition, these healthy turkey meatballs freeze really well! Make a double batch and freeze any you have leftover. It will be a lifesaver on a busy weeknight evening when you are short on time but still want a healthy option.

Simply portion out the meatballs onto a parchment-lined baking pan and freeze. Then, transfer them to a resealable freezer bag. You can also freeze these meatballs uncooked and thaw and prepare them for up to three months after freezing.