Make turkey veggie meatballs for your next weeknight dinner or for meal prepping lunches. They're filled with lean protein and shredded veggies and turn out perfectly moist and tender.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender, juicy turkey meatballs are filled with shredded veggies, panko, parmesan cheese, and mild seasoning.
Why add veggies to meatballs? Shredded zucchini and carrot add moisture, structure, and nutrition. It's an easy way to add some extra veggies into your meal!
Yield: 28 meatballs
Similar to: Homemade Meatballs and Swedish Meatballs
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Ground turkey - Can be substituted with other ground meat, like ground chicken, ground beef, or ground pork. Keep in mind that higher fat meats will release more grease and shrink slightly as they bake in the oven.
- Binding - Egg and panko breadcrumbs add structure and texture to your meatballs. Breadcrumbs ensure your meatballs don't turn out "rubbery" when cooked. Don't omit either of these ingredients!
- Flavor - Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning add a mild, savory flavor to your meatballs.
- Shredded vegetables - Zucchini and carrot add moisture and structure to your meatballs. I recommend finely shredding your zucchini and carrot (using the small side of a box grater) for best results.
How to make turkey meatballs
- Add ingredients to a bowl.
- Mix until incorporated.
- Use your hand or a medium cookie scoop (1.5 tbsp) to form meatballs.
- Bake at 400F for 15-18 minutes or until 165F in the center. Turkey doesn't brown well, so use a meat thermometer.
Heather's Top Tip
An instant-read thermometer is an essential kitchen tool. Dry meat happens from overcooking. Use a meat thermometer to test the doneness of your meat and ensure it's cooked perfectly every time.
Tips and tricks
Do not omit ingredients - Each ingredient listed in the recipe serves a purpose. The egg, cheese, breadcrumbs, and shredded veggies all help add moisture and structure to the meatballs and should not be omitted.
Do not overbake your meatballs - This is the number one reason why meatballs turn out dry. Bake your meatballs until they reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the center, then immediately remove from the oven.
Use a meat thermometer - I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to test for doneness instead of relying on time alone.
Meatballs turn out dry anyway? Add a sauce, like a walnut pesto or marinara sauce. It will help cover up a slightly dry meatball.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Meatballs can be frozen, either raw or cooked, for up to three months in a tightly sealed container.
Place one inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze the baking sheet for about 1-2 hours, or until meatballs are frozen. This ensures they don't stick together in the freezer. Transfer to to a plastic bag or container, seal tightly, and freeze.
Allow the meatballs to cool completely to room temperature. Place one inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for about 1-2 hours, or until meatballs are frozen. Transfer to a plastic bag or container, seal tightly, and freeze.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Turkey Veggie Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound (453 g) ground turkey
- 1 cup (135 g) finely grated zucchini, liquid squeezed out after measuring
- ½ cup (60 g) finely grated carrot, liquid squeezed out after measuring
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (28 g) panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup (50 g) grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add ground turkey, shredded zucchini and carrot (with excess liquid squeezed out first), egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Mix until incorporated.
- Using a medium (1.5 tablespoon) cookie scoop, or your hands, form mixture into meatballs and place onto prepared baking sheet. Recipe should make about 28 meatballs of this size.
- Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to prevent meatballs from drying out due to overcooking).
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Storage: Leftover turkey meatballs will keep for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Freezing: Freeze for 3 months in a tightly sealed freezer-safe container if desired.
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