One bite and two wide eyes later, “Wow, why didn’t you tell me they were good?” Lunch served.
How to Make Turkey Meatballs That Aren’t Dry
I love ground turkey, but it can be dry. Often for turkey meatballs, we do things to compensate for the dryness, like adding moistened breadcrumbs or egg. Grated zucchini is an option too. For these turkey meatballs, we skip breadcrumbs and instead get extra moisture from the addition of lots of minced mushrooms and a little mayonnaise. The mushrooms give the turkey meatballs a meaty flavor. The mayonnaise, which is just an emulsion of oil, egg, and vinegar, not only adds some needed fat but a bit of egg to help as a binder.
A Flexible Turkey Meatball Recipe
The meatballs are tender, have more flavor, and on top of that are gluten-free! Serve these easy turkey meatballs with or without sauce. They’re great both ways. This turkey meatball recipe is wonderfully flexible. You can form small meatballs for appetizer bites, or larger ones for a main course meal. You could even flatten them to make turkey burgers.
How to Freeze Meatballs for Later
You can freeze both the cooked or uncooked meatballs. If cooked, let the meatballs cool completely before freezing. For either, space them out on a parchment-lined sheet pan so the meatballs aren’t touching. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer container or plastic bag with as much air pressed out as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the meatballs overnight in the fridge. Cook uncooked meatballs following the directions in the recipe. Cooked meatballs can be gently rewarmed in tomato sauce over medium heat.
Looking for More Meatball Recipes?
Swedish Meatballs Turkey Meatballs with Tomato and Basil Pressure Cooker Porcupine Meatballs Sausage Meatballs with Ricotta in Tomato Sauce Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
If you want a more pronounced mushroom flavor, add a few more minced shiitake mushrooms to the mix.
1 tablespoon butter
1 large shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
6 ounces mushrooms (a mix of shiitake and cremini), finely chopped
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1 pound ground turkey (we prefer thigh meat)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the optional marinara sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
Salt and pepper, to taste
Stir in the minced garlic and the mushrooms. Continue to cook on medium heat until the mushrooms are cooked through and have given up some, but not all, of their moisture. Stir in the herbes de Provence. Remove from heat. Place in a bowl to cool. Using your clean hands gently mix the turkey and other ingredients together until well combined. Don’t over mix. Do not crowd the pan; if your pan isn’t big enough, cook the meatballs in batches. Gently cook the meatballs until cooked through, turning them frequently so that they get lightly browned on all sides. If meatballs are not browning, increase the burner heat a little. While the onions and garlic are cooking, pulse the canned tomatoes in their juices in a blender or food processor until chopped, but not completely smooth. Add the tomatoes to the onion-garlic mixture. Cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add meatballs to the sauce. Simmer for a minute to warm the meatballs through. Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley to serve.
