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Easy Turkey Meatballs are a gluten-free, juicy, and flavorful meal. Made with only a handful of simple ingredients, they’re quick and fast to prepare and deliver a delicious result. Serve alone or alongside your favorite sauce and pasta.
The most delicious turkey meatballs
For the longest time, my boyfriend would always rave about his mom’s turkey meatballs. Long before I ever met her, I was hearing about this recipe. He spent the longest time hyping them up, so I was pretty excited to give them a try.
After one of our visits we were sent home with a freshly made batch, and the rest is history.
I make these meatballs all. the. time. now! No exaggeration, they’re the best meatballs I’ve ever eaten, and that includes those made at authentic Italian restaurants. I know that sounds dramatic, so you’ll just have to try them for yourself!
These gluten-free meatballs are kid-approved, so it’s a perfect recipe for the entire family. It isn’t a bad idea to have a second batch on backup, because they’re guaranteed to go pretty quickly.
What’s included in easy turkey meatballs
The ingredients in this recipe for meatballs are to die for. The turkey is used as the base (obviously), and we use parsley, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper to add flavor. For binding (and for cheesy goodness, because why not?), we’re using ricotta and parmesan cheese. The two cheeses work very well to form the meatballs and provide a ton of savory flavor while they’re at it.
- Ground turkey (I prefer an 85/15 blend)
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh basil
- Ricotta cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Minced garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
Tools used to make gluten-free meatballs
To make this recipe, you’ll only need a number of items. Grab your baking sheet, parchment paper, nonstick spray, large mixing bowl, and a stirring utensil, and get to prepping!
You will also need a few measuring cups in the following sizes: 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup, and 1 cup.
How to make easy turkey meatballs
Dinner doesn’t have to take a long time to prep, and it shouldn’t! With all of the recipes right at our fingertips today, it’s possible to find quick and easy meals that use any ingredients you could imagine.
With these easy turkey meatballs, prep is an absolute breeze. Just mix, form, and bake! That’s all. Preparation will require 10 minutes or less. Let’s get started!
To begin your meatball prep, preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Drizzle the sheet with olive oil.
Next, in a large bowl, mix the turkey, parsley, basil, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Once combined, roll the mix into individual balls. They should use about 2-3 tbsp of mix each, which will make them slightly larger than a golf ball.
Place each ball onto the baking sheet and then brush the tops with olive oil.
Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly browned.
Remove from the oven and let sit for ten minutes before serving. Alternatively, add them to a simmering pot of your favorite sauce on the low setting.
Perfect for serving up at get togethers
The first time we served this dish at a house party, it was an absolute hit. One of my favorite parts about having guests over is deciding what to cook, and I had a feeling that meatball sandwiches would be a great idea.
Lo and behold, I was correct! Everybody absolutely loved them and went back for seconds.
We served the meatballs alongside provolone cheese, fresh rolls, and side salad to give guests the option of eating them alone or enjoying them sandwich style. We set up all of the mix-ins on the counter next to the stove, where the meatballs were simmering on low heat to stay warm.
Tip: You can make the meatballs ahead of time so that prep isn’t required during the actual party!
On a turkey kick?
If you’re like me, you love to add turkey to your meals for a lean protein bump, so here are some more turkey recipes for you to enjoy! I love the Three Bean Turkey Chili and cannot recommend it enough.
- Healthy Greek Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki
- Three Bean Turkey Chili
- Thai Turkey Meatballs with Peanut Sauce
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I love to see your recipes in action. If you make this one, snap a photo and use hashtag #ELWeats so that I can see!
Easy Turkey Meatballs (Gluten-free)
Easy Turkey Meatballs are a gluten-free, juicy, and flavorful meal. Made with only a handful of simple ingredients, they’re quick and fast to prepare and deliver a delicious result. Serve alone or alongside your favorite sauce and pasta.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground turkey – I prefer 85/15 blend.
- 3/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
- 3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped fine
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F and line with parchment paper or foil.
- Drizzle sheet with olive oil.
- In a large bowl, mix turkey, parsley, basil, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper in one bowl until well combined.
- Roll turkey into 2-3 tbsp sizes or a little big larger than a golf ball.
- Place onto sheet and brush tops with olive oil.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 425F, until slightly browned.
- Let rest ten minutes before serving or add to your favorite sauce simmering over low on a stove.
- Enjoy!
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