Tender, flavorful, and ready in about 40 minutes! These Greek Turkey Meatballs are the kind of dinner I find myself making on repeat every single week. I love that lean ground turkey keeps them light and high in protein without sacrificing any of that juicy, satisfying flavor. Topped with creamy homemade tzatziki, this is Mediterranean comfort food at its absolute best!

A Quick Look: Greek Turkey Meatballs
- ✅ Recipe Name: Greek Turkey Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
- 🕒 Ready In: About 40 minutes (20 min prep, 20 min cook)
- 👪 Serves: 14 meatballs (about 3–4 servings)
- 🍽 Calories: ~76 per meatball
- 📋 Protein: ~9g per meatball
- 🥬 Main Ingredients: Ground turkey, fresh dill, garlic, red onion, breadcrumbs, egg
- 📖 Dietary Info: Nut-free, easily made gluten-free
- 🥣 Best For: Meal prep, weeknight dinners, Greek bowls, snack boxes
BEST Ground Turkey Greek Meatballs
I have made a lot of meatballs on this blog, from my Thai turkey meatballs with peanut sauce to my butter chicken meatballs, but these Greek turkey meatballs hold a very special place in my heart. They are so easy to throw together on a weeknight, they reheat beautifully for meal prep, and here’s the part I love most: even the kiddos go absolutely crazy for them!
I love using lean ground turkey for this recipe (specifically 93/7) because it’s a bit more wholesome than beef while still being juicy and satisfying. Turkey is naturally lower in fat and still high in protein, which makes these meatballs a genuinely nutritious dinner choice. Mix everything together in one bowl, roll into balls, and you’re about 10 minutes away from getting them in the pan.
Paired with my homemade tzatziki sauce and a side of tomato cucumber feta salad, this meal is Mediterranean magic on a plate. It’s become one of those recipes I make almost every single week, and I’m not even a little bit sorry about it!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love These Greek Turkey Meatballs
- Quick and easy. The whole Greek turkey meatballs recipe comes together in about 40 minutes with simple, straightforward steps, perfect for a busy weeknight.
- High in protein! At 9 grams of protein per meatball, these are a genuinely filling and nourishing meal.
- Meal prep friendly. Make a batch on Sunday and enjoy them in bowls, salads, or snack boxes all week long.
- Kid-approved! This might be the best part. The mild Mediterranean flavors are a total crowd-pleaser, and even little ones love them!
- Easily made gluten-free. A simple breadcrumb swap is all it takes to make this recipe work for everyone at the table.
Ingredients Needed
To make a batch of these juicy Greek turkey meatballs, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients! Here’s a bit more about what I used:

- Ground Turkey: My go-to protein whenever I make meatballs! I prefer to use 93/7 lean ground turkey as it has enough fat to keep the meatballs juicy. You’ll need about 1 pound.
- Garlic: 2 minced cloves of garlic add wonderful flavor to the meatballs. You can also use garlic powder if you don’t have fresh.
- Breadcrumbs: Adding in 1/2 cup of plain breadcrumbs helps bind the meatballs and keep them from falling apart. Panko breadcrumbs also work great! For a low-carb and gluten-free version, you can swap out the breadcrumbs for almond flour instead.
- Dill: Chopped fresh dill add authentic Mediterranean flavor. If you can’t find fresh, use 1 tablespoon of dried dill.
- Oregano: 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano adds an earthy, aromatic flavor.
- Red Onion: Using a 1/4 of a red onion can add flavor and moisture. Not to mention a bite of tanginess.
- Egg: 1 beaten egg helps bind the meatballs and keep them together!
- Olive Oil: To cook the Greek turkey meatballs, you’ll need about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. You can also use avocado oil or coconut oil.
Tip: You can follow my recipe for healthy tzatziki sauce recipe to make a homemade version. Just cut the recipe in half!
Substitutions & Additions
- Swap the protein: Ground chicken works just as well as turkey. The meatballs will be slightly lighter in color and flavor but still delicious.
- Make it gluten-free: Use 1/2 cup almond flour in place of breadcrumbs.
- Add feta: Fold 2 to 3 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese into the meatball mixture for a salty bite.
- Bake instead of pan-fry: Place meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 28–30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Several readers have also made these in the air fryer at 400°F for 12 minutes!
How to Make Greek Turkey Meatballs

Step 1: Mix the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey and minced garlic cloves. Grate 1/4 of a large red onion directly into the bowl (or chop it very finely). Add egg, breadcrumbs, chopped fresh dill, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined.

Step 2: Form the meatballs: Divide the mixture into 14 equal meatballs. A small ice cream scoop makes this incredibly easy and keeps them uniform in size. You can also use a spoon and roll them in your palms.

Step 3: Cook the meatballs. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, add the meatballs and cook for 7–8 minutes, turning constantly to ensure even browning on all sides. The meatballs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Step 4: Make tzatziki and serve. While the meatballs are cooking, whip up a half batch of my healthy tzatziki sauce. It only takes a few minutes and makes such a difference!
Tip: Add a little bit of olive oil to your hands before forming the meatballs to make the rolling easier!
Erins’ Expert Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix the meat. Mix until the ingredients are just combined! Overmixing leads to dense, tough meatballs.
- Use a meat thermometer. Turkey meatballs can turn rubbery if overcooked. Pull them off the heat the moment they hit 165°F for perfectly moist, tender results every time.
- Use a small ice cream scoop. It’s the easiest way to get uniform meatballs that cook evenly.
- Grate (don’t chop) the onion. Grating releases more moisture and keeps the flavor subtle without any big chunks of onion in your meatballs!
- Serve it with: These Greek turkey meatballs are amazing served alongside Moroccan couscous salad, lemon garlic hummus, or baked falafel for the ultimate Mediterranean spread!
- Storage: Store cooked turkey Greek meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They reheat wonderfully on the stovetop or in the microwave. These are my favorite meal prep meatballs!
- Freezing: To freeze, place formed (uncooked) Mediterranean turkey meatballs on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour until firm. Transfer to an airtight container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then cook as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ground chicken would also work great in this recipe. The end result may be slightly lighter in flavor and color but will still be tasty. You can use the same amount of ground chicken as the recipe calls for in ground turkey.
They can become rubbery if they are overcooked. Try reducing the cooking time to about 7-8 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached. This will help keep the meatballs moist and tender.

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
Here are some of my favorite Greek recipes you should make next. Enjoy!
- Greek Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
- Healthy Greek Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki
- Grilled Greek Chicken Salad
- Gluten-Free Greek Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Salmon Foil Packs
Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!

Greek Turkey Meatballs with Tzatziki
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, add ground turkey and minced garlic.
- Grate 1/4 red onion into turkey, alternatively chop red onion very small.
- Add egg, breadcrumbs, dill, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined, I use my hands.
- Form into 14 meatballs.
- Heat sauce pan with olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add meatballs and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning every constantly to ensure even cooking on all sides. Once meatballs reach 165F they are done.
- While meatballs are cooking, make Tzatziki.
- Serve over rice!
Nutrition
Notes
- Use 93/7 lean ground turkey. This is my go-to for meatballs! It has just enough fat to keep them juicy and flavorful without drying out.
- Use a small ice cream scoop to form the meatballs. It’s the easiest way to get even, uniform balls every time! You can also use a spoon and roll them in your hands, just add a little olive oil to your palms to keep the mixture from sticking.
- Keep a meat thermometer handy and don’t overcook! Turkey meatballs can turn rubbery if they go too long. Pull them off the heat as soon as they hit 165°F — that’s the sweet spot for perfectly moist and tender meatballs every single time.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.






Jennifer says
This is the best dish EVER! I made these on a whim (first time making homemade meatballs, btw) and it turned out delicious! They make me never wanna go back to frozen meatballs. Since finding the recipe, I’ve made it 3 times. It’s definitely in my monthly rotation.
Erin says
Hi Jennifer, so happy you loved it so much! 🙂
Tracy Kurkjian Story says
This is a keeper. I make this once a week. Really good with my garden cucumbers and tomatoes. Can’t wait to try more recipes.
Erin says
Hi Tracy, so happy you liked them and yes, so good with garden veggies!!
rebekah duron says
The best tzatziki sauce! My kids devoured the meatballs! Thank you!!
Erin says
Hi Rebekah, so happy everyone loved it! 🙂
Kate says
LOVEEE this recipe! Used the meatballs in rice bowls, orzo salad, even for gyros. A go-to for meal prep when we are craving Mediterranean food.
Erin says
Hi Kate, so happy you enjoyed them and great ideas! 🙂
Jessi S says
This was SO GOOD! My husband raved about this one and was so excited that we had leftovers!
Erin says
Hi Jessi, so happy you both loved them! 🙂
Danielle says
These are sooo good! If you like ELW’s amazing turkey burgers, you’ll love these. Also, I baked them instead because we’re in the process of moving and don’t have any pans, haha! Also, my husband hates onion and LOVED these. So so good!!!
Erin says
Hi Danielle, so glad you loved them and made them your own!
Jen says
My husband and I both loved these!! I had to cook them for 10-12 minutes to get them cooked all the way through, and they turned out perfect. Will definitely be making them again!
Erin says
Hi Jen, so happy you both enjoyed them!!
Brittany says
So delicious!! I used ground chicken and dried herbs and turned out super tasty!!
Didn’t have any parsley but used dried basil instead for the cucumber tomato salad and this did not disappoint!
Erin says
Hi Brittany, so happy you loved them and made them your own!!
Beckie says
Delicious! Love the fresh dill. I used almost flour and no issues. So good.
Erin says
Hi Beckie, so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Amelia says
Made these last night with the Greek Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad- both were incredible! So easy to make too! Definitely will be making again
Erin says
Hi Amelia, so happy you loved it and great combo!!
Shannon says
Just wanted to say these are really tasty! I added fresh mint to the meatballs and baked them. Pretty quick and easy too!
Erin says
Hi Shannon, so glad you liked them and made them your own!!
JoLynn says
Super easy to make and delicious with your tzatziki and cucumber, tomato and feta salad. I baked at 375 for 15 minutes as suggested below and they were perfect. Highly recommend!
Erin says
Hi JoLynn, so happy you loved them!!
Linda says
Prepped meatballs yesterday and cooked them this evening! Really good! I also made your tzatziki sauce…delicious as well!
Erin says
Hi Linda, so happy you loved them!!
Jillian says
Love these meatballs + tomato cucumber feta salad! I doubled this recipe for meal prep for the week and have loved it every day! I’ll probably bake them the next go ’round to save time to make the salad, but super easy all around. Another great ELW recipe 🙂
Erin says
Hi Jillian, so happy you loved it so much! Thanks for sharing!
shelley Huetcher says
Made this recipe tonight- AMAZING! Was glad I had planned on pizza for my kids because that meant more left-overs for me, HAHA!!
Erin says
Hi Shelley, so happy you loved them!! 🙂
Marcella says
Can the meatballs be baked instead of pan frying?
DK says
I baked mine! I did them in the oven at 350 for like 10 min then flipped them and did another 10 min. They turned out just as amazing. Maybe a little drier than if in a pan but easier for me.
Erin says
Hi, thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Erin says
Hi Marcella, yes! Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. Let me know how they come out!
Yan says
Baked at 375 for 15 min as suggested, turned out well (used pork that we had already)!
Erin says
Hi Yan, thanks so much for sharing!!
D K says
These were so tasty! Especially with the cucumber tomato feta salad. Great for meal prep too
Erin says
Hi, so happy you loved them!
Ella says
These were so good. Whole family loved them! The fresh herbs make for great flavor. 10/10
Erin says
Hi Ella, so happy you loved them! 🙂
Sydney says
Entire family devoured these! Always a plus when my health-suspicious brothers love the meal.
Erin says
Hi Sydney, so happy you loved them!! 🙂
Lori says
Can you make these without egg? Have you tried any egg substitutes? Egg allergy over here but would love to make!
Erin says
Hi Lori, yes, you can try a flax egg! Let me know how they come out!