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.






Emily says
Quick and easy, they turned out great!
Erin says
Hi Emily, so glad you loved them! 🙂
Elaine Schleimer says
I Want to BAKE The Greek Meatballs
What Temperature ?
For How Long ?
Thanking You In Advance For Your
Response.
Jess says
I randomly googled this recipe because I had a pack of ground turkey and luckily I had all of the ingredients. I cooked it exactly as written – and it is chef’s kiss!! I’m definitely saving this recipe. At first, I was going to add seasoning salt, but I am so glad that I didn’t. The flavors are perfect as is. I used a tablespoon to measure them out. This can easily be a weeknight meal or even for meal prep, it comes together very quickly.
Erin says
Hi Jess, so happy you loved them so much! 🙂
Megan says
Hi! I’ve made these meatballs a few time and they are amazing. Just wondering if I make a double batch how it would be best to freeze them. Should I freeze them raw? Or cook and then freeze?
Erin says
Hi Megan, I would cook them and then freeze! That would be the best! Let me know how yours come out! 🙂
Brittney says
This has become a regular rotation in dinner planning for us. It’s so fresh and light. I sub in the turkey meatballs from Trader Joe’s to make it even easier.
Erin says
Hi Brittney, so glad you loved them and made them your own!! 🙂
Marie says
So delicious!!! Thank you for sharing it! 🙂
Erin says
Hi Marie, so glad you liked them!!
Marian says
Tasty!!!! My 7yo “non onion lover” daughter didn’t notice it all and she even said the meatballs were sooooo good!!!
Thanks, Erin, for an easy and savory recipe. I woukd definitely make it again soon!!
Erin says
Hi Marian, so happy they were a big hit! 🙂
Kayla says
Used this recipe for a meal prep and it was soooo good. Very easy too. I used dry dill as that’s what I had on hand and it worked great. They didn’t dry out at all over the few days I had them for lunches. 100% will be making on repeat.
Erin says
Hi Kayla, so glad you loved them so much!!
Raj says
Absolutely amazing. We made a greens and grains bowl using these meatballs as our protein and it tasted amazing. Definitely a keeper
Erin says
Hi Raj, so happy you loved them and great meal idea!! 🙂
Annie Vahos says
This is hands down best recipe for Greek meatballs! It’s my (Greek) husband’s new favorite.
Erin says
Hi Annie, so happy you both liked them so much!! 🙂
Ginny Lancina says
I’ve been using Erin’s recipes for years. They are all fantastic. I made this with the tzatziki *chefs kiss* My 18 month old daughter ate it up! 5 stars.
Erin says
Hi Ginny, so happy you love both love them! Thank you so much for your support! 🙂
Rav says
These were delicious. I added a few more garlic cloves, but otherwise kept the recipe exactly as is. I baked in oven per Nagi’s suggestion at 420 for 15 minutes and they were perfect ( I turned them halfway through). I served with Costco Tzadziki sauce. Was a hit at my bookclub meeting.
Erin says
Hi Rav, so happy you loved them and made them your own! Thanks for sharing with your book club! 🙂
Jess says
The only change I made was I smushed them down a bit to make them into patties, but these were FANTASTIC! My boyfriend is already asking me to make this again asap 🙂
Erin says
Hi Jess, so happy you both loved them!! 🙂
Leslie Toll says
Just made these for first time. YUM!! I wish I had doubled the recipe. Everyone wanted more. Will definitely be making these again. I did use dried dill. Put in 2 TBS of dried dill because we love dill. I also added 1 TBS of nutritional yeast.
Baked them in oven at 375 for about 20 minutes. Used meat thermometer to cook to 165 internal temp. Turned them at about 10 minutes Served over spaghetti squash with Tzatziki, cut up tomato’s and cucumber.
Thank you !!
Erin says
Hi Leslie, so happy you loved them and great ideas!! 🙂
Kelsey G. says
Hi, love this recipe!! Would this work the same with ground chicken instead of turkey? Thanks!
Erin says
Hi Kelsey, so happy you loved it them and yes, might just need to watch them/tweak the cook time. Let me know how they come out!
Irene Clemente says
Great recipe. I used about 2 tablespoons of dried dill instead of fresh since it was all I had. Because it was easier, I minced the garlic and onion in a mini food processor, then added the egg and salt and mixed that for a couple of seconds before adding it to the turkey mixture. Browned the meatballs in oil and finished in the oven. Worked out really well.
Erin says
Hi Irene, so happy you loved them and made them your own! 🙂
Abigail says
Could I bake the meatballs instead of cook on stovetop? If so what temp & time?
Erin says
Hi Abigail, yes! I’d try 20 min at 375 degrees. Let me know how yours come out!
Thea says
Absolutely loved these. I was skeptical about the turkey but they ended up being so delicious. Made with the tzatziki as suggested and it did not disappoint!! Will be a staple dinner for SURE. Also love how it comes together in one bowl.
Erin says
Hi Thea, so happy you loved them so much! 🙂
Teresa says
Can you use leftover turkey (grounded up) for this Mediterranean turkey meatball recipe or only fresh ground turkey? If do anything you would do or change in making them ?
Erin says
Hi Teresa, I haven’t tried that but feel free to give it a try and let me know how it comes out!!
Shannon says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I used white onion instead of red. I did not make the tomato cucumber salad but chopped all the veggies together. Added some romaine lettuce and chopped red bell peppers.
Will be making again!! 🙂
Erin says
Hi Shannon, so glad you liked it and made it your own!! 🙂
Kristina says
If I wanted to bake them instead of frying them, What oven temp and for how long?
Nagi says
I baked them @ 420F for 15 mins and they came out perfectly!
Kristina says
Thank You! 🙂
Marianne says
Delicious. It might sound weird but I added yellow mustard. My friend used to work for a greek couple that had a catering company, and they added yellow mustard to their pork souvlaki marinade. It was so good
Erin says
Hi Marianne, so glad you loved them! 🙂