If you're looking for an easy and wholesome dinner idea, then you need these baked turkey meatballs! They're nourishing, tender, and don't require any breadcrumbs-a delish gluten free option so all can enjoy. Done in less than 30 minutes with just a few simple ingredients!
Good news, friends! Juicy and weeknight-friendly turkey meatballs can be made without breadcrumbs, and they're just as good as their breadcrumb counterparts.
Now, I actually love breadcrumbs as a meatball ingredient, but we have several gluten free friends and want to have options that all can enjoy. And swapping almond flour for breadcrumbs is precisely that: a quick scoop of a gluten free flour that helps create tender baked turkey meatballs in less than 30 minutes.
These homemade meatballs are so easy and versatile that you can make them every week with something new, and they're especially great for meal prep. Use them in a saucy pasta recipe (such as my pumpkin sage pasta), add to a pita sandwich slathered with Greek yogurt sauce with dill and herbs, serve with homemade roasted red pepper pizza sauce for dipping, or pile high into bowl recipes as the main protein. Let's make a batch!
Key Ingredients & Notes
- Ground turkey - I prefer something around a 90-93% lean or less lean. A little bit of a fat makes it harder to overcook the meatballs and adds so much flavor.
- Egg - Acts as the binder for the meatballs.
- Almond flour - When not using breadcrumbs, almond flour helps us bind these meatballs together. If you're looking for a breadcrumb meatball, definitely check out my herby baked chicken meatballs!
Please see the recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Meat - Use the same amount of another ground meat, such as ground chicken. We ground chicken in these weeknight Spanish chicken meatballs and love to use the two meats interchangeably!
- Herbs - Swap finely chopped fresh chives, fresh parsley, or fresh basil for cilantro. You could also use 1-2 tablespoons of dried chives, parsley, cilantro, or basil if you don't have fresh herbs available.
- Add cheese - As written, this meatball recipe does not include cheese, but feel free to add ¼-1/2 cup of finely shaved asiago or parmesan, or the same amount of crumbled feta.
- Spicy - Add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for a spicy twist!
How to Make These Turkey Meatballs
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper (if desired). Place all the turkey, egg, almond flour, cilantro, and seasonings into a large bowl.
- Step 2: Mix the ingredients together with a fork, or just get in there with clean hands, until you've just achieved a uniform meatball mixture.
- Step 3: Once everything is mixed, start to form the meatballs, approximately the size of golf balls (or slightly smaller). I find that it helps to have a bowl of water near by to wet your hands every few meatballs to help prevent them sticking to your hands. Some people use a cookie scoop for for this part. Place meatballs on a sheet pan with space in between (helps create space for heat to cook all the way around).
- Step 4: Bake the turkey meatballs at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Ovens vary, so it helps to use a meat thermometer to take the temperature of your meatballs at 15-16 minutes. If it reaches 165, you're done! Yum!
Success Tips
- Be careful not to overcook! No one likes a dry meatball, so let's avoid drying ours out by taking steps not to bake too long. This can be tricky since ovens vary from home to home, but I recommend staying between 15-18 minutes bake time for this particular recipe. There are a few ways to tell the meatballs are done:
- Check the temperature. Stick a kitchen thermometer in 3-4 of the meatballs on different parts of the sheet pan as sometimes ovens can heat unevenly, and observe the temperature for 15-30 seconds. Ideally, it'll start slightly lower than 165 but then reach 165 as the meat rests.
- Firmly poke a few meatballs. If they feel bouncy and don't squish, they're likely cooked through in the middle.
- Cut one open. Slice into a meatball enough to peak at the middle. You shouldn't see any pink!
- Not too lean. I like a little bit of fat in my ground meat for flavor, nutrient absorption, and also for cooking success. It's a lot harder to dry out a 93% lean meat (or even less lean) than it is a 99% one.
Turkey Meatball FAQ
After they're cooled, you can store these meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Sure can! Let them cool completely first, then place the meatballs in a zip top bag or airtight container. Place them back in the freezer for up to three months. When you're ready to use them, thaw them out in the fridge and reheat in the oven, microwave, air fryer, or on the stovetop in a sauce or soup.
Meatballs are so versatile! You can keep it classic and serve with spaghetti, make meatball subs, pita sandwiches with lemon dill hummus and veg, or use them as the protein in grain bowls with easy oven-roasted parsnips or roasted sweet potatoes. They also make great simple and healthy meals for toddlers and kiddos when eaten plain with other simple sides & dips! Check out some of my pairing recommendations below for more ideas.
Pairing Recommendations
We adore these meatballs in a saucy pasta recipe, or alongside (or atop) some other delicious veggies like mashed potatoes, roasted veg, or salads.
Did you try these easy turkey meatballs without breadcrumbs? Don't forget to leave a star rating 🌟 and comment below, and tag me on Instagram and Pinterest so I can see what you made!
📖 Recipe
Baked Turkey Meatballs Without Breadcrumbs
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: ~15 meatballs
Description
These baked turkey meatballs are easy, healthy, and delicious without any need for breadcrumbs! Using eggs and almond flour as binders, these meatballs come together in less than 30 minutes and taste juicy and delicious. Freezer-friendly and perfect for creating easy weeknight meals.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey (90-93% lean)
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat & prep. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and optionally line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (helps prevent sticking).
- Combine meatball ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the meatballs ingredients and mix together using clean hands or a fork, until you have a uniform mixture.
- Form meatballs. Roll the turkey mixture into individual balls (about golf ball sized or slightly smaller), and line them up on the sheet pan. I like to keep a bowl of water next to me for dipping my hands while rolling, as it makes the meatballs less sticky and easier to roll. Usually I end up with about 15 meatballs, depending on size.
- Bake. Bake the meatballs at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes. To avoid drying out the meatballs, you can use a kitchen thermometer to take their temperature at minute 15 or 16. If it reaches 165 in the center of several meatballs across the sheet pan, you're done! Serve with your favorite sauce, pasta, pita, or bowls, and enjoy.
Notes
- Cook time. The cook time noted here is up to 18 minutes, but I recommend 15-18 minutes in the instructions due to varying oven temperatures. I recommend taking the meatballs out to take temperature at 15-16 minutes. At 165, they're done, so no need to put them back in if they reach that temperature.
- Freezing & storage. Once meatballs cool, feel free to store in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container, or freeze for later date! To freeze, I like place completely cooled meatballs in a zip top bag or in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Oven Bake
- Cuisine: European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-5 meatballs
- Calories: 241
- Sugar: 0.4 g
- Sodium: 387.7 mg
- Fat: 13.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.9 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 130.6 mg
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Diane L says
Great recipe! The meatballs are easy to make and stay moist. I used my hand mixer to mix the ingredients and a large cookie scoop to make the balls. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Tera Gigot says
Hi Diane! Thank you so much—I'm so happy you liked it! I absolutely love the idea of the hand mixer. Thanks again!