Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Tender baked turkey meatballs made with milk-soaked stale bread, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, butter, and warm old-fashioned spices. These are savory, cozy, and perfect with mashed potatoes, noodles, rice, cranberry sauce, or homemade gravy.
Servings 4
Calories 231kcal
Equipment
- 1 large oven-safe skillet (or a skillet + baking sheet)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey preferably 93% lean
- 2 slices stale sandwich bread cut into small cubes
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup finely grated or very finely minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice optional
- 1/16 teaspoon ground cardamom optional
- 1 tablespoon butter or oil for browning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the cubed stale bread in a large mixing bowl. Pour the milk over the bread and let it sit for 5–10 minutes, until softened.
- Add the egg, grated onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, melted butter, parsley, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and optional nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom. Stir and mash with a fork until well combined and it is soft, wet bready mixture..
- Add the ground turkey and gently mix just until everything is incorporated. Do not overmix, or the meatballs may become dense.
- Shape the mixture into about 16–20 meatballs. The mixture will be soft, so use gentle hands or a small scoop.
- Heat a large skillet (preferably one that is oven safe) over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter or oil.
- Add the meatballs in a single layer, leaving a little space between them. Brown for about 2–3 minutes per side, turning gently with a spatula (not tongs). They do not need to be cooked through yet.
- Once the meatballs are lightly browned, transfer the meatballs to the preheated oven. If you're using an oven-safe skillet, it can go right in the oven -- otherwise, transfer the meatballs to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper first.
- Bake for 8–12 minutes, or until the meatballs reach 165°F in the center.
- Let the meatballs rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
If your skillet is crowded, brown the meatballs in batches, then return them all to the skillet before baking. If they do not all fit comfortably, finish them on a parchment-lined baking sheet instead.
Keep your meatballs all about the same size so they cook at the same rate and prevent smaller ones from getting dry.
Nutrition
Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 663mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 298IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg
