The Ultimate Healthy Baked Italian Turkey Meatballs
I can’t even begin to describe how easy it is to make Baked Italian Turkey Meatballs. Originally, the goal was just to write up this recipe as part of my Bocce Ball recipe, but I thought it’d be better to give you more information just on the meatballs themselves, first.
The reason I use these in my Bocce Balls is that they bake up at the same temperature so there’s no fiddling around with the oven in between. And as easy as it is to mix these together, the fact that they are baked just makes them even easier.
With traditional Italian meatballs, you have to pan-fry them. That’s fine. You get so much good flavor that way. And if you mix the ingredients below together and decide you still want to fry them, you have my blessing. But, here’s why I bake mine.
Baked Italian Turkey Meatballs = Freedom
That sounds so dramatic, but stay with me. Think of all the times you’ve stood over the stove frying something. By baking these, you free yourself up to do something else for half an hour. The oven does all the work for you while you… oh, I don’t know… read more Elle Jay at Home blogs, for example.
Less Fat with Lots of Flavor
Fried meatballs may be satisfyingly unctuous, but that’s not what I want all the time. I go to this recipe so often because not only do they free up my time, they come out leaner.
I use lean turkey instead of higher fat sausage or beef. This is already a healthier choice for heart health. Then, baking the meatballs reduces the amount of oil absorbed during the cooking process. So, instead of just coating your mouth with fat, baked Italian meatballs treat you to an explosion of herby, garlicky flavor.
Great for Meal Prep!
This recipes makes 12 large meatballs. But, you can go even further by portioning it out into 10 larger meatballs so you’ll have two for every day of the week. Even better, double the recipe and make meals for your partner, too.
Package your 2 delightful meatballs with a heaping serving of zoodles, spinach, and marinara for a low-carb, high-protein lunch all week. It’s hard to get sick of something that fun to eat. It’ll feel like a treat every afternoon.
Baked Italian Turkey Meatballs are Incredibly Versatile
We eat a lot of meatballs in our house, if I’m being honest. And we’re not limited just to the baked Italian turkey meatball variety either. We always stock up on IKEA’s frozen chicken and vegetable meatballs whenever we visit. But just in general, there are always meatballs in the freezer.
With this recipe, try doubling, or even tripling the recipe and freezing up a portion of your baked Italian meatballs. When you are ready to use them, all you have to do is thaw them and allow them to warm up in the pot of red sauce you’ll likely be simmering on the stove.
And just because I’ve recommended Italian seasoning, don’t feel limited there, either. I love when you all get creative and try new things with my recipes as a jumping off point.
So, what recipe are you going to use with these amazing, little, baked, Italian meatballs? Are you meal prepping, assembling freezer staples, or are you having a fabulous Sunday dinner? Comment below and tell me!
Baked Italian Turkey Meatballs
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Silicone mat
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- ⅓ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- ½ tsp pink himalayan sea salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients with your hands until everything is cohesive.
- Separate into 12 portions, and roll into meatballs.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
