Easy oven baked turkey meatballs baked in a muffin pan. Make a few batches and freeze these healthy meatballs for quick dinners in less than 30 minutes!
Wow, are you excited and ready for the big Turkey Day!?! I sure have turkey on my mind lately and have been stoked to share this recipe with you because it is so easy! Meatballs come in all shapes and sizes. Some are large round and plump like a giant hamburger formed into a ball. Some are tiny perfect mini appetizer bites dressed in chipotle sauce or barbecue sauce. And some are perfectly sized circles baked in a muffin pan instead of prepared stove-top. Stove-top meatballs are so nice because it leaves the stove open for cooking just noodles and sauce. And no slaving, frying or wondering if the center is cooked through.
Related: Turkey Meatloaf Recipe Packed With Veggies
If you are like me, just when you start to wonder what is for dinner your brain goes into brain-dump mode and shuts down. I mean REALLY shuts down like it freaks out like a robot going into overdrive and has sparks flying about everywhere!
I feel like this all the time when dinner should be ready in less than 30 minutes and the closest, easiest thing that comes to mind is pasta. Pasta is great and all, but so much better with thick juicy meatballs piled high on top! While the pasta cooks just mix, grind, roll and bake these Italian meatballs for dinner in less than 30 minutes!
If you want a super speedy dinner make them ahead of time and freeze them. That way when it is pasta night they can defrost as the tomato sauce simmers to finger licking perfection!
Pinterest has so many vegetarian meatball recipes that are exquisite! Quinoa meatballs, grain-free meatballs, cauliflower meatballs, and zucchini meatballs…. just to name a few. But sometimes there is no comparison as to biting into a meaty oven baked turkey meatball! One itty-bitty problem… mixing up the ground turkey, creating rounds and frying them in a sauce pan sounds rather hard and time consuming. Not to mention uses too many extra dishes when already cooking up the pasta and sauce on the stove. The best solution is to bake them!
Oven baked turkey meatballs are lower in fat than stove-top meatball recipes.
How are they lower in fat? Thanks to making these meatballs in one bowl then baking them in a muffin tin there is no frying oils needed. But I do suggest drizzling olive oil or avocado oil over them if eating them as mini appetizers, or adding your favorite dipping sauce. Oil is better for you not cooked anyways and gives these healthy baked meatballs an earthy divine taste.
Ways to use Turkey Meatballs
There are so many ways to make meatballs! And here are a few suggestions to fun ways to eat these oven baked turkey meatballs (because they WILL knock your socks off!):
- Make them as an appetizer with fresh fruit and vegetable skewers.
- Freeze them for easy weeknight dinners with pasta.
- Dip them in hummus for delicious HANGRY protein snack-attack!
- Stuff them in a roll and top with sauce and melted cheese for meatball subs.
- Serve on a slice of bread as open-faced meatball sandwiches.
PIN IT!
Healthy Oven Baked Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra lean ground turkey meat
- 1 egg large
- 2 Tablespoons organic ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons beef rub seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning mix
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- fresh parsley garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 350 degrees F. Spray silicone muffin pan or muffin tin with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl add all the ground turkey, onion powder, garlic powder, beef rub, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning mix and apple cider vinegar. Using your hands mix together and "knead" the meat mixture until the ingredients are well combined.
- Roll the mixture into 12 balls and place in the muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with parsley before serving.
- Store in the freezer for a quick meal!
