This air fryer turkey meatballs recipe is a great way to get a fast dinner on the table, or get a head start on your weekly meal prep. These all purpose meatballs are great on their own, or mixed in your favorite sauce like a marinara or teriyaki sauce.
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Why my Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
If you're looking to eat a bit lighter, these turkey meatballs are a healthy protein option to serve with my roasted broccoli or a carrot cucumber salad for a low fat, easy dinner.
The air fryer makes cooking quick! They cook up in about 7 minutes for a dinner or lunch that's fast.
Since the flavor of these turkey meatballs is neutral you can serve them with just about anything. Try these comfort food pairings: baked mac and cheese or my loaded mashed potatoes.
Or, if you want to make these more Italian, add half a teaspoon or oregano and basil. Add some feta cheese for a Greek taste, or my fajita seasoning to get that Tex Mex taste.
Key Ingredients
Ground turkey - use 93% lean. I don't recommend using extra lean (99%) as it will be dry. However, it may be substituted if you have dietary concerns.
Garlic - or garlic powder. I use these interchangeably, depending on what I have on hand.
Onion powder - I prefer onion powder to chopped onion. You can use grated onion in place of powder.
Tomato paste - or ketchup. I use these interchangeably depending on what I have on hand. Both will give a slight sweet tomato flavor.
Worcestershire sauce - gives a nice depth of flavor and brings out the meaty flavor of the turkey.
Dijon Mustard - mustard and turkey are a nice flavor combination.
Egg - helps bind it all together.
Breadcrumbs - homemade, soft bread crumbs, dry bread crumbs, or panko all work fine. Omit if you don't have any or you need gluten free version. You can also try gluten free bread crumbs.
Instructions
Step One: Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Use your hands to combine and don't over mix.
Step Two: Spray the palms of your hands with cooking spray or coat with oil. Form about 15-17 meatballs (about 1.5 inches in size). Set aside on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.
Step Three: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 C). Once heated, spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place meatballs in a single layer in the basket and cook for 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Repeat the process until all meatballs are cooked.
Top tips
- Try to make your meatballs about the same size. This will help them cook evenly. A melon baller works great for even sizes.
- Don't overcrowd the basket.
- Use a meat thermometer to acutely test for doneness. This is my go - to kitchen essential!
- You can vary the size of the meatballs, but you will need to adjust the cooking time. Smaller meatballs will cook faster and larger meatballs will take longer.
How to serve turkey meatballs
Eat them as is for a snack - maybe with just some homemade ranch, blue cheese or sriracha mayo , or my Asian dipping sauce.
Have them on a salad or with your favorite side dish.
Add to your favorite spaghetti sauce and serve with pasta or zoodles.
Toss with teriyaki, sweet and sour, or orange sauce and serve over rice.
Make meatball subs with a hoagie roll, marinara, cheese and toast to perfection.
Storage
- Store covered in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days. These are my favorite storage containers.
- Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating
- To reheat from refrigerated: microwave desired amount until heated through. Be sure to cover the container to keep the moisture in.
- Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Air fry at 325 degrees F for 3 to 5 minutes.
- To reheat from frozen: Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 15 to 18 minutes.
- Air fry at 380 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.
Always use your meat thermometer to be sure your meat is warmed to the safe temperature of 165 degrees F.
Most asked questions
Your meatballs may be overcooked or over mixed. Combine ingredients until just mixed. I find using your hands is the best way. Use gloves to keep hands clean.
Yes, you can but it's not necessary to use it for this recipe and I don't recommend it because it may interfere with the cooking process. Simply spraying the basket with oil spray is enough to keep the meatballs from sticking.
Cook meatballs in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
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Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey 93/7
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic crushed or finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup
- 2 teaspoons parsley dried or 1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Use your hands to combine and don't overmix.
- Spray the palms of your hands with cooking spray or coat with oil. Form about 15-17 meatballs (about 1.5 inches in size). Set aside on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 C). Once heated, spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place meatballs in a single layer in the basket and cook for 7 minutes (shake halfway through), or until lightly browned and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Repeat the process until all meatballs are cooked.
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