Spiced-Up Ground Turkey Meatballs
These super tasty turkey meatballs can be baked in the oven or cooked in a skillet on the stovetop. Seasoned with Middle-Eastern spices like cumin, paprika and packed with fresh herbs, the juicy meatballs make a meal served with vegetables or salad greens, along with your favorite sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds (675 g) ground turkey dark thigh meat preferred
- ½ red onion grated on a box grater
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, chopped parsley, mint or a combination plus additional for garnish
- 1 garlic clove grated or pressed
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine turkey, onion, cilantro, garlic, egg, cumin, paprika, salt, sriracha and cayenne pepper. Mix until combined, then form into 1 1/2-inch diameter meatballs with damp hands, or a small cookie scoop.
- Stovetop directions: Heat the oil a 12-inch nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Arrange meatballs in pan and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 total. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook until the meatballs are cooked through, about 5 more minutes. To check for doneness, insert the tip of an instant read thermometer halfway into a meatball to check that the internal temperature is about 165 degrees.
- Baking directions: Preheat the oven to 425 (220 C) degrees. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil or line with parchment paper for easy clean up. Bake 8 minutes. Turn the meatballs over with a spatula or tongs and bake 8-10 more minutes, until cooked through.
- Sprinkle the meatballs with fresh chopped cilantro (or other fresh herbs) and serve.
Notes
- I size the meatballs so that will cook quickly — about 10 minutes on the stovetop. To double check for doneness, insert the tip of an instant read thermometer halfway into a meatball to check that the internal temperature is close to 165 degrees.
- Baking turkey meatballs: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the meatballs on a baking sheet line with parchment paper (for the easiest clean-up). Bake 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through.
- Storing meatballs: Meatballs will keep in the refrigerator 3-5 days.
- Freezer directions: To freeze, arrange the meatballs in one layer on a tray and freeze until solid. Transfer to a ziplock bag or other airtight container and freeze 1-2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 47kcalCarbohydrates: 0.5gProtein: 7gFat: 2gSodium: 165mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.1g
