Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs (with Sneaky Veggies)
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Made with lean ground turkey, fresh herbs, sneaky veggies and so much flavor, these Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs are a tasty, healthy, protein-rich addition to any meal. Or try our Baked Turkey Meatballs instead.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s SO nutritious. High protein (check). Sneaky veggies (check). Lean meat (check).
- It’s SO easy. Even a beginner cook could make these air fryer turkey meatballs.
- This recipe can be used in many different ways: Over pasta with marinara sauce, in a meatball sub, or as an appetizer!
- Turkey meatballs are freezer-friendly. Similar to our Air Fryer Turkey Burgers, this is such a great recipe to prep ahead for the freezer or to prep as a meal to take to others.
- It’s family-friendly. This recipe is one that all ages will enjoy.
Ingredients Needed
Before we get cooking, let’s pull together everything you’ll need. Most of these ingredients are pantry staples, and you might already have them on hand.
Ingredient Notes
- Lean ground turkey – I prefer using 93% or 99% lean so these don’t get too greasy. Even the leanest ground turkey yielded moist meatballs in my tests. You can also sub ground chicken instead.
- Shredded zucchini – Use a box grater or food processor to finely shred and then place it in a tea towel. Squeeze the heck out of it over the sink to get most of the liquid of it. This is super important! P.S. You can also use shredded carrot instead, if you’d like.
- Panko bread crumbs – Preferably whole wheat. Or use gluten-free Panko bread crumbs.
- Marinara sauce – You can make your own or buy it from the store. We love Raos brand.
- Optional for serving: 1 pound whole grain spaghetti or angel hair pasta
Testing Notes & Tips from Polly’s Kitchen
- I used 99% lean ground turkey and these turned out super moist on the inside and golden brown on the outside.
- It’s super duper important to squeeze as much water out of the shredded zucchini as you can you don’t end up with soggy meatballs. The best way to do this is the put it in an old tea towel and squeeze it over the sink until most of the moisture is out.
- A meat thermometer is the best way to make sure you don’t overcook these. Check the internal temp in several of the meatballs at 8 minutes. If they are at least 160°F internally, it’s time to remove them.
- Depending on the size of your air fryer, you’ll likely need to cook these in two batches. It’s important that you don’t overcrowd your air fryer so they cook evenly.
How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Make the Meat Mixture & Roll the Meatballs
In a large mixing bowl, add all of the meatball ingredients and mix together gently using a fork.
Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. I use a small ice cream scoop and then my hands to form its shape. (Tip: Wet your hands so the mixture doesn’t stick.)
Air Fry the Meatballs
Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Arrange meatballs in air fryer basket, spaced evenly apart. You’ll likely have to cook these in two batches, depending on the size of your air fryer. Cook for 8-10 minutes per batch, shaking them halfway through cooking time.
Meatballs are done when they register at least 160°F internally with a meat thermometer (they will continue to carry-over cook and reach the safe internal temp of 165°F within a few minutes).
Optional: Warm in Sauce
If you’d like, place all the cooked meatballs and some marinara sauce in a large pot. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is warmed through and the flavors blend, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
How to Serve Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
There are many ways you can serve your turkey meatballs.
- Over pasta: As mentioned in the method above, serve your turkey meatballs over your favorite pasta.
- With veggies: Serve your turkey meatballs with a side of roasted vegetables, such as broccoli, green beans, or carrots.
- Make a meatball sub: Make a turkey meatball sub by placing the meatballs in a roll or baguette with some marinara sauce and melted cheese.
- With rice or quinoa: Serve your turkey meatballs over a bed of rice or quinoa, along with roasted veggies.
- As an appetizer: Serve mini turkey meatballs as an appetizer at your next party or gathering. You can make them bite-sized and serve them on toothpicks with a warm marinara sauce.
How to Freeze Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for make-ahead freezer meals.
Not only have we written two freezer meal cookbooks, but we also have some amazing 1 Hour Freezer Prep Plans that walk you through how to make 6 meals in one hour.
Freeze for Later: Roll meatball mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and place on a sheet pan in the freezer until solidly frozen (about 2 hours). Toss frozen meatballs in a freezer container or bag, seal well (squeeze out excess air), and freeze for up to 3 months or so.
Prepare from Frozen: Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Add frozen meatballs, leaving room between them (you may have to do two batches), and air fry for 12-15 minutes, shaking halfway through, or until done (160-165°F internally).
What kind of air fryer do you use?
We both use the 6 quart Instant Pot Vortex Plus Air Fryer and highly recommend it.
Here’s what we love about it:
- America’s Test Kitchen said it’s #1 in their tests.
- Extra-large capacity. (I fit 12+ meatballs in it.)
- Wide drawer-style basket that is easy to remove and insert.
- The drawer and cooking rack are dish washer safe.
- Super easy to use digital controls.
- It cooks food to perfection!
Rachel & Polly’s Air Fryer Tips
Try these tips to get the best results when using an air fryer:
- Don’t overcrowd the basket: It is important to leave some space between the food in the air fryer basket so the hot air can circulate around the food and cook it evenly.
- Shake the basket: Shaking the basket halfway through the cooking time can help your food cook evenly on all sides.
- Experiment with cooking times and temperatures: Every air fryer is different, so it may take some trial and error to find the best cooking time and temperature for your favorite foods.
- Clean your air fryer regularly: Regular cleaning can help your air fryer operate at its best.
FAQs
I prefer using 93% or 99% lean so these don’t get too greasy. Even the leanest ground turkey yielded moist meatballs in my tests. You can also sub ground chicken instead. Always check the ingredient list. Sometimes ground turkey can have weird additives.
Turkey is a leaner meat than beef or pork, meaning it has less fat and fewer calories.
Turkey meatballs can dry out quickly if overcooked or if the mixture is too lean. To prevent this, we have moist shredded veggies and egg in our recipe. Also, be sure not to overcook the meatballs – they should be cooked through but still moist and tender. Check the internal temp at 8 minutes.
The safe cooking temperature for turkey meatballs (and all ground poultry) is 165°F. This is the temperature at which harmful bacteria like salmonella are destroyed. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meatballs. You can actually remove them at 160°F and let them sit for 3-5 minutes. They will continue to carry-over cook during that time and reach the safe temp.
In a preheated air fryer at 400°F, you’ll cook the turkey meatballs for 8-10 minutes or until they reach at least 160°F internally. Let them rest another 3-5 minutes so they will carry-over cook and reach the USDA’s recommended safe internal cooking temp of 165°F.
Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup finely shredded zucchini, squeezed of all excess liquid (about 1/2 small one; sub: shredded carrot)
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (preferably whole wheat)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (sub: fresh basil)
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup (preferably organic)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound lean ground turkey (sub: ground chicken)
- Optional for serving: 5 cups marinara sauce (about 2 regular-sized jars)
- Optional for serving: 1 pound cooked whole grain spaghetti or angel hair pasta
Instructions
- Combine Meat Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, add shredded zucchini (or carrots), Parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, beaten egg, ketchup, salt, and pepper and stir until combined with a fork (until it's crumbly and fully mixed). Add the ground turkey and use the fork to gently combine all the ingredients together until well mixed, taking care not to compress the mixture.
- Prep Air Fryer: Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray. Preheat to 400°F.
- Roll Meatballs: To make the meatballs, scoop a heaping tablespoon of mixture per meatball and shape into 1 1/2-inch diameter meatballs. (Tip: Wet your hands a little to prevent sticking.)
- Cook: Once preheated, arrange meatballs in air fryer basket, spaced evenly apart. (Note: You'll likely have to cook these in two batches or freeze half the meatballs for another meal.)Cook for 8-10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through the cooking time. Meatballs are done when they register at least 160°F internally with a meat thermometer. (They will continue to carry-over cook and reach the recommended 165°F as the rest for 3-5 minutes.)
- Optional – Warm in Sauce: Place all the meatballs and some marinara sauce in a stockpot. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors blend, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. (Make sure to put the lid on. It splatters!)
- Optional: Serve over whole grain spaghetti or angel hair pasta. Top with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and more fresh herbs.
Freezer Instructions
Notes/Tips
- It worth noting that with so many different models of air fryers out there, the cooking time may vary a bit.
- It’s very likely you’ll have leftover meatballs. Freeze them for later!
- Dairy-Free Version: In place of Parmesan cheese, use more breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt.
- Gluten-Free Version: In place of the Panko bread crumbs, use almond meal or gluten-free bread crumbs. Serve over gluten-free pasta. I really like Banza brand.
Nutrition
More Meatball Recipes
We love meatballs because people of all ages love them, they are easy to make, and super easy to freeze for later. Try some of our other favorites.
We loved these! It’s hard to get decent flavor in a ground turkey recipe, but these were so tasty and easy to make. We used grated carrots in ours but will try the zucchini next. We love how the air fryer browns and crisps these up before simmering in the sauce. We made more and put them in the freezer for later.
Hi Laura. Thank you for leaving a review and letting us know that the carrot substitution worked well. Glad you have some in the freezer for your future self to thank you!
Wow – these are so easy and so delicious. I love that they are a touch healthier too.
Yay so glad you liked them.