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Healthy turkey meatballs oven-baked with spinach, served with spaghetti.

Healthy Turkey Meatballs

These oven-baked turkey meatballs are tender, flavorful, and easy to make, perfect for quick weeknight dinners and meal prep.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground turkey, preferably 93% lean
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumb (regular or whole wheat) soaked in milk
  • 1/4 cup milk just enough to moisten the crumbs
  • 1 medium grated onion for extra flavor and moisture
  • 2 cloves minced garlic for bold flavor
  • 1 large egg to bind everything
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley or basil, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning a pinch
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for the baking sheet or to lightly brush the meatballs

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment for easy cleanup.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  3. In a bowl, stir the breadcrumbs with the milk until the mixture looks like damp sand.
  4. Add the grated onion, minced garlic, egg, parsley, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to the breadcrumb mixture and stir well.
  5. Gently mix in the ground turkey with a fork or your hands until evenly combined.
  6. Scoop and roll the mixture into meatballs using a small cookie scoop, wetting your hands slightly to prevent sticking.
  7. Place the meatballs on the parchment-lined sheet, spacing them out. Lightly brush with olive oil for browning.
Baking
  1. Bake at 400°F for 14 to 18 minutes, checking for doneness at an internal temperature of 165°F.
  2. For extra browning, switch to broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.

Notes

If the mixture feels sticky, chill it in the fridge for 10 minutes before rolling. Let meatballs rest a few minutes after baking to seal in juices. Great for meal prep and kids' lunchboxes.