Who can resist a plateful of Honey Garlic Baked Turkey Meatballs?! Great as appetizers or served over rice as an easy dinner. 239 calories and 7 Weight Watchers SP
We are fans of all-things-meatballs in this house, and these Honey Garlic Baked Turkey Meatballs are taking one of the top spots in my family's rankings. Every day when they walk through the door after school, my boys ask me what we're having for dinner (they are their mother's boys - always thinking of the next meal). If the answer involves meatballs of any kind, I am rewarded with a fist pump and hug.
Baked Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs are their all-time favorites, but over-sized Italian Turkey Meatballs and even Baked Salmon Meatballs (with a creamy avocado sauce!) are just as popular.
The inspiration for these honey garlic meatballs came from a Cooking Light Magazine spiced chicken thigh recipe that I've been making for years. The basic spice rub for the chicken turned into a mix-in of spices, including chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and cayenne pepper, for the meatball mixture, and the honey-apple cider glaze is brushed onto the meatballs in the last couple of minutes of baking time.
How to make healthy turkey meatballs:
To keep the meatballs tender and juicy, opt for lean turkey (93% lean) rather than extra lean (99%). That little bit of extra fat makes all the difference in both taste and texture when making meatballs. To read more about when to use lean vs. extra lean, head to 15 Ground Turkey Recipes & Cooking Tips.
My family aren't fans of big chunks of onion in their meatballs. Rather than leaving out the onions altogether and missing out on that layer of flavor, I grate the onions on the large holes of a box grater (affiliate link). Include both the grated onion and any accumulated juices into the meatball mixture.
The most time consuming part of making meatballs is rolling them into even little spheres. My trick is to use a cookie scoop to evenly portion out the turkey mixture, followed by a quick roll between my palms. Once I get on a roll (so to speak), it takes no more than five minutes to finish the task.
How to serve these baked turkey meatballs:
While I served these honey garlic meatballs over brown rice with a side of stir fried cabbage as an easy dinner, I'm also tucking this recipe into my appetizer files. Stick a toothpick or a fancy appetizer pick into each meatball. They are guaranteed to disappear from the appetizer table in minutes!
Are these meatballs gluten free?
No, they're not. However, the only ingredient with gluten is the breadcrumbs and are easily replaced. Gluten free bread crumbs are available at many healthy food stores or online (affiliate link). Alternatively, you can make your own gluten free breadcrumbs by pulsing gluten free crackers in a food processor or using gluten free bread and following my directions in my post on How to Make Breadcrumbs.
Other healthy ground turkey recipes:
Turkey Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes {Cookin' Canuck}
Southwestern Turkey Rice Casserole {Cookin' Canuck}
Baked Pasta with Ground Turkey {Feel Good Foodie}
Ground Turkey & Veggie Brown Rice Bowls {Life Is But a Dish}
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Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- ½ yellow onion grated
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs or regular panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the turkey, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, parsley, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir to mix well.
- Using a scant 2 tablespoons per meatball (a medium cookie scoop works well), form meatballs by rolling the turkey mixture between the palms of your hands. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs until just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and apple cider. Brush the meatballs with the honey mixture. Bake for additional 2 minutes. Serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on March 13, 2017 and updated with new information on March 5, 2020.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Lainey
Can I freeze them?
Dara
Yes, they can be frozen without the glaze mentioned in Step 5 of the recipe directions. I recommend cooking the meatballs, then cooling to room temperature. Transfer the meatballs to a clean baking sheet (leave space between them) and flash freeze them. Then transfer to a resealable freezer bag or container, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw the meatballs in the refrigerator, then bake until heated through, brushing the meatballs with the glaze in the last 2 minutes of cooking.
Rose
Great recipe ! I’d definitely make this again. I added an egg and soaked the breadcrumbs in milk, which made these so moist and delicious.
Shaun
Meatballs were easy to make and taste awesome.
imsen
LOVE this meatball recipe. It’s my go-to favorite recipe for meatballs.
Dara
That's great to hear!
Debbie
I made these tonight...very easy and very tasty! I used Rice Vinegar as a sub for apple cider vinegar...(thank you google) I served it over brown rice and spooned some pan drippings on top of the rice. I also made a cucumber and tomato salad to go with it...trying to eat healthy! I think I made the meatballs a little too big since a serving size is 5 meatballs and there is only enough for another serving and a half!
ll be making this again.
Sara
These wanted to be Mexican with the flavor profile, but the sweetness of the glaze didn't line up with that. Worried that these would be too dry without some fat and a binder, I added an egg. These were still very dry and crumbly, as ground turkey can be with a confusing flavor. I ate them, though they weren't my favorite. My daughter and husband pushed their plates away after one meatball and made something else for themselves. If these were topped with fresh salsa or given some other boost of Mexican flavor as a larger recipe, these could work with modification. On their own, they just fall flat.
Dara
Sara, sorry to hear you didn't enjoy them. Regarding the "dry and crumbly" comment, did you use lean or extra lean ground turkey? The recipe calls for lean (93%), which should keep the meatballs nice and moist.
Calli
what can i substitute for apple cider vinager?
Dara
Red wine vinegar would work.