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These Baked Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs are a long-time family favorite. Serve them for dinner over rice, or as an appetizer.

A few days ago, I was cruising around the internet, looking through some of my favorite food blogs when I stumbled upon a recipe for Cherry Coke & Jalapeno Meatballs from Kay of Kayotic Kitchen. Kay, otherwise known as the cooking Dutch girl, hails from Gouda in the Netherlands. For those of us who are not multilingual, I personally thank her for blogging in English so that we can enjoy her inventive recipes and beautiful photos. Well, I guess we could enjoy her photos in any language, but you get my drift. Not only is Kay a talented photographer, but she has a wit and joyful spirit that shines through in her writing and in the stories she tells about her beautiful little boy.

Back to the meatballs. There was something about the spice mix of paprika, nutmeg and cayenne that caught my attention and wouldn't let go. Or perhaps it was the glaze, bubbling and rich with the flavors of cherry, brown sugar, and jalapeno peppers. Whatever it was, I simply could not get meatballs off my mind. And turkey meatballs are always a hit with my boys!

I pulled out the recipe for my Greek Turkey Meatball Sandwich and replaced the Mediterranean flavors with Asian-inspired ones. The meatballs get a kick from five-spice powder and fresh ginger. The size is a hefty mouthful, which works well for a knife-and-fork dinner. However, if you wish to serve them as hors d'oeuvres, you might want to make them a tad smaller. If you do, be sure to reduce the cooking time.

The teriyaki sauce comes straight from Fusilli with Teriyaki Salmon and Vegetables. Store-bought teriyaki sauce really can not hold a candle to homemade versions, so be sure to take the extra 10 minutes to make your own.

Thank you for the inspiration, Kay.

The recipe:

The meatballs:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, grated onion, garlic, ginger, parsley, five-spice powder, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.

Mix well to combine. Using a 2 tablespoon portion of the turkey mixture, form meatballs by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.

Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and cooked through, about 15 minutes.

The teriyaki sauce:

In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, agave nectar, water, soy sauce, canola oil, flour, ginger, garlic, and sesame seeds.

Whisk the sauce together and place over medium heat. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes. Keep warm.

Brush the meatballs liberally with the sauce.

Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

These can be served over rice or as hors d'oeuvres. Either way, serve with the extra sauce.

Other healthy meatball recipes:

Honey Garlic Baked Turkey Meatballs
Slow Cooker Spaghetti & Meatballs
Greek Turkey Meatball Sandwich

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