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
Printable Recipe
Baked Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
The Sauce:
- â…“ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup agave nectar
- â…“ cup water
- ¼ cup soya sauce
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
The Meatballs:
- 1 ¼ pounds ground turkey meat preferably not extra-lean
- ½ medium yellow onion grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
- ¾ teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
The Sauce:
- In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, agave nectar, water, soya sauce, ¼ cup canola oil, ginger, garlic, flour, and sesame seeds.
- Whisk the sauce together and place over medium heat. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Keep warm.
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.
- 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.
Nutrition
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.
Jo Lynn
I made these last night for dinner and really enjoyed them! I tried another Asian meatball recipe last month (from another blogger) and was very disappointed. The meatballs were very bland with all the flavor packed in the sauce. Your recipe has a nice balance of flavors. The only change I made was to broil the meatballs for an additional 5 minutes at the end to brown them up. I'll definitely make these again--thanks for another great recipe, Dara!
Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction
Saw that you linked these up on Tracy's Super Bowl post... How did I miss them before? They look amazing... I love teriyaki anything. Definitely making these ASAP.
Heather
Thank you for this great recipe. I followed a Pin for another recipe and looked around on your site for a while. When I saw these I knew I would have to try them. We made them tonight and my whole family really liked them. I think I might use a little less vinegar next time, but that is just our personal preference. Very Good!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks so much for commenting, Heather. I'm really glad that you and your family enjoyed them!
love cooking
This is simple and quick, I love it. Not easy to get turkey meat here. Maybe pork, chicken or beef will be great too. 🙂
Jean
The meatballs look so yummy, even during this early hour! I wouldn't mind having a few for breakfast! 🙂
Tracey
I made these the other night for dinner and they were really good! I loved the simplicity, definitely a repeat for us!
Shelby
These look awesome - and I love the Asian sauce - will definitely have to try this one!
Kevin (Closet Cooking)
The teriyaki glaze looks simply perfect on those tasty little meatballs!
Elle
I adore meatballs. Like, really love them. I could eat them all the time! I've made a vegan (though never posted) version of Asian meatballs, and we loved them. I need to revisit the idea. These look fantastic!
A Canadian Foodie
Absolutely stunning. Love the ingredient photo. There is nothing better than a really tasty meatball - especially one that surprises the palate, and this one definitely would. I love making and serving them. Great photos!
🙂
Valerie
Liz
Wonderful flavors in your meatballs...and such gorgeous photos!
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen
These look perfect in every way. I don't think i would be able to resist such yumminess! ♥-K
Heather Davis
These do look really yummy (and dare I say healthy?). Love anything with an asian tang.
Amanda
Oh Dara, my mouth is watering just looking at those!
Rochelle (Acquired Taste)
Lovely photos of some perfect meatballs! I can see using these in a meatball sandwich with Asian flavor, definitely add some extra sauce to that too!
Kay, The Church Cook
These look fantastic, Dara. A big fan of Kayotic Kitchen! You are always so good about highlighting other bloggers. So kind....
Kathy - Panini Happy
These look just wonderful, Dara. Once again you've helped me fill out my weekly meal plan!
Darla @ Bakingdom
I'm a huge fan of meatballs and a huge fan of teriyaki, so these are a match made in heaven for me!
patsyk
I would love to taste test these meatballs! So perfect for sharing with friends at a get-together or an Asian inspired meal... I think my kids would love them!
Sprinkled With Flour
What a wonderful, healthy meatball recipe! I love the teriyaki sauce, which is perfect for my tastes:)