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Home » Seasonal » Turkey » Garlic Parmesan Turkey Meatballs

Garlic Parmesan Turkey Meatballs

Created: December 28, 2018 Updated: December 21, 2021 by lyuba 82 Comments

102.6K shares
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Juicy Turkey Meatballs are packed with flavors of garlic, Parmesan cheese, and herbs. These meatballs are perfect for a weekend dinner and can be made ahead of time for a quick weeknight meal. Paired perfectly with a simple Garlic Parmesan Cream Sauce.

Turkey Meatballs in a pan

Turkey Meatballs

Turkey meatballs make a healthier alternative since turkey is such a lean meat. But, just because they are leaner and healthier, it does not mean that these meatballs are any less juicy and flavorful.

Some brands make a variety of lean to fat ratio in ground turkey but the most common one is 93%/7% meat to fat. This ground turkey will work great for meatballs.

I don’t recommend extra lean ground turkey because every time I’ve tried it, meat comes out too dry. No matter how much you want to keep the fat out, there just has to be some fat for a moist, juicy meatball.

These meatballs can be served without sauce, of course. You can even serve them with some homemade marinara sauce because the flavors in the meatballs will compliment classic marinara sauce well.

I’ve paired these turkey meatballs with some creamy garlic Parmesan sauce. It’s very easy to whisk together and cook with meatballs. Even if the meatballs are prepared ahead of time or frozen, this sauce can easily be whipped up in a couple of minutes and added to meatballs while reheating.

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Juicy Turkey on a serving platter with tooth picks

How to make turkey meatballs:

These meatballs are made on stove top and in the oven, so use an oven-safe pan to cook.

Prepare the meat first by combining the ingredients in the mixing bowl and mixing them well.

Start preheating the pan on medium heat while rolling the meatballs. Preheat oven to 350.

Tip: use a cookie scoop to get an even amount of meat mixture so the meatballs are all the same. I like to use #40 cookie scoop.

Roll the meatballs and place them on a cutting board of parchment paper while the pan is preheating.

Add oil and place meatballs in the pan. Cook for a few minutes on one side. Gently shake the pan to loosen the meatballs and flip each meatball.

Whisk sauce ingredients together and pour it all over the meatballs.

Transfer the pan into the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes.

Take out and garnish with a little more shaved Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Turkey Meatballs in a pan with toothpick

Can I freeze meatballs?

These turkey meatballs can be frozen.

To freeze them, use the same method as I use for preparing beef meatballs for freezing. So instead of cooking them on stove-top and then in the oven with sauce, just bake them until done and freeze without sauce.

Thaw the meatballs in the refrigerator overnight.

To prepare the meatballs with sauce, place thawed meatballs in a baking dish and add sauce. Bake for about 15 minutes, until sauce bubbles around the edges.

Juicy Turkey Meatballs with toothpicks

Can these meatballs be gluten free?

Yes! To make these meatballs gluten free you simply swap a regular slice of bread for gluten free bread. Sauce is already gluten free because it’s made with corn starch.

Some more dinner recipes to try:

Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs

Italian Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs

Chicken Parmesan

Crock Pot Meatloaf

Cheese Ball Bites

Juicy Turkey Meatballs in a pan

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PIN THIS RECIPE

Turkey Meatballs In Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce

Juicy Turkey Meatballs are packed with flavors of garlic, Parmesan cheese, and herbs. Paired perfectly with a simple Garlic Parmesan Cream Sauce.
4.63 from 56 votes
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Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: cream sauce, meatballs, sauce, turkey
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 10 (Makes about 40 meatballs)
Calories: 267kcal

Ingredients

Turkey Meatballs:

  • 2 lbs ground turkey 93/7% lean
  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 extra large egg
  • 2 oz slice of bread
  • 2 tbsp milk for soaking bread
  • 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • salt

Garlic Parmesan Sauce:

  • 1 cup chicken stock or broth
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup dry Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
  • 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
  • salt
  • fresh cracked black pepper

Garnish:

  • shaved Parmesan cheese
  • minced fresh parsley
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • These meatballs are made on stove top and in the oven, so use an oven-safe pan to cook.
  • Gently squeeze out the milk from the bread, place wet bread in the mixing bowl and break it up into small pieces. Add remaining ingredients for the meatballs and mix everything well.
  • Start preheating the pan on medium heat while rolling the meatballs. Preheat oven to 350.
  • Use a cookie scoop to get an even amount of meat mixture so the meatballs are all the same. I like to use #40 cookie scoop. (If you don't have a scoop, just roll the meatballs freehand but try to get them the same size.)
  • Roll the meatballs and place them on a cutting board of parchment paper while the pan is preheating.
  • Add oil to the pan and place meatballs in the pan. Cook for a few minutes on one side. Gently shake the pan to loosen the meatballs and flip each meatball.
  • Whisk sauce ingredients together and pour it all over the meatballs.
  • Transfer the pan into the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes.
  • Take out the meatballs and garnish with a some shaved Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Video

Notes

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have a slight variation

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 373mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 635IU | Vitamin C: 3.2mg | Calcium: 158mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles

Juicy Turkey Meatballs are packed with flavors of garlic, Parmesan cheese, and herbs. Paired perfectly with a simple Garlic Parmesan Cream Sauce. #meatballs #turkey #turkeymeatballs #sauce #creamsauce #dinner #appetizer

LYUBA

ABOUT LYUBA

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read more...

102.6K shares

Filed Under: Appetizers, Dinner, New Year's, Super Bowl Recipes, Turkey Tagged With: cream sauce, meatballs, sauce

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

Comments

  1. Charity says

    June 9, 2020 at 12:06 pm

    Awesome recipe, kid friendly, my family loved it!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      June 10, 2020 at 4:15 pm

      Hi Charity,

      I am so glad you liked it! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
      • Angie Smith says

        December 15, 2022 at 5:11 pm

        My sauce turned out kind of lumpy like cottage cheese? Did I overcook it?

        Reply
        • LyubaB says

          December 20, 2022 at 5:06 pm

          Hi Angie, I think you must have either scolded the cream on the cooktop and it separated or something was wrong with your cream. I would try it on a lower setting next time. It shouldn’t boil or it could separate.

          Reply
  2. Elaine C Washington says

    September 18, 2020 at 1:09 pm

    Can these be served over pasta for a main course? Any adjustments? Thanks!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      September 18, 2020 at 1:56 pm

      Hi Elaine,

      The dish is pretty saucy but if you like your pasta with a lot of sauce you may want to double the sauce for it.

      Reply
  3. K-Sissy says

    September 25, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    Can the heavy cream be replaced with something else? I have to keep my fat intake low.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      September 28, 2020 at 2:43 pm

      If you want you can skip the creamy sauce and add a little extra cheese on top or you can use whole milk instead of heavy cream but I wouldn’t go less then whole milk because it will make it watery, you may also need to increase the corn starch just a little bit to help it thicken.

      Reply
      • Allison says

        September 14, 2022 at 6:02 pm

        I used plain Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream & it turned out amazing!

        Reply
        • LyubaB says

          September 20, 2022 at 12:37 pm

          Awesome! I am so glad that it worked out for you and you liked it!

          Reply
    • Linda A O'Connell says

      April 7, 2021 at 4:53 pm

      You could also substitute with fat free half & half. Might have to increase the cornstarch a little with that too.

      Reply
  4. Chelsea says

    November 29, 2020 at 6:31 pm

    5 stars
    Followed the recipe as followed and it was delicious! Very creamy. Will definitely make this next time we have family over.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      November 30, 2020 at 2:32 pm

      I am so glad you liked them, Chelsea!

      Reply
  5. Mojoblogs says

    December 17, 2020 at 3:08 am

    5 stars
    This is such a great recipe. Thank you for sharing this.

    Reply
  6. Sarah says

    January 17, 2021 at 5:06 pm

    5 stars
    Tried these a few weeks ago, this recipe is now added to my bi-weekly meal plans it was SOOO delicious!!1

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      January 19, 2021 at 1:40 pm

      Thank you, Sarah! I am so happy you liked them!

      Reply
  7. Jack says

    January 20, 2021 at 4:56 am

    These meatballs can be served without sauce, of course. You can even serve them with some homemade marinara sauce because the flavors in the meatballs will compliment classic marinara sauce well.

    I’ve paired these turkey meatballs with some creamy garlic Parmesan sauce. It’s very easy to whisk together and cook with meatballs. Even if the meatballs are prepared ahead of time or frozen, this sauce can easily be whipped up in a couple of minutes and added to meatballs while reheating.

    Reply
  8. Holly Williams says

    February 16, 2021 at 9:46 pm

    5 stars
    These were amazing! Made with chicken we ground ourselves, flour instead of cornstarch since I forgot to buy, otherwise followed exactly. Creamy, cheesy, garlicky goodness!!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      February 18, 2021 at 10:10 am

      Hi Holly,

      I am so happy they turned out for you! 🙂

      Reply
  9. AnneN says

    February 26, 2021 at 11:32 pm

    My daughter in law and I made this recipe tonight and it is SO good! We added extra onion, fresh garlic and parm cheese to the meatballs and man they were out of this world for Turkey meatballs. We will definately make this again!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      March 1, 2021 at 9:59 am

      Awesome! Happy you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  10. Fintech FINMA says

    February 27, 2021 at 5:19 am

    Hello
    These were amazing! Made with chicken we ground ourselves, flour instead of cornstarch since I forgot to buy, otherwise followed exactly. Creamy,

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      March 1, 2021 at 9:59 am

      Thank you! I am so glad you liked them!

      Reply
  11. Vanessa Zurn says

    April 26, 2021 at 10:19 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe was amazing!! Both my husband and kids enjoyed it so that is a success in the mom book!!!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      April 29, 2021 at 4:53 pm

      I am so glad you liked it!

      Reply
  12. Suzanne Port says

    May 2, 2021 at 8:12 pm

    5 stars
    My husband and I LOVED this and my husband has been very skeptical that ground turkey could taste good. So delicious and filling for low calories. We made with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      May 3, 2021 at 9:39 am

      Yum! I am so glad he liked it! Thanks for stopping by to let me know! 🙂

      Reply
  13. Tom Lucas says

    July 25, 2021 at 12:01 pm

    Call me lazy but I’d like to make this with pre-cooked frozen meatballs. Do you think if I made the sauce and put it in the crockpot for a few hours with the meatballs it would still be good?

    Reply
    • Kat Daniels says

      December 7, 2021 at 8:53 am

      5 stars
      I think it would still be delicious.

      Reply
  14. Julie says

    September 8, 2021 at 9:15 am

    Are the calories really for 10 meatballs??

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      September 13, 2021 at 8:08 pm

      Hi Julie,

      It makes about 40 meatballs which is 10 servings so 4 meatballs per serving. Sorry if that was confusing.

      Reply
  15. Beth says

    December 29, 2021 at 12:12 pm

    Can these be kept in a crockpot to serve as an appetizer at a party?

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      January 3, 2022 at 3:01 pm

      Absolutely, just put it to warm.

      Reply
  16. Crissy says

    April 9, 2022 at 3:00 pm

    5 stars
    These were delicious! The sauce thickened up so nicely in the oven! We served this with egg noodles, peas, corn, and bread!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      April 11, 2022 at 11:05 am

      Yum! I am so pleased you liked it, Crissy!

      Reply
  17. Shannon Landry says

    April 13, 2022 at 7:00 pm

    5 stars
    I’m a vegetarian so I did not eat any of this but my husband and two sons did. My husband said it was really good and when I reheated it for leftovers he mentioned it again so I know it was a great recipe! The first night I made them on deli style hot dog buns and he said it would be better on egg noodles so that is what I did with with leftover meatballs.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      April 21, 2022 at 11:04 am

      Glad they liked it, Shannon!

      Reply
  18. B.G. says

    September 23, 2022 at 9:10 pm

    EXCELLENT!!!! Will definitely make again!!!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      September 26, 2022 at 11:17 am

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
  19. Deann M Cheponis says

    September 27, 2022 at 11:00 am

    Fantastic and easy recipe. Will definitely make again.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      September 27, 2022 at 12:49 pm

      I am so glad you liked it, Deann!

      Reply
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Well, hey there!

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read More.

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