This might be one of the most “vintage” dinner recipes I’ve revived, because I literally published it in 2012. Wild!
I remember testing this recipe because when I was making dinner one night, all I had in my cupboard was a jar of pasta sauce. Man, that sauce looked good. Like I sort of wanted to eat it out of the jar and call it dinner.
I ended up searching the freezer and found lean ground turkey, so these perfect, easy, healthy turkey meatballs came to life, and quickly became one of my go-to meatball recipes.
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Fall in love with turkey meatballs
As you’ll notice on my site, I love making homemade meatballs using ground turkey (or ground chicken) rather than beef for a slightly leaner source of protein. One serving of these healthy turkey meatballs packs over 20g of protein! You can also use ground chicken if you’d like, or stick with beef if that’s your jam.
Ingredients in healthy turkey meatballs
These delicious meatballs are simple to make with a few staple ingredients and plenty of spices. You’ll need:
- Ground turkey: I used 93% in this recipe so that there is still some juiciness to the meatballs.
- Binders: you’ll need an egg and panko breadcrumbs to help hold the meatballs together. See below for gluten-free and grain-free options!
- Herbs & spices: we’re adding fresh basil, Italian seasoning, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes (if you like a little heat), salt, and pepper. Trust me, these are bursting with flavor!
- Dijon mustard: a secret ingredient to give these meatballs a little zing.
- Pasta sauce: you can use a pasta sauce of your choice! I like a simple, store-bought tomato basil sauce if I’m short on time. I’ve even added mushrooms to the sauce to jazz it up – so good!
- Burrata cheese: can’t go wrong with gooey cheese, but feel free to leave it out to keep this recipe dairy-free. Fresh or shredded mozzarella will also work.
More delicious sauce options
Since I first shared these meatballs, I’ve created two incredible homemade tomato sauce recipes that you can use:
Can I make them gluten-free or grain-free?
Yes! Simply use gluten-free breadcrumbs, or, to keep them gluten AND grain-free, use 2-3 tablespoons of coconut flour.
I recommend starting with 2 tablespoons to see if your meatballs hold together well and if you can easily shape them into balls.
How to cook turkey meatballs in sauce
I prefer this method of cooking the turkey meatballs because they really soak up all of that sauce flavor.
- Form your meatballs. In a large bowl, use your hands to combine all of the meatball ingredients and roll them into 16 golf ball-sized meatballs. You can also use a cookie scoop to shape the meatballs if you’d like!
- Brown the meatballs. Brown the meatballs on all sides in a large skillet or braiser with olive oil. No need to cook them all the way through, and you may have to do this in batches.
- Add the sauce. Reduce the heat and add your tomato sauce. Spoon the tomato sauce generously over the meatballs. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and finish cooking.
- Garnish, simmer & serve. After about 10 minutes, add the basil and burrata, and cover the skillet to melt the cheese into the sauce.
Want to bake them instead?
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Form your meatballs as directed in the recipe and evenly space them on your lined baking sheet.
- Bake your meatballs for 15-20 minutes until they’re fully cooked.
- Then, transfer your turkey meatballs to a skillet with your tomato sauce simmering on medium-low, and gently spoon the sauce over the meatballs so that they continue to soak in the flavor. You can continue the recipe by adding burrata as well!
How to prepare meatballs ahead of time
These healthy turkey meatballs can easily be prepped 1-2 days ahead of time!
- Mix and form the meatballs.
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Tightly cover the meatballs with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.
Storing tips
- To store: store meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Yes, you can store them in the sauce!
- To reheat: simply place your meatballs and sauce in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, or simmer them on the stovetop.
Freezer-friendly turkey meatballs (2 different ways!)
- Bake first, then freeze: place your meatballs and sauce in a freezer-safe, airtight container or bag and freeze it all for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, let your container of meatballs + sauce thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, and then empty the contents into a pan on the stovetop. Heat them in your pan until they’re nice and warm, and then serve!
- Freeze before baking: you can also freeze these meatballs before cooking them! Form your meatballs as instructed, place them on a baking sheet, and put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours. This is called a flash freeze. Then, transfer your frozen meatballs to an airtight, freezer-friendly bag or container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw them, simply place them in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight and then cook them as directed in the recipe.
What to serve with these healthy turkey meatballs
The options are truly endless, which makes this easy dinner recipe super versatile and great for accommodating different dietary restrictions or preferences.
- Spaghetti or your favorite pasta
- Crostini or sliced, toasted sourdough bread for scooping
- The Best Garlic Bread You’ll Ever Eat
- Rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice
- A fresh salad like this Italian Orzo Salad or this Manchego Apple Kale Farro Salad
- A fun veggie dish like these Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan & Chili Crisp
Get more of my side dish recipes here!
I know you’re going to LOVE these homemade healthy turkey meatballs. If you make them, I’d love for you to leave a comment & rating so I know how you liked them. I greatly appreciate it, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Healthy Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce with Burrata
Ingredients
- For the meatballs
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs (or if gluten free, sub 2-3 tablespoons coconut flour)
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning (or sub dried oregano)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the sauce
- 1 (24 ounce) jar your favorite pasta sauce (we love tomato basil)
- 4-6 large basil leaves, julienned
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more if you like it really spicy!
- 4-6 ounces Burrata cheese (or sub fresh mozzarella), cut into large pieces
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, basil, dijon mustard, italian seasoning, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Mix together until well combined and roll into 16 golf ball sized meatballs.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in olive oil. Add meatballs and brown on add sides; this should take about 5 minutes. You don't need to cook them all the way through.
- Once meatballs have browned on all sides, reduce heat to medium-low and add your tomato sauce. Spoon the tomato sauce generously over the meatballs. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 10-15 minutes while you make your pasta (if making).
- After about 10 minutes, add the basil and burrata in the tomato sauce and/or over the meatballs; cover and continue cooking for 5 more minutes or until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
- Serve meatballs over grain or pasta of choice. Would also be great over spaghetti squash. Serves 4.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
Recipe originally published August 31, 2012, republished April 13th, 2020, and republished on August 22nd, 2026.
Made these last week and they were quick, easy, and delicious! Really good flavor profile. The cheese was a lovely touch that wasn’t too heavy. good option for a night when you need a quick meal that offers a lot of flavor.
So happy you loved them! This is one of my go-to’s for busy weeks 🙂
I have never cooked ground turkey before this recipe looks easy to follow sounds delicious can’t wait to try thank you
I hope you love these!
Made these meatballs with fresh rosemary instead of basil since I had some rosemary I wanted to use up (I still used fresh basil in the sauce). The rosemary worked so well in the meatballs! Especially with the dijon and cayenne! I look forward to using the meatball recipe as a base for other recipes. Thank you for the inspo Monique!!
Sounds delicious! Glad you enjoyed!
Monique,
This recipe is exactly what i was looking for! My boyfriend loves meatball subs, so i decided to try these with toasted hoagie buns and mozzarella cheese slices. We both agree, they turned out amazing! Will definitely make these again. Thank you for another incredibly tasty & easy recipe!
Amazing! Such a great idea. Glad you both enjoyed!
Love love love! Found this recipe while trying to use up some frozen ground turkey. Made it for dinner and scooped up the meatballs and cheese with garlic bread. Didnt even miss the past noodles!
So happy to hear that!
This is a regular for us, and my boys favorite meal! As a full time working mom of 3, my husband and I need meals that are quick and easy to make but are good. This is it! Sometimes we sub fresh mozzarella, because the boys prefer the thicker cheese.
I’m all about quick, easy, nourishing meal! Glad it’s a family favorite 🙂
the meatballs with the little cayenne pepper are amazing. just enough heat! served mine with heart of palm linguine and no burrata or cheese. looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow. thank you for another great recipe.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
love the kick from the cayenne! baked in the oven for 30 min at 350. served with spaghetti squash and a homemade pesto. the meatballs weren’t dry at all. can’t wait to use the meatball recipe for more!
That sounds amazing! Yes, these meatballs are SO versatile 🙂
Wonderful recipe I made it tonight. The whole family loved it. The only thing I would change for my own taste is no cumin. The cumin just makes it taste more like a Mediterranean dish. Other than that, it’s a great recipe to make extra of and freeze for future pasta or Italian bread dishes.
Perfect! So glad it was a hit with the family!
the meatballs are so tasty! I used dried basil and served over spaghetti squash. did not use cheese. Just a really good meal! Thank you!
I’ve made this recipe twice and absolutely loved it! Wanted to make them for a friend but her son has an egg allergy, any egg swap you would recommend? Thank you!
So glad you love them! I’ve only tested my meatball recipes using an egg as a binder, so I’m not 100% sure what I’d swap to make up for that “binding.” Sorry!
Another home run!! I made this tonight and it was so yummy! This will go in our rotation for sure. I was surprised how easy it was to pull together too. Thanks, Monique!
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed!
Loved this! I’ll admit I questioned the use of cumin and almost chickened out and omitted it but I decided not to be a coward and made the recipe as intended, albeit the gluten free version since I have celiac disease. The cumin doesn’t overpower, just offers a depth of flavor or certain something that you wouldn’t be able to guess if you didn’t know. I’m still curious how you even thought to put cumin in an Italian dish like this but I won’t question it. Delicious!
The cumin does sound a bit odd but YES it just adds depth of flavor 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
This is my go-to meatball recipe when I feel like making from scratch. What I love about this recipe is it’s beginner-friendly, so not only is it a great recipe but it’s also the one that taught me how to make meatballs from scratch, which I hadn’t really attempted before. All that’s to say this recipe is quick, easy, and delicious, and easily adaptable.
Absolutely! So easy and delicious 🙂
The most moist, flavorful meatballs ever!!! I made these for a dinner party and some of my guests said they were the best meatballs they’ve ever had.
Amazing! So glad they were a hit!
Just made this tonight and it was perfect, so delicious and hit the spot! Followed it exactly how you wrote it.
So happy to hear that!
I made this last week for my family and it was exceptional! My dad said, “this could be served in a restaurant” and that says a lot from a foodie with lots of opinions.
We always enjoy AK recipes!!
Amazing!! So happy to hear that 🙂
This came out absolutely delicious even though I forgot to add frssh basil to the meatball mix. I think I got away with it because I did add 1/3 cup grated parm 🙂 I have never had burrata and wow, fabulous! In trying to be healthy, I served this over Right Rice, which to me mimics an orzo in my imagination. Thanks for the great and easy recipe!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Monique, these were absolutely delicious! I loved the cumin and dijon. I never would have thought to add those ingredients, but so good. I see in your notes you say these can be made up to two days ahead, would that also work if I used veal, pork and beef? (my Italian dad loves his meatballs that way)
So glad you loved these! And yes, feel free to use your favorite ground meat in this recipe.
Thanks for sharing!!
I’ll absolutely love love love this recipe. I occasionally will make my own pasta sauce and/ or use a different cheese.. But this recipe is so company worthy! I don’t eat beef or pork, but with this recipe, it doesn’t matter because it is so good.. Thank you for all of your recipes.
You had me at burrata, girl. Making this for dinner AGAIN tonight, it’s such an elevated meal that’s super simple to make. Cumin is not my fave spice (it’s so overpowering to me) so I use 1/2 teaspoon instead. Love it with whole wheat gemelli. So good!!!
Absolutely incredible meatballs 😍
Thank you! Glad you loved them!
OK so I love meatballs, especially because my kids will (usually) eat them, but the burrata here elevates everything and makes this something exciting for the grown-ups, as well. So delicious!
Thanks for this delicious recipe!!
I just love how easy this recipe is but also how yummy and hearty it is. We just had this for dinner with fresh focaccia and it was 10/10! Can’t go wrong with burrata.