Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs are a healthier alternative to beef meatballs, packed with delicious flavor and ready in 20 minutes in the Air Fryer.
“These look amazing! I plan to make these with sauce over the weekend. My kids love meatballs and I have a pound of turkey waiting in the fridge!”
These air fryer turkey meatballs are just as good, if not better, than any beef meatball I’ve made. They brown up beautifully in the air fryer and are ready to add to your favorite pasta sauce or serve as an appetizer.
You can go back and look at Air Fryer Frozen Meatballs, Air Fryer Spaghetti, and Meatballs, or Air Fryer Appetizer Meatballs if you want a traditional beef-based meatball.
What You’ll Need
- Ground Turkey – You can use either the 93% or 99% lean version. You get a little bit more flavor and moister from the slightly fattier one, but both will work.
- Breadcrumbs – I use gluten-free breadcrumbs, but you can use whatever plain breadcrumbs you prefer.
- Dried Oregano– This herb is beautiful with poultry.
- Garlic – Minced garlic, either fresh or from a jar, gives tons of savory flavor to the turkey.
- Salt – Season the meatballs well for best results.
- Pepper – This gives a needed bit of warmth to the meatballs.
- Egg– One large egg holds everything together.
- Fresh Parsley– I love the look and the flavor of parsley in turkey meatballs. Dried parsley will work as well.
How to Make These Meatballs
- Add ground turkey, breadcrumbs, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, egg, and parsley to a medium-sized bowl.
- Mix until evenly combined. Don’t be afraid to use your hands to get everything mixed well.
- Roll into 15 equal-sized meatballs and set aside on parchment paper.
- Add Meatballs to the preheated air fryer in a single layer. DOn’t overlap them. You may need to do two batches if you are working with a smaller air fryer.
- Cook meatballs at 400F for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time. Meatballs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 156F.
- Remove meatballs from the air fryer and serve.
How to Serve
Serve turkey meatballs with marinara sauce and spaghetti or zoodles for a comforting and simple dinner.
Make air fryer turkey meatballs into an appetizer by coating them in your favorite BBQ sauce and serving them with toothpicks.
Use Turkey Meatballs as the protein in your meal prep lunches. Add a grain and a vegetable and you’ll have a healthy lunch all week!
How to Keep Them from Falling Part
You may have previous experience with your turkey meatballs falling apart.
This happens if the turkey meatballs aren’t properly mixed with enough eggs and breadcrumbs. By following this recipe, you should have turkey meatballs that stay together perfectly.
If your turkey meatballs are falling apart, adding fewer breadcrumbs next time will fix the problem.
How to Tell When They’re Done
Your air fryer turkey meatballs are done when an instant-read thermometer reaches 165°F in the center of the meatballs.
You can also check visually by cutting one of the meatballs in half to ensure it is no longer pink.
FAQs
Yes, these meatballs freeze incredibly well. Let the cooked meatballs cool completely and then freeze on a baking sheet until solid. Place in a zipper bag or freezer container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to cook, Thaw slightly and heat in the air fryer until hot.
Yes! The flavors in this recipe will work equally well with beef, pork, chicken, or meat alternatives such as Beyond Meat.
Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Turkey
- 1/2 cup Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley chopped
Instructions
- Add ground turkey, breadcrumbs, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, egg and fresh parsley to a medium sized bowl.
- Mix until evenly combined.
- Roll into 15 equal sized meatballs and place on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Preheat air fryer at 400F for 5 minutes. Add meatballs to the air fryer in a single layer, being sure not to overlap them. If you are working with a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook the meatballs in two batches to ensure even cooking.
- Cook meatballs at 400F for 4 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and cook for another 4 minutes, or until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165F. If the meatballs are not yet completely cooked, place them back in the air fryer for another 1-2 minutes.
Notes
- Either regular or gluten free breadcrumbs can be used in this recipe. If using an Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, you may want to cut back on the oregano in the recipe.
- The size of the meatballs will determine how quickly they cook. Larger meatballs may need more time, and smaller ones will not take as long.
- Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the “Air Fry” function.
- Pro Tip: Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Sometimes airfying is a trial and error process. Check your food as it cooks to learn your air fryer better! When cooking a new recipe or food items be sure to check your food often to help avoid over/under cooking.
Nutrition
These look amazing! I plan to make these with sauce over the weekend. My kids love meatballs and I have a pound of turkey waiting in the fridge!
Perfect timing!!
How many meatballs are
It should make about 15 🙂
What quantity is this nutrition info for?
Hi Brooke it looks like the auto-calculated it for approximately 2.5 meatballs if you made 15 total from the ingredients 🙂