These healthy turkey meatballs without breadcrumbs are juicy little protein bombs that are packed with flavor! They’re super easy to make and ready in just 40 minutes.
You won’t believe how flavorful and juicy these turkey meatballs are. Plus, they are PACKED with protein! Just 3 meatballs is about 31 grams.
Most turkey meatball recipes call for breadcrumbs. Personally, I don’t have the patience to make breadcrumbs from scratch, and it’s almost impossible to buy any that don’t have a lot of unnecessary ingredients.
You would be shocked how many store-bought brands are full of sugar!
So instead of breadcrumbs, I simply use good old-fashioned oats. You fold them right into the ground turkey to bind it all together. It really couldn’t be easier.
And let me tell you, these are the juiciest turkey meatballs I’ve ever had. You definitely won’t miss the breadcrumbs.
How to make healthy turkey meatballs without breadcrumbs
These meatballs only take about 15 minutes to prep and then 25 to bake. You’ll have a delicious dish ready to go in about 40 minutes!
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C).
Step 2: Chop the onion, garlic, and celery very finely (or use a food processor), then add to a large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Add the turkey, egg whites, oats, and spices to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Make sure there are no pockets of spices or oats in the mix.
Step 4: Chop the spinach, green peppers (stemmed and seeded), and parsley. The pieces should be about the size of a dime.
Step 5: Add the vegetables to the bowl and mix everything until well-combined.
Step 6: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 7: Roll the turkey mixture into 15 balls (about the size of golf balls) and place them on the baking sheet.
Step 8: Bake for 25 minutes, until cooked through.
That’s it! Just chop, mix, roll, and bake.
For such a simple recipe, it’s AMAZING how juicy and flavorful these meatballs turn out!
Getting the best taste from turkey
When ground turkey is the main ingredient in a dish, don’t be afraid to choose some with a bit of fat in it!
You can get 99% lean ground turkey, but it doesn’t have a lot of flavor to it. It also tends to get a bit dry when cooked.
Instead, I typically use the 93% lean ground turkey. The 85% lean version tastes even better and doesn’t have that many calories more per serving if you prefer!
Veggies, herbs, and spices
If you like to get creative when you cook, feel free to use this recipe as a template for all kinds of different-tasting meatballs!
The spice combination I used was really delicious, but there are plenty of spice combinations that go well with turkey. For a classic taste, paprika, oregano, pepper, and garlic powder are a good place to start.
Whenever possible, I like to use fresh herbs in this recipe. This dish still tastes great when made with dried herbs, but fresh herbs like parsley or basil take the flavors to a different level.
And finally, you don’t need to use the same vegetables I did. If there’s something else in your fridge that you think would go well with the meatballs, give it a try!
What to serve with turkey meatballs
I often just eat these meatballs by themselves for a quick snack. They’re so tasty and satisfying!
But they are also delicious when served with a little whole-wheat pasta and some tomato sauce. Perhaps even a little parmesan cheese on top.
I also enjoy crumbling them over a salad or wrapping them up for a nutritious lunch on the go.
Because these baked meatballs are almost pure protein, adding a few carbs and a little fat turns them into a perfectly balanced meal that’s as tasty as it is good for you!
Storage
This recipe is great for meal prep!
Once cooked, the meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. I love to make a big batch and enjoy them over pasta, on a salad, or in a wrap throughout the week.
You can also freeze them for longer storage. I recommend placing each serving in an individual ziplock so you can defrost them when you need them.
These meatballs taste great both cold and reheated.
More healthy turkey recipes
I LOVE turkey! It’s such a tasty lean protein that goes so well in a variety of recipes. Here are a few of my favorites that you’ll find me cooking on a regular basis:
If you’re someone that cooks with chicken more often than turkey, then be sure to check out my roundup of the best healthy diabetic chicken recipes!
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Healthy Turkey Meatballs (Without Breadcrumbs)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C).
- Chop the onion, garlic, and celery very finely (or use a food processor), then add to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the turkey, egg whites, oats, and spices to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Make sure there are no pockets of spices or oats in the mix.
- Chop the spinach, green peppers (stemmed and seeded), and parsley. The pieces should be about the size of a dime.
- Add the vegetables to the bowl and mix everything until well-combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the turkey mixture into 15 balls (about the size of golf balls) and place them on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until cooked through.
Tiff
Surprisingly juicy and flavourful! Thanks for a great recipe. Will definitely be making again. Very versatile meatballs!
Pamela
Meatballs that are Healthy & Pack Fabulous taste! I love the combination of vegetables, herbs & spices!
anne
These were excellent. The 2 year old gobbled them down, as well at the adults. I eat gluten free and I like oats better than gluten free flour for a binder.
Holly Marasco
I made these for dinner last night and the whole family loved them. I followed the recipe fairly closely. I ate mine with salad and Italian dressing.
Peggy
Try adding oatmeal instead of bread crumbs. It comes out juicy and is healthy.
Lesley Kemnitz
These are fantastic! I’m making them again however I just noticed the sodium content seems high. We’re trying to find recipes with flavor yet low sodium. Is there an ingredient we could cut besides the obvious tsp of salt?
Christel Oerum
If you take out the tsp of salt you’re down to 127 mg per serving, so that certainly does make a huge difference. The remaining sodium comes primarily from the turkey and the egg whites, both ingredients I wouldn’t recommend changing
Lorraine
Sounds great. Gonna try.
Ray
Delicious! Truly a hit in our family, thanks for sharing.
Katerina
These are so tasty and full of flavour! Thanks so much!
Cathy
I have not tried this yet but I have a question: What kind of “oats” do you use? Rolled oats? Steel cut oats? Quaker oats for oatmeal? Thanks!
Christel Oerum
For this recipe you need to use rolled oats, old fashioned or minute oats will both work