Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs

Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs are moist and tender with a crisp outside. They use only a handful of staple ingredients (with lots of room for customizations) and cook up in the air fryer in under 10 minutes. They're a great family friendly option that even picky eater kids will love.

Jump to:

• Why I Love It:
• Ingredients
• Step by Step Instructions
• Substitutions and Variations
• Equipment
• Freezing Instructions
• Recipe Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Serving Ideas
• Other Turkey Recipes
• Related Recipes
• Recipe

Why I Love It:

• Quick Cook Time - They cook in under 10 minutes!
• Staple Ingredients - Mix together turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, and some simple spices.
• Versatile - They can be eaten plain, with a dipping sauce, or tossed in a sauce like marinara and served with pasta.

Ingredients

• Ground Turkey - I like to use a ground turkey that is a blend of both dark and white meat, but you can use any ground turkey you have on hand or even swap in ground chicken.
• Egg
• Panko Breadcrumbs - You can swap in regular or even Italian seasoned breadcrumbs.
• Olive Oil - Or other oil. This is mixed into the meatball mixture to help make them moist.
• Grated Parmesan
• Spices: Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt and Pepper
• Cooking Spray - To spray the air fryer basket and the tops of the meatballs before cooking.

Step by Step Instructions

This recipe for turkey meatballs in the air fryer takes only minutes to prep and cooks in under 10 minutes!

1. Mix Meatballs - In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together. I find it easiest to do this with your hands. Don't over mix.
2. Form Meatballs - Roll into ~1.5 tablespoon sized balls. I like to use a small cookie scoop to achieve even sizes.
3. Add to Air Fryer - Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Add the formed meatballs to the basket - make sure there is a little space in between them. You may need to cook in two batches.
4. Air Fry - Air fry the meatballs at until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. They should also have some browning on the outside.

Substitutions and Variations

• Other Ground Meat - You can swap in ground chicken for the ground turkey. Chicken meatballs still should be cooked to 165 degrees F.
• Bake instead of Air Frying - If you don't have an air fryer, you can make these in the oven. Use this Baked Turkey Meatballs recipe.
• Italian Seasoning - For more Italian flavor (I love doing this if I'm serving with marinara and pasta) add about 1.5 teaspoons of Italian seasoning or ½ teaspoon each of dried oregano, dried parsley, and dried basil.
• Greek Seasoning - Add ½ teaspoon each of dried dill, dried rosemary, and dried thyme.

Equipment

Air Fryer – You can use a basket-style air fryer, like pictured, or one that has pull out racks.

Medium-Large Bowl – You’ll want a bowl to mix together the meatball mixture.

Cookie Scoop (optional) - I used a 1.5 tablespoon sized scoop to make the meatballs the same size.

Freezing Instructions

Freezing After Air Frying: To freeze the cooked meatballs, allow to cool then freeze. To avoid the meatballs from sticking, freeze the meatballs on a sheet pan or plate first then transfer to a container or plastic bag. You then can reheat the frozen meatballs from frozen by warming in the oven (400°F for 15-20 minutes), in the microwave, in a 350°F air fryer for ~10 minutes, or my favorite –  simmering in marinara sauce to be served over pasta.

Freezing Before Air Frying: Freeze the uncooked meatballs on a baking sheet before transferring to a plastic bag or container. Air Fry the frozen meatballs, without thawing, at 350° F for 10 minutes then increase the heat to 400°F for 5-10 minutes until cooked through.

Recipe Tips

• Don't Over Mix - Don't overwork the meatball mixture or they can become dense and tough.
• Equal Sized Meatballs - I like to use a 1.5 tablespoon sized cookie scoop to make sure that the meatballs are the same size so they cook evenly.
• Use an Internal Thermometer - Checking the internal temperature is the best way to know that they are done so you don't risk over or undercooking them. The internal temperature should read 165 degrees F.
• Don't Crowd the Air Fryer Basket - It's best to leave a little space in between each meat balls so the hot air can circulate. You may need to cook them in two batches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Ideas

Meatballs are super versatile! Here are some of my favorite ways to eat them:

• With marinara over pasta
• With a Dipping Sauce - Like barbecue sauce, buffalo sauce
• Meatball Subs or Sliders - Add to toasted rolls or breads with marinara and melt cheese on top.
• Bowls - I love to make greek/gyro style bowls with quinoa or rice, meatballs, chopped cucumber/tomatoes feta cheese, and tzatziki.

Other Turkey Recipes

• Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup - Cozy, comforting, and the perfect use for leftover turkey. Cooks in just 30 minutes with limited prep time.
• Panera Turkey Chili (Copycat) - A big pot of turkey chili loaded with beans, tomatoes, corn, and even shelled edamame. It has more texture than your typical chili and great Tex-Mex flavor from the added ancho chili powder and salsa verde.
• Leftover Turkey Pot Pie - It’s made in one skillet for easy clean up and uses store bought biscuits for the topping. 

Related Recipes

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