Garlic Herb Baked Turkey Meatballs

Garlic Herb Baked Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Herb Sauce will be your next go-to dinner when you need something fast but don't want to compromise on flavor. These meatballs are not only easy to make, but they are ready in only thirty minutes! And they are so delicious; turkey is the perfect subtle backdrop to showcase all the delicious garlic and herbs in here. Add in the creamy lemon herb sauce, and you are in for a delicious weeknight treat!

This dish can be served in a variety of ways so you can make it over and over again without getting bored. Serve on a bed of grains, in a salad, sandwich or wrap. The Creamy Lemon Herb Sauce is versatile too - you can dip the meatballs in it (this makes a great appetizer!). Or, you can use as a sandwich spread, or even thin the sauce out to drizzle if you are using the meatballs in a salad. This recipe is definitely one to keep in heavy rotation for whenever you need a quick and easy weeknight meal!

Garlic Herb Baked Turkey Meatballs Ingredients

For this recipe you will need the following ingredients:

For the meatballs:

• Ground turkey - I vastly prefer 93% lean turkey, versus 99% lean. I have used both to make this recipe and both work and taste delicious. But, I have to admit the extra bit of fat really makes a difference in the texture of the meatball - much softer and more tender!
• Garlic
• Fresh herbs - you can use any kind you like! I used half dill and half parsley. Chives, basil, thyme, and even cilantro would be delicious. The recipe calls for a lot of herbs, so if you want to use a stronger flavored woody herb (like oregano or rosemary, for example), I would definitely use only about ¼ of that herb and mix it with ¾ of another, more delicate type such as parsley or chives.
• Breadcrumbs - any kind
• Salt and pepper
• Egg
• Onion

For the creamy lemon herb sauce:

• Greek yogurt - I have used both full fat and low fat versions to make this sauce and I couldn't really tell the difference. I haven't tried no fat but I'm sure it would still taste good, since the mayo helps to add some richness to the sauce also.
• Mayonnaise
• Lemon juice
• Salt and Pepper
• Herbs (use the same herbs as for the meatballs and just chop some extra while you are prepping the meatballs)
• Water - this helps to thin the sauce out, you can add as much or as little as you want to get the consistency you like

How to Make Garlic Herb Baked Turkey Meatballs

Prep for this recipe should only take you about fifteen minutes. And with only fifteen minutes in the oven, you will have dinner done in no time! Here is the step by step breakdown on how to make Garlic Herb Baked Turkey Meatballs:

(Pre-step: Turn your oven on to 400 degrees!)

Step One: Prepare Produce and Add All Ingredients Except Turkey to a Bowl

Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the herbs. And make sure you chop extra herbs to save for the Creamy Lemon Herb Sauce later on!

Add these to a large bowl, along with the salt, pepper, bread crumbs, and egg. Mix all together with a spoon or fork.

Step Two: Prep your Sheet Pan and Wire Rack

I really like using a wire rack to elevate the meatballs while they are cooking, it allows the oven heat to circulate more evenly around the meatballs. This means there is a greater surface area on the outside of the meatball that gets browned.

If you don't have a wire rack or don't want to use it, don't worry! I have made these before just putting them straight on the sheet pan, and they still tasted delicious. But, the bottoms were a little bit soggy. Not a big deal, but if you have a wire rack, you can try this method and see what you think!

So, all you need to do is line your sheet pan with parchment paper or tin foil and then add the wire rack on top and spray with nonstick spray. You don't really need to line the pan if you don't want, it just makes for easier cleanup. But I would definitely do the nonstick spray (whether you are using the rack or not!).

Step Three: Add the Turkey and Mix

Dump the ground turkey into the bowl and mix everything together until it is an even consistency throughout. In my personal opinion, you really should use your (washed) hands for this. It's just the easiest, most efficient way to mix everything together quickly.

Step Four: Roll the Meatballs and Bake

Grab a wad of meatball mix and roll it into balls about 1 ¼ inch around. You should get about 24 meatballs. Place them on the greased wire rack and cook in the preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165 degrees.

Step Five: Make the Creamy Lemon Herb Sauce

While the meatballs are in the oven, take a quick minute to mix up the Creamy Lemon Herb Sauce. It's really easy! Just grab a small bowl and dump in the herbs you saved from earlier, along with the mayo, Greek yogurt, salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon of water, and lemon juice. Mix it all up with a fork.

If you want the sauce to be a little thinner (say, if you are planning on putting your meatballs on a salad and want to drizzle the sauce on top), add another tablespoon or two of water until you are satisfied with the consistency.

Ways to Serve Garlic Herb Baked Turkey Meatballs

As I mentioned, there are so many delicious ways to serve these meatballs. You could even serve them as an appetizer with cocktail sticks, so people can dip the meatballs into the sauce.

Some other options: serve on top of rice, couscous, quinoa or bulgar wheat with steamed or roasted vegetables. Or warm up some pita bread and stuff it full of meatballs, sauce, cucumber and tomato slices.

You can also make a delicious lettuce wrap! Just load up large pieces of lettuce with the meatballs, fresh veggies and lots of sauce!

Tools to Make Garlic Herb Baked Turkey Meatballs

Here are the kitchen tools I used to make this recipe and I highly recommend them!

• Wire baking racks
• The absolute best pepper mill ever - it makes loads of pepper in just a few grinds
• Shun Classic 7" Santoku Knife - my favorite knife! Makes chopping a joy!
• And these adorable heart-shaped bamboo cocktail sticks!

I hope these delicious Garlic Herb Baked Turkey Meatballs add some pep to your weekday dinner routine! If you need some more dinner recipes ready in 30 minutes or less, check these other ideas out:

• 30 Minute Chipotle Chicken Tacos
• 30 Minute Stovetop Chicken Enchiladas
• Ham and White Bean Chowder
• Smoky Black Bean Soup

If you’ve tried this recipe for Garlic Herb Baked Turkey Meatballs, please let me know what you thought about it in the comments down below, I would love to hear from you! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more delicious recipes from Nibble and Dine!

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