Baked Turkey Zucchini Meatballs
Turkey zucchini meatballs are delicious, moist, and packed with flavor. They freeze well making them great for meal prep. Ready in 30 minutes!
Servings: 8 serving
Equipment
- Box grater
- Large baking sheet, wire rack optional
- Large mixing bowl
- 1/4 cup measuring cup, optional
- Gloves, optional
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt*
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs, plain or seasoned
- 2 pounds 85/15 ground turkey
Instructions
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grate zucchini with the large holes of a box grater. Finely chop onion. Mince garlic. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- MIX: In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and lightly beat them with a fork. Combine the rest of the ingredients except for the ground turkey and mix well. Next gently fold in the ground turkey and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- ROLL: Portion out a scant ¼ cup of turkey mixture and form a rough ball. Line meatballs up on the baking sheet giving them at least an inch of space between them. (Gloves are really handy for keeping this process clean!)
- BAKE: Bake for 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- SERVE: Serve right away, or store for later use.
Notes
- This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using a different salt, especially table salt, please salt to taste! 1 teaspoon of table salt will be much saltier than 1 teaspoon kosher salt. To know if your meatballs are properly seasoned, pinch a small amount off and cook in a skillet until fully cooked so you can taste test!
- Overmixing meatballs can make them tough. To prevent this, mix all ingredients first without the ground meat, then fold in the ground meat until just combined. The best way to mix meatballs is with a loose claw hand shape.
- Gloves are really handy for keeping this process clean!
- A scant cup means slightly less than a cup. To portion out medium sized meatballs, use a scant ¼ cup.
- Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- To freeze, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Add the cooked meatballs to the baking sheet. Freeze flat until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer the frozen meatballs to a freezer bag to use later. Don’t forget to label and date! Store in the freezer for 3-4 months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave, in a skillet, or in the sauce you are serving them in.
Nutrition
Calories: 179kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 30gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 627mgPotassium: 467mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 263IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg