I look forward to making these turkey meatballs every fall and winter! Theyāre packed with garlic and herbs, simmered in the most heavenly maple mustard sauce, and are easy to make in one pan.Ā
Why Youāll Love These Turkey Meatballs
I really love that you can make different meatballs for each season. And when the weather cools and autumn hits, these turkey meatballs are one of the first recipes on my seasonal to-do list. Instead of Italian meatballs with marinara sauce, these turkey meatballs are infused with fresh rosemary and thyme and simmered in the most luxurious and creamy maple mustard sauce. Honestly, the sauce alone gets me every single time! I even make extra to drizzle on roasted turkey for Thanksgiving (hint, hint). But here are a few more reasons to love this turkey meatball recipe:
- Itās light yet comforting. Similar to my turkey meatloaf or turkey burgers, ground turkey is a great option for a lean source of protein.
- Itās ready in about 30 minutes. And if you bake the meatballs (see the recipe card notes), itās even quicker!
- It can be served in endless ways. Itās equally loved as a holiday dinner or party appetizer. Plus, Iāve got even more fun ideas below.
Turkey Meatball ingredients
- Ground Turkey: Iām using ground turkey for a leaner option, but you can also swap in ground beef, pork, chicken, or even a blend of two meats.
- Egg & Almond Flour: These act as the binder that keeps the meatballs from falling apart.
Onion & Garlic: Most meatball recipes call for two cloves of garlic, but Iām using four. The more garlic, the better, if you ask me! - Herbs: Fresh rosemary and thyme add that cozy, aromatic flavor that makes these meatballs feel extra special.
- Chicken Broth: For the sauce, either chicken broth or turkey broth works. So feel free to use what you have on hand.
- Dijon Mustard & Mayonnaise: The mustard thickens the sauce and brings that signature tangy, slightly spicy flavor, while the mayo gives it a creamy, aioli-like finish.
- Maple Syrup: Maple adds the perfect touch of fall sweetness. But you could also swap in honey for a honey mustard version.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make Turkey Meatballs
Step one: Make the meatball mixture by mixing the ground turkey, egg, almond flour, onion, garlic, and herbs with your hands. My secret to tender meatballs is not over-mixing. Thatās why I always use my hands instead of a mixer!
Step two: To keep your meatballs the same size (so they cook evenly), use a medium cookie scoop. Roll each portion between your palms into a ball, then set them on a plate.
Step three: Heat a little oil in a pan and cook half the meatballs first. This way, you donāt overcrowd the pan. Once theyāre browned and cooked through, transfer them to a plate, then repeat with the second batch.
Step four: Now for the sauce! Deglaze the pan with chicken broth, then whisk in Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and mayonnaise until itās silky and creamy. Add the meatballs back in, toss to coat them in that delicious sauce, and finish them off with a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
Ways To Serve
- With roasted veggies: Pair the meatballs with sides like roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted broccoli, or garlic herb roasted potatoes. For a seasonal twist, try my Parmesan herb roasted acorn squash.
- On mashed veggies: Saucy meatballs topped on a creamy mash are always a delicious combination. Think mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, mashed sweet potatoes, or even mashed butternut squash.
- As a party appetizer: I love making this as a savory Christmas appetizer. Just stick a toothpick in each one and serve on a platter. Theyāll disappear fast!
Storage Tips
These turkey meatballs taste amazing fresh out of the oven, but theyāre just as good for leftovers or meal prep. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. When youāre ready to enjoy, thaw them overnight in the fridge and then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
More Meatball Recipes
- Chicken Meatballs: Topped with fresh chimichurri.
- Tuna Meatballs: Perfect for a light snack.
- Fennel Pork Meatballs: So juicy and delicious.
If you try this turkey meatball recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if youāre hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Equipment
- Le Creuset Braiser Pan My favorite enameled cast iron pan!
Ingredients
For The Meatballs
- 1Ā½ pound ground turkey
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Ā½ onion, finely chopped
- Ā¼ cup almond flour
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Ā½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 Ā½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Ā½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For The Sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- Ā¼ cup Dijon mustard
- Ā¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- extra fresh rosemary and thyme for garnish
Instructions
- Make turkey mixture. To a large bowl, add the turkey, egg, onion, almond flour, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together, until fully combined.
- Form meatballs. Measure out 1 1ā2 tablespoons of mixture (or use a medium cookie scoop) and roll the mixture between your hands, forming approximately 30 meatballs. Place the meatballs on a plate.
- Pan sear meatballs. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add half of the meatballs to the pan and brown on all sides, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the first batch of meatballs to a plate, add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, and repeat with the remaining half of meatballs. Once the second meatballs are cooked, remove them to the plate as well.
- Make the sauce. Deglaze the pan by adding the chicken broth, and use a spatula to scrape up any bits off the bottom. Then add the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and mayonnaise. Whisk everything together and let the sauce simmer until it's creamy.
- Serve. Add the meatballs back to the pan and warm through. Garnish with additional fresh chopped herbs before serving.
Lisa’s Tips
- What can I use instead of almond flour? If you’re looking for a nut-free binder, you can use a gluten-free flour blend.
- How can I make the sauce thicker? Add 1 teaspoon of arrowroot powder (mixed with 2 teaspoons of water in a slurry first) to help thicken it up as it simmers in the pan.
- Can I bake the meatballs instead? Absolutely! Just place the meatballs on a baking sheet and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes at 400Ā°F (200Ā°C), until they’re perfectly browned on the outside and cooked through. While the meatballs are cooking, make the sauce in the pan and add the meatballs when they’re done.
- Storage tip: Keep leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
Nutrition
Ā©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published October 2021, but updated to include new photos and nformation for your benefit!
Hi. These look delicious. To make ahead would you complete and refrigerate everything together then reheat in the pan the next day or keep the sauce and meatballs separate until ready to reheat.
Thanks!
Either way works! I normally would just keep the sauce and meatballs together though.
This recipe is one of my favorite meatball dinners! Itās a nice, comfort meal for this time of the year. I could honestly have this once a week and not be sick of it. Iāve shared the recipe with plenty of people. Thank you Lisa! Planning meals can be difficult but you nailed it with every recipe Iāve tried on your blog.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with others, the sauce is definitely what makes this outstanding :)
This was really good! I donāt typically enjoy turkey meatballs but I enjoyed the texture of these. Maybe it was the almond flour. I served them with cauliflower mashed potatoes and an apple-celery slaw.
The recipe is really wonderful. Ā I love your recipes. Ā We served the Greek sheet pan chicken recipe to friends a few months ago and they were over the moon, as were my friends to whom I served a rich hot chocolate to on Christmas.
I opted to bake the meatballs and 400 degrees was too high. I had to pull them out early because the bottoms started burning. The meatballs made 30 in the batch so I know they were the same size.
Thanks, Susie
I just now ate a meatball. So good! I baked the meatballs and shortly simmered them in the sauce. Yum!
I made these for dinner last night and my family and I loved them! The flavor of the sauce is very tasty and the fresh herbs gave it a nice touch! Thank you for creating fabulous recipes!
Happy to hear the whole family enjoyed these turkey meatballs Teresa!
Hi! These have been on my list since the video came out and I finally had the chance to make them tonight. The only substitutions I made were chicken instead of turkey and dried seasonings instead of fresh. While the flavor was so wonderful, I found them to be slightly dry inside. Did I over cook them on the skillet? What can I do in the future to make them a little juicier? Thanks!
Hi Summer – it sounds like you may have overcooked them slightly. But keep in mind that white meat (chicken, turkey, etc) is never going to be as juicy as pork and beef meatballs. The onion usually helps to keep the meatballs moist, so you might want to add a little bit more next time. :)
Thanks Lisa for another great recipe. I modified a few ingredients just to personal preference – omitted almond flour, used 1 lb ground organic turkey plus 1 lb ground organic grass fed beef 85/15. I baked them at 325 F for 35 minutes. The sauce is very tasty. I didn’t have any chicken stock on hand so I used water plus 1/2 teaspoon Tamari. I did use the 1 tsp Arrowroot to thicken the sauce some and it turned out really nice. I read the other comments about the mayo sometimes not dissolving so I mixed the mayo and mustard together first and it worked out well. Delicious!!
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Deb!
(Exhale)ā¦That was good!! Just as you described as usual! Delicious! š Used regular flour, sticky like you said so donāt miss her tip when rolling itās balls.Ā
Thank you as always!Ā
Omg! šš
Rolling āINTOā balls!!Ā
š¬š¬š¤š¤šš
Made this tonight with 2 lbs of turkey and it was great! Didnāt have almond flour so I used panko, and an extra egg. I whisked some tapioca starch into the sauce to thicken it up. I think next time Iāll whisk everything together first (with some vinegar) like some other commenters mentioned to brighten the flavor and also to smooth the sauce out – the mayo didnāt fully incorporate.Ā
I pan fried a few meatballs but quickly realized I didnāt have time to do that for every batch, so baked the rest. They were good both ways, and the yummy brown bits helped flavor the sauce nicely.Ā
Glad these turned out great with the few minor tweaks Liz :)
Hi Lisa I love all your recipe I canāt wait for you book question about the turkey can I subtitlud the turkey for ground chickenĀ
Hi Nilda – yes, absolutely! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
This recipe is so good. Next time I’m going to try baking the meat balls. Cooking them on the skillet was too cumbersome for me but they were definitely delicious
This is amazzzzing!
My kids beg for more, all our guests can’t get enough.
Lisa you out did yourself.
Thank you!
Glad this was a family success Lauri!
Love it šĀ
Ohhhhh that sauce is sooo heavenly. Wow. One of the best things Iāve ever tasted, for real. I will be making chicken with the pan sauce in addition to this recipe. I served mine with boiled mini potatoes and stir fried green beans.
One thing I noticed (when making round 2 of the sauce, haha) is itās better to mix the syrup, Dijon and mayo before adding to the pan – less little chunks of the mayo and mustard. I did make your mayonnaise recipe and it turned out great!!
Honestly meatballs are not a weeknight recipe for me – as a mom and a slow cook. It was labor and time intensive for me to cook these on the stovetop) I did use 2 lbs of meat, so it was a lot of meatballs). I think next time Iāll try making this into a meatloaf – Iāve always found baked meatballs to be dry.
That aside, this was soooo good that I would take the time to make it and clean my messy kitchen up again (on a slow weekend). Thank you Lisa for the amazing recipes you provide!
I would give the baked version a try and see how you like it! I think once you mix it in with the sauce after it’s been baked, it will help bring moisture back. But, I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe overall.
Can you use an air fryer for this recipe?
I haven’t tried making the meatballs itself in an air fryer, but if you do try, I’m curious to know how it turns out!
This is delicious Lisa! I used chicken but followed the rest as per your recipe- so so good! Made it twice already. Thank you for the amazing recipies.
This is delicious Lisa! I used chicken but followed the rest as per your recipe- so so good! Made it twice already. Thank you for the amazing recipies.
Glad these meatballs turned out perfectly with chicken instead!
It’s amazing what kind of fun and yummy dishes you can make with what you already have in your cupboards! Granted I did use panko instead of almond flour and oregano instead of thyme and it worked great. But the sauce is just so… šš» *chefs kiss* … I’m gonna make it for everything now. Chicken, salmon, on top of icecream… (lol jk, but it’s seriously that good)
The maple mustard sauce is honestly what really makes this dish! Glad this came together perfectly though with what you had on hand :)
Omg delicious..that’s all I have to say.
Happy to hear you enjoyed these turkey meatballs!
Delicious! I tried this last night and followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great. I served with some smashed and roasted potatoes and green beans. The recipe is easy and the sauce is SO delicious.
I will say these meatballs do taste amazing paired with smashed potatoes!
Delicious! I used chicken instead of turkey, honey instead of maple syrup, and panko instead of almond flour due to a nut allergy. The meatballs are really well seasoned, even with dried herbs. I added a splash of apple cider vinegar to the sauce to boost the mustard flavor just a bit. Brought it over the top. A winner for sure.
Glad these meatballs turned out great with the few tweaks you made to it Erin!
Just made this tonight for dinner. Easy to make! My husband loved it so much that after his 2nd helping he would have had a 3rd one, but he was to full. I served it over rice. The only substitution was using only 2 Tbl spoons of Dijon and added 2 Tbl spoons of yellow mustard to lower the sodium due to my restrictions. Another winner for our menu rotation.
Happy to hear this has made it into your weekly rotation Mimi!
Just tried this recipe. The flavour is lovely. I’m doing more meal prep and these will definately go on my list of go-to items.
This is definitely a meal prep favorite :)
Thanks for another fabulous recipe, Lisa! You consistently turn out my favorite recipes on the inter webs and beyond.Ā
You’re so sweet Alan! Happy to hear these turkey meatballs were a hit!
Thank you for this tasty recipe. I so enjoy your website, Lisa, and share it often. I have made your turkey meatball dish without flour, as well as cassava flour and these two option are also wonderful. I for one of many, many are so glad and grateful you’re here. Thank you again!šæ Cynthia
Aw, thanks so much Cynthia! I’m so thrilled to hear you’re loving all of my recipes. :) x
Made this tonight and it was amazing! I always struggled with how to turn ground turkey into a tasty meal. Thank you Lisa for this recipe.
Glad these turkey meatballs turned out perfectly!
I made these tonight and I was a bit disappointed in the outcome. User error for sure…not the recipe or instructions. My meatballs started to come apart in the pan and even though I had the heat on medium, I think my stove top was too hot. I’ll try again and make a couple adjustments. Any thoughts on how to keep my meatballs in tact?
Thank you so much for this recipe Lisa! I used a three-pound package of turkey and used half for the meatballs and the other half for meatloaf. I omitted the syrup to make it diabetic friendly. My husband and I loved it!
Thank you for sharing your meatballs recipe. Ā Made it for dinner tonight, oh so delicious, next time Iāll have it with rice, the wheat pasta didnāt quite taste the same. Ā And yeah, it made a big mess on the stove but it was so worth it.šĀ
-GinaĀ
P.S. Ā Your overnight oats is also a keeper.
Happy to hear these turkey meatballs were a dinner hit!
These are so delicious! Youāll want bread or rice or something to sop us that sauce, which is not cloyingly sweet but very well balanced. Also, donāt freak when you put in the Mayo and it looks like itās curdling- just keep stirring and in a few minutes it will become creamy. Also, be sure to fully cook the meatballs before you remove them the first time. Really this recipe is just about perfect! Another hit from Lisa!
I made this meatball recipe for dinner the same day that it was posted online, and it was a huge success! The only change I made was to use all purpose flour instead of the almond flour. I’ll definitely make it again. I can’t eat beef for health reasons, and I’ve been looking for good ground turkey recipes and am glad I found this one. Thanks, Lisa!
Happy to hear these turkey meatballs were a success Susi!
Can you use dry herbs? They are kind of hard so not sure if they soften while cooking?
Hi Margaret – yes, you can. But I would use 1/3 the amount.
I really enjoyed this recipe. Very easy to make. I will definitely make this again. The sauce was so good!! Thank you!
Happy to hear you enjoyed these turkey meatballs April!
yummy
š¤© WOW. I Ā am not a meatball eater. My husband loves them but heās highly particular about his meatballs. These were a hit.!šThey were tender and flavorful. (I had one for breakfast LOL). They are a Ā great autumn dish. I can see the these Ā as an appetizer or a full meal. The sauce for theseā¦ hello you had me at maple syrup LOL. š So delicious! Give them a try at least once.Ā
Yay! Happy to hear this recipe changed your mind about meatballs :)
Iām making these today. And this might be silly to some but is there a way to quantify certain ingredients. For example in this recipe you call for a half of a chopped onion. So in my onion basket I have a probably 7 inch diameter onion and a 3 inch diameter onion. Both would yield a lot different measurement. I donāt know if that would make a difference in this instance Iām not worried about it I like onion Iām just saying for other recipes that might be not as forgiving if you use too much of an ingredient. And I feel it goes for things like carrots when people call for two carrots or potatoes etc.Does that even make sense?
Absolutely! Moving forward, I’m going to do a better job in specifying weight and sizes of certain ingredients as I know it differs across different states and even countries. But for this recipe, a little more onion isn’t a bad thing :)
No leftovers! Ā Need I say more about this delicious dinner.
You devoured this! Happy to hear this recipe was such a hit Lisa :)
Dear Lisa thank you for this wonderful recipe! Ground turkey is not very common in my part of the world but I managed to buy some. Did your recipe, Ā sans the mayo because I was out of it, the result was mind blowing. My daughter 11 and my mom 67 LOVED the taste. The balls are super moist and the sauce is just to die for! Will be making those again soon, actually my daughter called my husband to report what a delicious lunch she had and how I will make it Ā for him soon! I served it with roasted potatoes and carrots. Your cooking never disappoints, from a far away land thank you!
If you don’t have access to ground turkey, you can also use any other ground meats. But, happy to hear the whole family enjoyed these meatballs Lina!
The turkey meatballs were DELICIOUS!
I followed your detailed instructions and the family and I enjoy the scrumptious resultsš
Thrilled to hear everyone loves these turkey meatballs! It’s surely a recipe that will be on repeat all autumn and winter :)
Another delicious recipe! I canāt say i wouldāve cooked anything like this before, but if Lisa makes it then I know itās good. I forgot fresh herbs, so i used a 1/2 tsp each of tried. turned out great! whole family loved it! I served it with rice and roasted broccoli and brussels. great meal!
Glad this turned out great with dried herbs instead of fresh! Also, love the way you rounded out the meals with veggies :)
Another amazing recipe, so flavorful! Thanks Lisa!
Happy to hear you loved these turkey meatballs Belinda!
These meatballs were amazing! So much flavor!! I loved the simplicity of the recipe! Thank you!
This truly is an easy yet tasty meal! Glad you enjoyed it LeaAnn :)
So happy you are back on You Tube Lisa. This recipe is such a winner. Never made meatballs with a sauce before but this dish just hits the spot. Everybody in my house loved them. This one will be on repeat!
Feels great to be back! The sauce really is the star of this dish – glad everyone loved it :)
Lisa, Can I bake these in the oven instead of pan frying?
Yes! I have oven baked instructions written in the recipe note towards the bottom of the recipe card :)
This recipe sounds delicious!
Could you bake the meatballs instead of frying them? Ā I generally bake any meatballs I make.Ā
Thank you
Yes! I have baking instructions written in the recipe notes towards the bottom of the recipe card :)
Good morning Lisa! š
Congratulations on turning in your manuscript! āØ WooHoo!!āØ
I’m looking forward to your behind-the-scenes post, sounds fun!
These turkey meatballs look great, it’s an easy-peasy recipe, my favorite kind of recipe.
I’m going with the baking method on these little guys.
I plan on doubling the recipe for a friends gathering.
The sauce is what’s really got me hooked, I’m a big sauce person…LOL!
Have a nice day Lisa!š¼
Thanks so much for all your support Dalila! Can’t wait for you to make these turkey meatballs… especially that sauce :)
Hello! This recipe looks yummy :-) What can I use to substitute the mayo? Would a vegan mayo work? Thank you :-)
Yes, you can use a vegan mayo :)
These look amazing! I have found that I’m not a big fan of the texture of almond flour in meatballs … wonder if there’s another flour you would suggest trying as a substitute?Ā
You can use other types of flour if you can’t have almond flour. It’s just used as a binder, along with the egg.
Hi Lisa,
Ā Can all-purpose flour be used in substitution to almond flour?
Yes, you can use all purpose flour for this.
Do you think the turkey can be replaced by chicken?Ā
Thanks!
Yes! I’ve written in the post that you can use other types of ground meat :)
Will be making this soon can i use mushrooms and tofu for the meatballs and can i use vegetable broth and vegan mayo for the sauce as am a vegan i will let you know how it goes with mushrooms /tofu / vegetable broth and vegan mayo once i made this perfect for my after office meals will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
I haven’t tried making vegan meatballs yet, but let me know how it turns out! As for the mayo, yes you can use a vegan mayo.