Flavorful air fryer turkey meatballs are a fabulous quick dinner on busy evenings. With only seven ingredients, you can make a healthy and delicious meal in minutes.
Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Not only are these easy turkey meatballs wonderfully delicious, but they are also Keto friendly, gluten-free, Whole30 complaint and Paleo. They are a fabulous twist on traditional meatballs that fit many different dietary restrictions and lack nothing in the flavor department.
Typically healthy turkey meatballs have no flavor, turn out dry and mealy, or just fall apart and have an odd texture. But this easy air fryer recipe produces the most juicy and tender meatballs every time.
Cooking in the air fryer is one of my favorite ways to make an easy meal. The clean-up is quick and I can essentially just pop my food in the air fryer and let it take care of the hard work. Before I know it, dinner is hot and ready to go on the table!
Serve them over a bed of spaghetti squash with air fryer green beans as a side and you have a hearty and healthy meal ready to go. This low carb meal is a game changer!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
There’s so much to love about these homemade turkey meatballs. With simple ingredients and tasty seasonings, they come together perfectly:
- Ground turkey is a great source of lean protein. If you’re looking for different ways to up your protein intake, then these flavorful turkey meatballs will quickly become a favorite.
- These are a wonderful meal prep item! Air fryer ground turkey meatballs store well and reheat well too. The leftovers are just as good as when they are fresh out of the air fryer!
- Homemade meatballs are super versatile. You can serve them with your favorite pasta sauce and any type of pasta. From regular pasta to gluten-free noddles and veggies, like zucchini noodles, these meatballs will go well with just about anything.
Ingredients
The simple meatball ingredients are all that you need for an easy dinner. Check this list before your next grocery store run to make sure that you have everything:
- ground turkey
- egg
- almond flour
- pepper
- salt
- garlic powder
- onion powder
Substitutions and Variations
Coconut flour is a good Keto-friendly swap if you do not have almond flour. If you’re not sticking to a Keto diet, then you can also use regular flour or a gluten free all purpose.
To add some spice to this air fryer turkey meatball recipe, mix in some red pepper flakes or chili powder to the meatball mixture.
Fresh herbs like basil and fresh parsley would add loads of unique flavor to these meatballs. You can also finely dice onion and mix it in, or use some freshly minced garlic.
Turn these into air fryer chicken meatballs by using ground chicken instead of turkey! You can also use lean ground beef if you prefer more traditional beef meatballs.
How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
These amazing air fryer meatballs are so easy to make! Follow these step by step instructions for the best success:
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3-5 minutes. If your air fryer model does not have a preheat functions, then turn it on for a few minutes to heat up before you cook the meatballs.
Add the ground turkey, egg, almond flour, pepper, salt, garlic powder and onion powder to a large bowl and mix well. You can use your hands or a spoon to combine the mixture together.
Using a cookie scoop or a small ice cream scoop, scoop out the meat mixture and form meatballs that are about 1 inch in diameter.
Then place them into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook meatballs or 10-12 minutes or until they are golden brown and reach a safe internal temperature.
Remove the cooked meatballs from the air fryer and serve with your favorite sauce!
How to Store Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Place leftover meatballs into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze leftovers from this recipe!
Freeze fully cooked and cooled meatballs on a baking sheet. Then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen.
To reheat, place back into a preheated air fryer, in the oven or on the stove top. You can also reheat in the microwave.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
I like to serve these meatballs with rice, spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles or regular pasta. But they’re also great on their own as a main protein. Pair them with veggie side dishes and youcan create a full healthy meal!
Green beans and baby carrots are two tasty sides that pair wonderfully with this dish. But you could also serve them up with mashed cauliflower, mashed potatoes, or even roasted sweet potatoes.
Don’t forget the sauce! these go wonderfully with anything from Greek tzatziki sauce to homemade marinara. Any other cream based sauce or tomato based Italian inspired sauces would be great too. Finish your meal a delicious dessert like lemon sugar cookie bars.
Tips for Success
With a few simple tips, you can ensure that this recipe is successful every single time:
- Use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meatballs to ensure that they are fully done. A safe temperature would be 165°F (74°C).
- Make sure that you form even sizes of meatalls. Don’t make some larger than others or they will not finish cookig at the same time.
- Do not overload your air fryer! Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the meatballs in multiple batches. There needs to be space between each meatball so that the hot air can circulate around each one and cook them evenly.
FAQ
If you end up with meatballs that have a rubbery texture, then you likely packed them too tightly. So be careful when forming each meatball. You’ll want to roll them tightly so that they stay together but not so tight that the juices can’t make the meat tender and flavorful.
Once each meatball is golden brown on the outside and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), they are done! Use an instant read meat thermometer to get an accurate temperature check.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb turkey
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3-5 minutes. If your air fryer does not have a preheat function, just turn it on for a few minutes to heat it up.
- Combine the ground turkey, egg, almond flour, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder in a large bowl. Mix the meatball ingredients together with a spoon or your hands until well combined.
- Scoop out the meat mixture with a spoon or cookie scoop and form into meatballs that are about 1 inch in diameter.
- Place the meatballs in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they don’t touch each other. Air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 10-12 minutes or until browned and cooked through.
- Remove the cooked meatballs from the air fryer and serve with your favorite sauce!
Leave a Reply