Asian Turkey Meatballs

Name: Asian Turkey Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup milk; ¼ cup plain bread crumbs; 20 oz. ground turkey breast; 1 egg (lightly beaten); 2 garlic cloves (minced); ⅓ cup thinly sliced green onions; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ cup chopped cilantro; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 teaspoons sesame oil; 3 Tablespoons soy sauce; 2 teaspoon sesame oil; 2 Tablespoon fresh lime juice; 2 Tablespoon water; 1 garlic clove (minced)

by Ashlyn Edwards on January 10, 2022 32 comments »

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4.96 from 21 ratings

Asian Turkey Meatballs – An easy, lightened up dinner made with lean ground turkey breast and plenty of Asian flavors. Serve these with a side of steamed veggies and brown rice for a healthy and yummy meal!

For more easy turkey recipes, be sure to check out my Mini Pizza Meatloaves, Turkey Bolognese, and Slow Cooker Turkey.

meatballs on top of rice

Since it’s a new year, many of us are ready to start it off right by making more healthful choices. I know I enjoyed a few more cookies and treats than I probably should have over the holidays, but that’s what New Year’s resolutions are for, right?

Thankfully, cooking healthy foods doesn’t have to be difficult, and with recipes like these Asian Turkey Meatballs, eating right can be pretty delicious, too.

a bowl of Asian Turkey meatballs and broccoli

Ingredients for Asian Turkey Meatballs

milk
plain bread crumbs
ground turkey breast
egg
garlic
green onions
salt
cilantro
soy sauce
sesame oil
lime juice

ingredients laid out on a marble background

How to Make Asian Turkey Meatballs – Step by Step

Step 1: Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

ground meat in a bowl

Step 2: Make meatballs

In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients and mix well. Form into 20 meatballs (about a ¼ cup each) and place in the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

meatballs on a sheet pan

Step 3: Make sauce

Meanwhile, prepare sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. When the Asian Turkey meatballs have finished cooking, transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with some of the prepared sauce.

a bowl of meatballs

Step 4: Serve

Serve meatballs over rice with with remaining sauce, if desired. Enjoy!

Tips and Notes

Ground turkey breast vs ground turkey: I love using ground turkey breast in recipes, especially when I’m looking to save a few calories. It is important to note that the type of ground turkey that you purchase really affects how much fat or calories you will save over ground beef. If your goal is to achieve a lighter meal, try to find ground turkey breast for your Asian Turkey Meatballs and not just ground turkey. Ground turkey is made up of both light and dark meat and therefore has a bit more fat and calories than its breast meat counterpart.
Ground turkey breast is a very lean meat, but these meatballs have a little milk, egg, soy sauce, and sesame oil to help keep them moist. They may actually feel a bit sticky as you’re forming them into balls, but just keep working with them and they will bake up just fine. There is also a yummy lime sauce to drizzle over them at the end that just adds to their moistness and flavor!

a meatball on a spoon

What to Serve with Asian Turkey Meatballs

I like to serve these Asian Turkey Meatballs over brown rice with some steamed or roasted veggies, like Garlic Parmesan Roasted Asparagus, or some sautéed bok choy. Asparagus and Bok Choy (or Chinese cabbage) both pair perfectly with these meatballs and are full of good for you vitamins like A, C, K, potassium, folate, and more.

How to Store Leftovers

Any leftover Asian Turkey meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

meatballs on top of rice

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4.96 from 21 ratings