Mediterranean Turkey Meatballs

When we have ground turkey in the house (which is almost always,) I usually whip up a burger or a taco meat mixture of some sort. I made these turkey meatballs out of the urge to try something new with a protein that’s become pretty mundane for us. These meatballs are fluffy, flavorful, and juicy! Throw them on a salad, on hummus, with a side of tzatziki or garlicky yogurt, on a skewer, or just eat them on their own like I did for breakfast today. They’re versatile, so get creative!

The original dish I made with these meatballs was comprised of my creamy, dreamy hummus and my lemony cabbage salad with za’atar. I layered the salad onto the hummus and then topped it with the meatballs. This combo is fantastic, and I highly recommend making it for a serve yourself style dinner with the family or even just for date night.

You notice how the outside of each meatball is golden brown and kind of charred? Well, that’s because I pan-sear them instead of bake them. I love to cook them in a skillet because it helps the outside develop an extra layer of flavor. I absolutely loveeee the char, but if you’re not about it, feel free to bake these in the oven on a sheet pan!

I did use breadcrumbs in these meatballs, and they made a huge difference in what I call, the “fluffiness factor.” I tested this recipe multiple times without breadcrumbs, and every time the meat came out a little gritty and tough. I finally caved and added the bread crumbs and I won’t be going back!! In comparison to other recipes, I’m not using a lot here. I’m only using 1/3 cup for a serving. I also want to note that I added a little pinch of milk to give them moisture, which in turn, helps the ground turkey retain its moisture as well!

If you’re gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs. You can even use ground oats here! I’ll be doing a video on this soon, but you can easily create bread crumbs with oats. Coat them in oil and toast until golden brown and then pulse in a food processor. I did this during my Chopped Challenge with Sebastian Youtube and actually came up with an epic meal, so you can watch that below if you want.

Finally, I *urge* you all to get a meat thermometer. I use mine all the time for either seafood or meat, and it just helps ensure that your proteins are cooked to the desired doneness, and you won’t have any health hazards!