Easy Greek Turkey Meatballs

Greek Meatballs with Ground Turkey

Perfectly round balls of ground turkey meat bursting with fresh mint, parsley, and Greek seasoning.

These Greek meatballs are like little flavor bombs of Mediterranean flavor goodness!

And while they taste almost exactly like the delightful gyro lamb meat found spinning on a rotisserie…

They’re actually SO much quicker and easier to make at home by either baking them in the oven or pan-searing them in a skillet.

You can meal prep them ahead of time for busy weeks, or even freeze a batch for later!

They also make the best party appetizer when served with a side of this Tzatziki sauce.

Ingredients

The ingredients you will need for this Greek-style meatballs recipe are relatively easy to find and consist of:

Ground turkey – A 93/7 lean ground turkey was used and tested in this recipe.  A 90/10 or 98/2 may also be used.  Ground chicken, beef, or pork can be substituted as well.

Egg – One large egg that has been whisked helps to bind the meatballs together.

Breadcrumbs – Regular or panko-style breadcrumbs may be used in this recipe.  This gluten-free brand was used for testing.  You can also substitute with a low-carb pork Panko if you’re on a low-carb diet.

Mint – While spearmint is the most authentic mint variety to use, sweet mint may also be used.  Peppermint is not recommended.

Parsley – Curly leaf parsley is the best type to use, but flat-leaf Italian parsley may be substituted if that’s what you have available.

Onion – A red onion is the most authentic in the Mediterranean cuisine, but a sweet, yellow, or white may also be used.

Greek Seasoning – This homemade Greek seasoning is quick and easy to make and adds a TON of flavor to these meatballs.  You can also use a store bought kind if you’re a little pressed for time.

How to Make

Making these Mediterranean meatballs is a very similar process to other Italian-style meatballs.  The step-by-step instructions you will follow to make the meatballs include:

1. Combine ground turkey, whisked egg, breadcrumbs, onion, mint, parsley, Greek seasoning, and salt in a large bowl. (step 1 above)

2. Mix until well combined by either using a spatula or your hands. (step 2 above)

3. Scoop out 2 tablespoons of mixture and roll into a bowl. (step 3 above)

4. Spray a bit of non-stick cooking spray on your hands if you’re having trouble with the mixture sticking. (step 4 above)

5. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture until you have 19-20 meatballs. (step 5 & 6 above)

Tip for Crusty Sear

This last step is completely optional, but is a secret trick for getting a perfectly crusty sear on the outside of your meatballs.

However, only do this step if you are cooking them in a skillet.  Skip this step if you will be baking them in the oven!

• Place 3 tablespoons of flour in a medium-sized shallow bowl.  Roll the meatballs in the flour and shake off to remove any excess flour.

This extra flour coating sears up beautifully in the skillet and is a traditional Mediterranean cooking method for getting meatballs with a crisp exterior.

Cooking in Skillet

Pan-searing your meatballs in a skillet will give you the best texture for your meatballs.  It does take a little more time and attention than baking, but it’s totally worth it!

To cook meatballs in a skillet:

1. Place a large stainless steel or non-stick skillet over medium heat along with 1 tablespoon of oil.
2. Add 10 of the meatballs to the skillet in a single layer.
3. Cook for 7-9 minutes, turning every 1-2 minutes. 

You’ll know the meatballs are done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165 °F.

Baking in Oven

Baking meatballs in the oven is another quick and easy way that also has very minimal clean-up.  However, the outside of the meatballs will be softer and not as crisp as if you’d cooked them in a skillet, though.

To bake meatballs in the oven:

1. Preheat oven to 375 °F.
2. Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
3. Place meatballs evenly spaced on the baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

Serving

Once you’ve got your Greek meatballs cooked and ready to eat, there are so many ways you can serve them!

• A creamy Homemade Tzatziki Sauce, or a store bought one!, is the perfect accompaniment.
• Make a batch of Pita Bread and load them with some of these meatballs.
• Serve them over a bed of rice with some of this Mediterranean Chickpea Salad.
• Pair them with a Mediterranean Couscous Salad.
• Go all out with the Greek theme and make some Vegan Falafel, too!

Meal Prep and Storing

Much like other meatball recipes you can easily meal prep them up to 2-3 days in advance.  When you’re ready to eat, bring them to room temperature and either pop them in the oven or in the skillet and cook until done.

These ground turkey meatballs will last for up to 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To freeze: Place them on a large baking sheet and pre-freeze for 3-4 hours.  Once firm, add the meatballs to a freezer-safe container or gallon-sized Ziploc bag.  These meatballs will freeze well for up to a year, but do start to loose their quality after 3-4 months.

FAQs

Can I use ground beef, pork, or chicken?

You absolutely can!  Ground turkey is best since is relatively mild in flavor, but ground beef, pork, or chicken can all be used with great results.  You can also use half and half for even more variety in flavor!

Is it better to cook meatballs before freezing?

While you can freeze meatballs that are cooked or uncooked, freezing cooked meatballs makes it much easier and faster to enjoy them later.

What are Greek meatballs made of?

These Mediterranean style meatballs are made with ground turkey, fresh parsley and mint, onion, and seasonings.

4.6 from 5 votes

Greek Turkey Meatballs Recipe

Greek Turkey Meatballs are full of fresh mint and parsley and loaded with Mediterranean flavor.  You can quickly cook these healthy meatballs in a skillet to get a crusty sear or bake them in the oven for easy clean-up.  This low-carb and gluten-free Greek dish can also be meal prepped for busy weeks or frozen for later!

Print Comment

• Pin It

Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course, main dish

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Keyword dinner, easy, greek, healthy, mediterranean

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 5 servings

Calories 248 kcal

London Brazil

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground turkey 93/7
• 1 egg large, whisked
• ½ cup breadcrumbs plain, gluten-free or low-carb*
• ½ cup red onion finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. mint leaves fresh, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. parsley fresh, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. Greek seasoning homemade
• ½ - ¾ tsp. salt to taste
• 3 Tbsp. flour gluten-free, optional
• 2 Tbsp. oil avocado or olive

Instructions

1. Combine ground turkey, whisked egg, breadcrumbs, onion, mint, parsley, Greek seasoning, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Mix until well combined by either using a spatula or your hands.
3. Scoop out 2 tablespoons of mixture and roll into a bowl. Spray a bit of non-stick cooking spray on your hands if you’re having trouble with the mixture sticking.
4. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture until you have 20 meatballs.

5. Optional: (Skip this step if baking the meatballs in the oven.) Place flour in a medium-sized shallow bowl and roll the meatballs in it. Shake off any excess flour.

To Pan-Sear:

1. Place a large stainless steel or non-stick skillet over medium heat along with 1 tablespoon of oil.

2. Add 10 of the meatballs to the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 7-9 minutes, turning every 1-2 minutes. You’ll know the meatballs are done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

To Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
3. Place meatballs evenly spaced on the baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

5. Serve Greek turkey meatballs with a side of Tzatziki sauce and homemade pita bread. Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

• You can also substitute with a low-carb pork Panko if you're on a low-carb diet.
• Storing: These ground turkey meatballs will last for up to 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• To freeze: Place them on a large baking sheet and pre-freeze for 3-4 hours.  Once firm, add the meatballs to a freezer-safe container or gallon-sized Ziploc bag.  These meatballs will freeze well for up to a year, but do start to loose their quality after 3-4 months.

Nutrition Facts

Greek Turkey Meatballs Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 248 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 83mg28%

Sodium 335mg15%

Potassium 391mg11%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 25g50%

Vitamin A 819IU16%

Vitamin C 11mg13%

Calcium 59mg6%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.