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These mini turkey meatballs are bite size, kid friendly and baked on one sheet pan in under 15 minutes. Made with lean ground turkey, oat flour, parmesan and Italian seasoning, they're high in protein and perfect for meal prep, lunch boxes and easy dinners!
Table of Contents
- Mini Turkey Meatballs (Kid Friendly Baked Recipe)
- Why you'll love this mini turkey meatballs recipe
- Simple ingredients you'll need
- How to make mini turkey meatballs
- Recipe tips
- Serving suggestions
- Meal prep & storage
- Substitutions, optional variations & dietary adjustments
- FAQ
- More recipes you'll love
- Mini Turkey Meatballs (Kid Friendly Baked Recipe)
- Save this meatball recipe to Pinterest and make it later!
Mini Turkey Meatballs (Kid Friendly Baked Recipe)
My family and I couldn't get enough of these mini turkey meatballs!
They're little, tender, and full of parmesan and garlic flavor, which makes them a big winner with the kids.
I love that they use simple ingredients I always have on hand and bake on one sheet pan in just 12 to 14 minutes.
Make a batch at the start of the week, and you've got high-protein lunches, snacks, and dinners ready to go FAST.
They're also the meatballs I use in my Mediterranean meatball power bowls, so keep this recipe close!
Why you'll love this mini turkey meatballs recipe
Perfect kid size - These mini meatballs are just the right size for little hands, so they're SO easy to serve to toddlers and big kids alike.
High in protein - With 30 grams of protein per serving, these turkey meatballs keep everyone full and happy.
Quick and easy - One bowl, one baking sheet and about 25 minutes from start to finish. Major dinner winner!
Great for meal prep - They reheat beautifully and freeze well, so you can have protein ready to go all week long.
Simple ingredients you'll need
Here's what you'll need to make these mini turkey meatballs. You'll find the full amounts and nutrition information in the recipe card below.
- Lean ground turkey - I use 98% lean ground turkey to keep these high in protein and light. The egg and parmesan keep them tender, so they don't dry out.
- Egg - This binds everything together so the meatballs hold their shape while baking.
- Oat flour - Oat flour works in place of breadcrumbs to help hold the meatballs together. You can buy it or blend old-fashioned oats in a blender until fine.
- Parmesan cheese - Grated parmesan adds that salty, savory flavor kids love and helps keep the meatballs moist.
- Italian seasoning - An easy all-in-one blend of herbs that gives these a classic meatball flavor.
- Garlic - Fresh minced garlic adds so much flavor. Mince it nice and fine so it mixes evenly into the small meatballs.
- Salt and pepper - Simple seasoning that brings all the flavors together.
How to make mini turkey meatballs
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper so nothing sticks and cleanup is a breeze.
- Add the ground turkey, egg, oat flour, parmesan, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Mix with your hands until everything is just combined.
- Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time and roll it into small balls. Place them on the lined baking sheet with a little space between each one.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Let them cool for a couple of minutes, then serve them up however your family likes them best.
Recipe tips
- Mix the meat just until combined. Overmixing can make turkey meatballs dense and tough.
- Use a small cookie scoop to keep the meatballs the same size so they bake evenly.
- Wet your hands with a little water before rolling to keep the mixture from sticking.
- Check one meatball with a meat thermometer at 12 minutes. Mini meatballs cook quickly, and pulling them right at 165 degrees F keeps them juicy.
Serving suggestions
These mini turkey meatballs are so versatile! Here are a few of our favorite ways to serve them:
- Toss them in warm marinara and serve over pasta or zucchini noodles.
- Add them to a grain bowl with veggies and a creamy sauce. They're the meatballs I use in my Mediterranean meatball power bowls!
- Pack them in a lunch box with cut fruit, veggies, and a little dipping sauce for the kids.
- Serve them with toothpicks and marinara as an easy appetizer for game day or parties.
- Tuck them into a sub roll with sauce and melted mozzarella for mini meatball subs.
Meal prep & storage
- Fridge - Let the meatballs cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - Freeze the cooked meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Want the full how-to? My freezer meatballs (how to freeze + cook) post walks you through it step by step!
- Reheat - Warm them in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, in a simmering pot of sauce, or in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes until heated through.
Substitutions, optional variations & dietary adjustments
Below you'll find a list of substitutions that will work well in these turkey meatballs.
Ground turkey - Swap the ground turkey for lean ground chicken. The bake time stays the same.
Oat flour - Use 1/4 cup breadcrumbs in place of the oat flour if that's what you have on hand.
Gluten free - Use certified gluten free oat flour to keep these gluten free.
Dairy free - Leave out the parmesan or swap in 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
Sneak in veggies - Mix in a handful of finely chopped spinach or finely grated zucchini for an easy way to add in some greens.
If you try something different out, please leave a comment below letting us all know how it turned out!
FAQ
Bake mini turkey meatballs for 12 to 14 minutes at 400 degrees F, until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Don't overmix the meat, and don't overbake them. The egg and parmesan help keep these moist, and pulling them right at 165 degrees F keeps them tender.
Yes! Their small size makes them great for little hands. For younger toddlers, cut them into smaller pieces before serving.
Lining the baking sheet with parchment paper keeps the meatballs from sticking and makes cleanup super simple.
Definitely. Bake them, let them cool, and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.
More recipes you'll love
- Adobo turkey spinach meatballs
- Easy Greek chicken meatballs
- Freezer meatballs (how to freeze + cook)
If you try these mini meatballs, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!
XO
Heather
Mini Turkey Meatballs (Kid Friendly Baked Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 lb 98% lean ground turkey
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup oat flour
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the meatballs. In a large bowl, add the ground turkey, egg, oat flour, parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined.
- Roll. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time and roll into small balls. Place on the baking sheet with a little space between each.
- Bake. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Serve. Let cool for a couple of minutes, then serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Save this meatball recipe to Pinterest and make it later!
