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Asian Turkey Meatballs

May 18, 2018 by madi 22 Comments

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Asian Turkey Meatballs – A fantastic appetizer or meal ready in less than 30 minutes! Baked turkey meatballs covered in a delicious teriyaki sauce. These meatballs are perfect served over rice or noodles!

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Now it’s no secret, I love recipes with asian flavors.  Whether it’s spicy pork ramen or orange chicken stir fry, I am so excited to eat it.  My absolute favorite part of going to Japan both times was getting to try all of the incredible foods and not once did I have something I did not enjoy.  Now for this recipe, I wanted to combine a classic American dish with the flavors of Japan and what I ended up with was this baked teriyaki turkey meatball recipe.  It is the best turkey meatballs recipe!

I decided to go with ground turkey as the base because it’s a bit healthier than beef and it’s really easy to work with.  It has a subtle flavor which works wonderfully with the sauce and the spices right inside the meatballs.  If you do not want to use turkey, ground chicken would be another great option.

Additionally, these meatballs are baked! They turn out a lot less greasy then fried meatballs and it’s less work for the cook since you just pop the meatballs onto a sheet pan and then into the oven for it to works it’s magic! Easy peasy, yeah?

Turkey Meatball Recipe

Common questions about making turkey meatballs

How long do you cook turkey meatballs?

Usually you need to cook turkey meatballs about 12-15 minutes.  It really depends on how big you make the meatballs.  The recipe makes about 12 meatballs that are 1 1/4″ big so they are on the shorter end of things, cooking for just 12 minutes.  The outside should be browned and the inside should not be pink anymore.  Another way to know the meatballs are done is that they should be running clear juices, not pink.

Do you need eggs to make meatballs?

Yes.  Egg works as a binder for the meatballs so they don’t fall apart, they are not just to make the meatballs moister.  You need about 1 egg per pound of meat as a general rule of thumb for meatball making.  The only time you don’t use eggs is when you use an alternative binding agent.

What can you use as a binding agent instead of eggs?

Yes, some other options include making a flax egg, using chia seeds, or using oil and water.  To do the oil and water method, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons water, and 1 teaspoon baking powder.

Why do my turkey meatballs fall apart?

That can be from an imbalance in the amount of breadcrumbs vs eggs.  If there are too much breadcrumbs, the meatballs will be loose and fall apart.  If there isn’t enough breadcrumbs, the meatballs will not form correctly.  Yes, they are a little fickle so just make sure you still to the amounts of egg and breadcrumbs in the recipe!

Other tips and tricks on this asian turkey meatball recipe

  • You can substitute in garlic powder and ground ginger but the flavors will definitely not be as strong. I would use just 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/3 teaspoon garlic powder in both the meatballs and sauce. If you prefer beef meatballs, you can sub beef in for turkey in the recipe.
  • If you plan on serving these meatballs as a meal, I suggest serving with white rice (click HERE for my recipe) or noodles such as ramen or lo mein noodles.  There is enough meatballs for about 3-4 servings as a meal but they definitely need something else to go with them! If you decide to make noodles, I suggest doubling the sauce recipe and using half of it for the meatballs and toss the noodles with the remaining sauce.

Ground Turkey Meatballs

Can’t get enough of this recipe? Try these other recipes!

  • General Tso Chicken Stir Fry
  • Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry
  • Curry Udon
  • Chicken Tempura
  • Chicken Katsu

Best Turkey Meatballs

Check out the video of this asian turkey meatball recipe!

 

Yield: 12 meatballs

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Asian Turkey Meatballs - A fantastic appetizer or meal ready in less than 30 minutes! Baked turkey meatballs covered in a delicious teriyaki sauce. These meatballs are perfect served over rice or noodles!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes

Ingredients

Turkey Meatballs

  • 16 ounces ground turkey
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

Teriyaki Sauce

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Toppings

  • Thinly sliced green onions
  • Sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.  Set aside.
  2. Combine all ingredients for the meatballs in a mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
  3. Roll the meatballs into balls that are 1 1/4".  Place on the sheet pan and bake for 12 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
  4. While the meatballs are cooking, combine the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly.
  5. Once the meatballs are done cooking, transfer them to a mixing bowl and pour the sauce over them.  Gently mix so so the sauce covers all of the meatballs completely.  Serve topped with green onions and sesame seeds on top over rice or noodles.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Kikkoman Japan Made Soy Sauce, 33.8 Ounce
    Kikkoman Japan Made Soy Sauce, 33.8 Ounce
  • Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet (2 Pack), Silver
    Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet (2 Pack), Silver
  • Kikkoman, Panko Bread Crumbs, 8oz Box (Pack of 3)
    Kikkoman, Panko Bread Crumbs, 8oz Box (Pack of 3)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 175Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 262mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 11g

This nutritional information can vary depending on the specific products you choose so this is a general guess of the correct nutritional information based on the products I used. Please keep that in mind when making the recipe.

© madi
Cuisine: American / Category: Appetizer

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Asian Turkey Meatballs - A fantastic appetizer or meal ready in less than 30 minutes! Baked turkey meatballs covered in a delicious teriyaki sauce. These meatballs are perfect served over rice or noodles!

Filed Under: Appetizer, Dinner, Food, International Recipes Tagged With: asian, baked, dinner, meatballs, teriyaki, turkey

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jennifer

    May 18, 2018 at 12:17 pm

    I love the egg replacement tips! I have never heard of the oil and water trick. I’ll have to give that a try!

    Reply
    • madi

      May 18, 2018 at 3:10 pm

      Let me know how it turns out! It’s one of my favorite binder subs for when I forget to buy eggs haha!

      Reply
  2. April

    May 18, 2018 at 1:00 pm

    I love love LOVE Asian inspired dishes. I’m totally drooling over these right now, I think I’m going to have to make them for dinner tonight!

    Reply
    • madi

      May 18, 2018 at 3:10 pm

      I hope you like them!

      Reply
  3. Karen @ Seasonal Cravings

    May 18, 2018 at 1:57 pm

    I can’t believe I never make Asian flavored meatballs. I know my kids would love them served over rice like this. I’m always on the lookout for new weeknight meal ideas.

    Reply
    • madi

      May 18, 2018 at 3:09 pm

      I hope you guys enjoy! It is such an easy meal to make on weeknights!

      Reply
  4. Courtney

    May 18, 2018 at 2:28 pm

    I absolutely LOVE Asian flavours! This sauce sounds delicious!! We don’t eat meat or refined sugar though, so I’ll be trying it with lentil meatballs and maple syrup as a sweetener. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • madi

      May 18, 2018 at 3:08 pm

      Let me know how that turns out! I’ve been wanting to give lentil meatballs a try for a while!

      Reply
  5. Kristen Greazel

    May 18, 2018 at 2:57 pm

    These turned out great! thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • madi

      May 18, 2018 at 3:07 pm

      Glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  6. Roxana

    May 18, 2018 at 3:55 pm

    Yum, this is got me into the mood for something Asian. Love the flavors and how easy it is.

    Reply
    • madi

      May 18, 2018 at 4:02 pm

      It really is super easy to make!

      Reply
  7. Claudia Lamascolo

    May 18, 2018 at 5:11 pm

    Wow these photos are stunning I love the glisten on each one it makes my mouth water. We love Asian food so I am going to print this off and make it soon. It sure is a great sounding meal!

    Reply
    • madi

      May 19, 2018 at 3:10 pm

      I hope you enjoy! They really are tasty!

      Reply
  8. Jaclyn Anne

    May 18, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    I have been trying to lighten up my recipes whenever possible and using ground turkey to make meatballs is a great idea. I love the asian flavor of these as well – so tasty!

    Reply
  9. Pavani

    May 18, 2018 at 6:02 pm

    Such yummy looking meatballs there. Love the Asian twist and they look great served over rice. I would love to try these with a veggie substitute.

    Reply
  10. Natalie

    May 19, 2018 at 3:08 am

    Oh this is great. My family loves meatballs and I’m always looking for new recipes to try. This looks sooo good. SO flavorful. I’m saving this recipe right now.

    Reply
  11. Veena Azmanov

    May 19, 2018 at 2:47 pm

    My kids love meatballs and I prefer to make turkey over red meat, so I’m always looking for new meatball recipes. Love the Asian twist on these meatballs. Can’t wait to try this. Saving for later.

    Reply
  12. Marisa Franca

    May 20, 2018 at 8:32 am

    Love meatballs but we’ve never made them out of turkey before. I really like the Asian touch. This is a recipe that’s a must try and I have to admire anyone who can use chopsticks. I am totally useless with them although Hubby is an expert.

    Reply
  13. Gloria

    May 20, 2018 at 10:35 am

    You can never to wrong with a great meatball recipe. Perfect for over rice, noodles or packed into a pita or sub. Even used as an appetizer….these are so versatile.

    Reply
  14. Catherine

    May 21, 2018 at 12:17 am

    Your turkey meatballs look fantastic! I love the asian flavors of this dish…I know my family would absolutely love this!

    Reply
  15. Karyn

    May 21, 2018 at 4:22 am

    Yes, yes a dish that ALL my 4 kids will love and that is rare believe me. I’m pinning this for later going to try it next Saturday.. Thanks for a great recipe

    Reply

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