A healthier twist on meatballs! These Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs are the perfect appetizer for parties or can be served as part of an entree served over rice with a side of veggies!

Truth: at the time this post was published I was most likely NOT sitting at my computer. I worked hard in the weeks leading up to this, preparing several posts to be ready to be published for you all to enjoy without me sitting at the computer clicking submit. However, I did not get as many ready as I would have liked, so posts may become a little more sparse (or non-existent) in the next few weeks while I adjust to having a second baby at home. But don’t worry…I WILL be back eventually! And I might even share some precious pics of my life while MIA from the blog.

Now, to get to the actual post! Every year my husband and I spend New Years Eve with family (we rotate every other year with his family and my family). As with most New Years Eve parties, there is always some good food being served, most likely lots of yummy appetizers you can munch on all night long. One of my favorites is meatballs! Getting a more savory protein dish to balance out the sweet stuff is what I need – along with some veggies and dip, of course…and some chocolate! 😉

I always thought meatballs would be too hard to make and thus, I have been putting off making them myself for quite a while. But I know most store-bought meatballs are not the healthiest. I was stuck in a dilemma! I decided to bite the bullet and make my very own meatballs…teriyaki turkey meatballs to be exact!

Instead of ground beef, I used ground turkey in this recipe. If you prefer ground beef go ahead and use it instead, but make sure to buy lean ground beef (at least 85% lean). This recipe still has brown sugar in it, but there is less of it than in traditional teriyaki style meatball recipes. Along with the usual vegetable of onion in meatballs, I added some green bell pepper and carrots for added veggie-ness. Your kids or spouse will eat their veggies and love it because these meatballs are THAT good!

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs - perfect as an appetizer or in a main dish! Share on X

Smush all the meatball ingredients together, roll them into balls and place those babies on a baking sheet. Bake the meatballs, then toss them with the homemade teriyaki sauce and you have the perfect appetizer for your next party.

After eating a few of these, I put the meatballs in a freezer bag and froze them for a quick and easy meal after the baby comes. I’ll just need to heat them up, and pair them with steamed brown rice and a side of veggies! The day after I made these my husband was wondering where all the meatballs went because he wanted to eat some more. I guess I might have to make another batch before the baby comes!

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 3 reviews

Author: Brittany Poulson
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: ~35 meatballs
Category: Appetizer
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American

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Description

A healthier twist on meatballs! These Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs are the perfect appetizer for parties or can be served as part of an entree served over rice with a side of veggies!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Teriyaki Sauce:

1/4 cold cup water
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon honey

For the Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
2 eggs
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely minced onion
1/2 cup finely minced green bell pepper
1/2 cup grated carrot
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon teriyaki sauce (see recipe instructions below)

Instructions

For the Teriyaki Sauce:

Whisk together the water and the cornstarch in a small cup or bowl, set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the soy sauce, sesame seed oil, water, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and honey. Bring to a simmer, then slowly whisk in the water/cornstarch mix. Continue to whisk until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

For the Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or spra with nonstick cooking spray).
In a large bowl, add the ground turkey, eggs, panko, onion, bell pepper, garlic, ginger, black pepper and 1 Tablespoon teriyaki sauce. Using clean hands (or a wooden spoon), mix ingredients until well combined.
Form meatballs into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until meat is fully cooked (a thermometer inserted into the center reaches 165 degrees F).
Remove meatballs from the oven and toss with teriyaki sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 meatball
Calories: 46
Sugar: 1.5 g
Sodium: 86 mg
Fat: 2 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 3 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 25 mg

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Brittany

I'm a registered dietitian nutritionist and mom of four with a passion of helping families build confidence in the kitchen. I share family friendly recipes and helpful tips to help you navigate mealtime one bite at a time.

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