Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs

I’m not one to brag, but I feel confident this is the best recipe for gluten free turkey meatballs. I’ve made these turkey meatballs numerous times for parties over the last year, and every time someone yells out, “these are the best meatballs ever” or “these are the juiciest meatballs.” 

Even diehard ground beef meatball lovers rave about these baked turkey meatballs; they can’t believe I use ground turkey in this tasty meatball recipe. And guess what? Nobody ever knows these turkey meatballs are gluten free! But if you want a traditional meatball recipe, then make these gluten-free meatballs.

Hey, what can I say? I know how to make gluten free Italian food taste authentic and amazing! 

Other GF Italian recipes to try are Gluten Free Lasagna, Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan, Ragu Alla Bolognese, Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks, and Gluten Free Vodka Sauce. Or check out all of my gluten free dinner recipes.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

• These GF turkey meatballs are incredibly juicy. One of the biggest complaints I hear from people who try to make meatballs with ground turkey is they turn out dry and grainy. Not this recipe! Trust me; these are tender and taste delicious.
• The flavor is outstanding. Many people stick to beef meatballs because they think they are more flavorful and juicy because of the higher fat content. However, that isn’t true. I’ve had many beef meatballs that were dry and flavorless. This baked turkey meatball recipe has the perfect seasoning mix and ingredients.
• These turkey meatballs are healthy. They are low-carb, high-protein, gluten-free, and very filling. They are also baked in the oven and not fried, keeping them low-fat.
• Freezer-friendly. You can make a ton of meatballs to freeze for future meals, and I’ll give tips below.

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you need to make gluten free turkey meatballs. I’ll give my suggestions for gluten free breadcrumbs but make sure to check the labels of all of the other ingredients to ensure everything is gluten free. See the recipe card for full instructions.

• Lean ground turkey. For best results, I recommend purchasing 93% lean organic ground turkey.
• Poultry Italian sausage. Most ground turkey meatball recipes don’t include Italian poultry sausage. But this ingredient gives a fantastic flavor and sets this turkey meatball recipe apart from the others. You can find Italian poultry sausage in the meat section next to the other Italian sausage or go to the meat counter. I’ve also used ground pork if you can’t find poultry sausage. Most high-quality meats are labeled gluten free.
• Gluten-free breadcrumbs. My favorite brand is Schar but Gillians is a close second, and I will use the brand 4C if nothing else is available. Remember that gluten-free breadcrumbs develop a different texture as you mix the ingredients. Gluten-free breadcrumbs become thick, sticky, and almost gelatinous when wet. Don’t worry; it won’t affect the texture or taste of the meatball. 
• Milk, cream, or half and half. Adding milk to Italian turkey meatballs is essential if you want juicy meatballs, and I would never make a turkey meatball recipe that didn’t include it.
• Spices. A blend of onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper gives these GF turkey meatballs great flavor, and I add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy meatball. You can also use a teaspoon of homemade Italian seasoning instead of oregano and basil. Or use a blend of your favorite Italian seasonings. I mostly use dried herbs, but fresh basil and parsley are good too.
• Parmesan cheese. Use freshly grated parmesan cheese for the best flavor and to ensure the cheese is gluten free. Canned cheese has fillers that can often include gluten. You can purchase large chunks of parmesan cheese for a great price at Bj’s Wholesale, Costco, or Sam’s Club.
• Egg. This helps to bind the rest of the ingredients together.
• Worcestershire sauce. I use this secret ingredient in all ground turkey recipes to give it a meatier rich flavor. Make sure to purchase a GF Worcestershire sauce; Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce is gluten free. GF soy sauce or tamari sauce is an excellent substitute if you don’t have Worcestershire sauce.
• Marinara sauce. Jarred, homemade marinara sauce, or any favorite spaghetti sauce will work. I even love to use this Arrabiata sauce when we want an extra spicy kick.

How to Make Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs

• Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees.
• Make the turkey meatball mixture. Add the ground turkey, Italian sausage, gluten free breadcrumbs, egg, milk, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, and seasonings to a large bowl.
• Gently mix until all ingredients are combined.

• Place foil or parchment paper on a large rimmed baking sheet. I like to give it a quick spray with cooking spray so the meatballs don’t stick. You can use an oiled or sprayed baking sheet if you don’t have foil or parchment paper.
• Use a medium scoop to portion out the meatball mixture. Roll each portion into a ball and place it on the baking sheet. Continue with the remaining meatball mixture. You’ll end up with about 20 – 24 meatballs. The meatball mixture is on the wet side, so it’s helpful to have a small cup of water available as you roll the meatballs.
• Bake meatballs for 20 minutes. 

• Place the turkey meatballs in a large pot with the prepared marinara or spaghetti sauce and cook over medium heat until hot.
• Serve with GF pasta, zoodles, or in a gf sub roll.

Supplies

• Large mixing bowl. I like large glass mixing bowls for mixing meatballs.
• Large-rimmed baking sheet. This is a staple for gluten free turkey meatballs.
• Medium scoop. This helps to make uniform meatballs. If you make a lot of meatballs, I suggest getting a separate scoop for meatballs. It’s probably in my head, but I don’t like using the same scoop for meatballs and cookies.

Serving suggestions

The recipe options are endless with these gluten free turkey meatballs, and here are our favorites.

• In sauce. I use turkey meatballs all of the time in my Sunday Sauce recipe. After baking them, I toss them into the sauce to simmer with the other meats all day. But, when I don’t have time to make a large pot of sauce, I either turn to this easy homemade marinara recipe or my favorite jarred sauce (Rao’s Marinara or Wegmans). I place the meatballs and sauce in a pot over medium-low heat and let it simmer until hot. From there, I serve the meatballs with GF pasta.
• In a sub. This is our second favorite way to enjoy Italian turkey meatballs. After the meatballs cook in the sauce, I place 2 or 3 in a gf hotdog or hoagie roll, sprinkle a little mozzarella cheese, broil until the cheese melts, and serve. Schar gluten free rolls are my favorites to use for meatball subs.
• Over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash. When we want a high protein, low carb dinner, I swap the pasta for our low carb veggie favorites.
• In baked pasta. My kids love when I add sliced GF turkey meatballs to this gluten free baked ziti recipe, and it’s also perfect for a crowd.
• As an appetizer. Make the meatballs smaller, then serve them on a platter with sauce and grated parmesan cheese. Trust me; this is also a crowd favorite!

Cooking tips

• The key to a tender, juicy gluten-free turkey meatball is to use milk or cream; it makes all the difference. The GF breadcrumbs soak up the milk and keep the meatballs moist and tender, and I do this for meatloaf recipes too.
• This meatball mix is on the mushy side so having some water nearby to dip your hands in is helpful. You should be able to roll out a meatball, but if the mixture is too wet, add a tablespoon or so of gf breadcrumbs. However, don’t add too much because this can dry out the meatballs. If you can form a meatball, but it still seems wet or mushy, don’t worry; the meatballs will firm up after they bake,
• The internal temperature of the turkey meatballs must be 165 degrees to be safe to eat. After 20 minutes in the oven, the meatballs should be cooked. But if you’re enjoying them straight out of the oven, check the internal temperature before eating. If you’re cooking the meatballs in sauce, don’t worry; they will finish cooking in the sauce. 
• Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out the meatballs. This keeps all the meatballs uniform and gives you a general idea of the number of meatballs you’ll get. I suggest purchasing a medium cookie scoop to use just for meatballs. If you don’t have bread crumbs, you can use a couple of slices of bread and milk. 

Variations

• To make dairy-free meatballs leave the parmesan cheese out or use vegan cheese and swap unsweetened coconut milk for the cream.
• Use ground chicken instead of ground turkey.

Storage Tips

These healthy turkey meatballs are perfect to meal prep for the week or freeze; here are instructions for both.

For the week. After the meatballs cook, place them in an airtight container or storage bag, and refrigerate for four days. On cooking day, put in the sauce and cook over low heat until the meatballs are hot. You can also store the meatballs in the sauce.

For the freezer. Turkey meatballs freeze great, so prepare a few batches for future dinners. After the meatballs cook, place them into a freezer bag and freeze them for up to 4 months. Lay the meatballs flat in the freezer, and after they are frozen, place the bag wherever. On cooking day, you can set the frozen meatballs directly into a pot with sauce and cook over low heat until the meatballs cook through. You can also put them into a crockpot with sauce and cook for 6 hours on low. 

Can you freeze raw turkey meatballs?

Yes, you can, but it’s much easier and helpful to freeze them after you bake them. Doing it this way makes them recipe ready and shaves off cooking time during the busy week. 

However, if you want to freeze raw turkey meatballs, then after you mix the ingredients, roll the meatballs out and place them onto a large rimmed baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Place the meatballs in the freezer and flash freeze for about an hour or until the meatballs are firm. Then, place all the meatballs into a labeled freezer bag and freeze them for up to 4 months. 

You don’t have to thaw frozen meatballs in the refrigerator. On cooking day, place the frozen raw meatballs on the baking sheet and cook in a 375-degree oven for 30 – 35 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. Frozen raw meatballs need more time to come up to temperature and cook.

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