Turkey Feta Meatballs
Turkey can get a bad rap for being bland, but these gluten free Turkey Feta Meatballs are anything but boring. They’re a healthy, quick dinner you can have on the table in no time, even on a busy weeknight. Grated zucchini keeps them moist, while the air fryer browns them to perfection. In short, these zucchini turkey meatballs are as good as it gets.
What Are Turkey Feta Meatballs?
These Turkey Feta Meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. The secret to making these moist is the addition of grated while feta cheese adds creamy, salty pops of flavor. Cooked in the air fryer, they’re crisp on the outside and tender inside. In short, these zucchini turkey meatballs make a healthy dinner that’s quick enough for busy weeknights and perfect for meal prep.
Are Turkey Meatballs Moist?
Yes, these easy-to-make turkey feta meatballs are flavorful and surprisingly juicy. The secret to making these so moist is the addition of grated zucchini, while feta cheese adds creamy, salty pops of flavor. Cooked in the air fryer, they’re golden brown on the outside and tender and juicy inside.
Why You Need to Make This Recipe
- Healthy: Better than your traditional meatball, these turkey and veggie meatballs are packed with grated zucchini and made with 93% lean ground turkey.
- Gluten Free: These low-carb turkey meatballs contain no breadcrumbs or fillers, making them perfect for gluten sensitivities.
- Quick weeknight option: Dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.
- Family-friendly: These turkey meatballs are loved by kids and adults alike; the kids won’t even taste the zucchini that’s hidden inside.
- Meal prep ready: Freeze, reheat, and enjoy all week long.
Table of Contents
- What Are Turkey Feta Meatballs?
- Are Turkey Meatballs Moist?
- Why You Need to Make This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Turkey Feta Meatballs
- What Type Of Turkey Is Best For Meatballs?
- What Are The Benefits to Eating Turkey?
- ★ Tips for Making Turkey and Feta Meatballs
- How Do I Serve These Turkey Feta Meatballs?
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Turkey and Zucchini Meatballs FAQs
Ingredients
- Zucchini: Grated zucchini adds moisture without the need for oil.
- Salt: Draws out the water from the zucchini, preventing the meatballs from becoming soggy.
- Egg: Binds the mixture together, allowing the meatballs to hold their shape.
- Feta Cheese: adds briny, salty bursts of flavor.
- Green Onions & Garlic: Add extra flavor to the turkey.
- Seasoning: for spice, flavor depth, and a subtle smokiness
- Ground Turkey: 93% lean.
- Avocado (or other) Oil Spray.
Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you are looking to load up your turkey meatballs with veggies other than zucchini; spinach and feta are a great combination. Alternatively, you could swap the zucchini for finely grated carrots or yellow squash, which would also help keep the turkey and feta meatballs moist.
- Swap smoked paprika and cumin for Italian herbs if you’re craving Italian turkey meatballs, or add oregano to make Greek feta meatballs, and serve with tzatziki and olives.
- If you don’t have an air-fryer, they can be oven-baked. For best results, fry them in a skillet for 5 minutes until browned, then place them in a 400°F oven for an additional 5 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
How to Make Turkey Feta Meatballs
1. Cut zucchini lengthwise and grate.
2. Salt zucchini in a colander to release moisture.
3. Mix egg, feta, garlic, onions, and spices.
4. Stir grated zucchini into the mixture.
5. Form them into golf ball-sized mounds.
6. Place shaped meatballs in the air fryer basket and cook at 400°F for 8 minutes.
What Type Of Turkey Is Best For Meatballs?
Ground turkey comes in different lean-to-fat ratios, and the one you choose affects flavor and texture. Most chain grocery stores sell turkey marked as follows:
- 90% lean: A balance of lean meat and fat, but may still lean on the drier side.
- 93% lean (mix of dark and white meat): The sweet spot for turkey feta meatballs – juicy, flavorful, and still lighter than beef.
- 85% lean (more dark meat): Very moist and rich, but higher in calories and fat.
In short, 93% lean ground turkey is your best choice if you want meatballs that are nice and light and stay juicy without being too greasy.
What Are The Benefits to Eating Turkey?
- Turkey is a lean source of protein that helps keep you full without a lot of extra fat.
- It’s rich in nutrients like B vitamins (especially niacin and B6) for energy, and selenium and zinc for immune health.
- Turkey is generally lower in calories and saturated fat compared to red meat.
★ Tips for Making Turkey and Feta Meatballs
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise and grate it on the large holes of a box grater. This way, it blends smoothly into the meatball.
- After salting, you can choose to squeeze the zucchini with a cheesecloth or paper towel instead of using the colander. There should be approximately 2 tablespoons of liquid extracted from the zucchini. Removing the excess liquid is important as it keeps your turkey zucchini meatballs juicy instead of soggy.
- If the mixture feels too wet to hold its shape, you may not have squeezed enough liquid from the zucchini. If this is the case, add 1–2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs to the mixture. For gluten free turkey meatballs, start with a little less of the gluten-free breadcrumbs and add only until the mixture holds shape.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket; spacing ensures evenly cooked air fryer turkey meatballs with golden edges.
How Do I Serve These Turkey Feta Meatballs?
These meatballs are versatile and taste great in many forms. Such as in a tomato sauce pasta. They have enough flavor that they can be enjoyed on their own as turkey cocktail meatballs, or you can pair them with rice, cucumber, and tomatoes in a bowl.
Make Ahead and Storage
Refrigerator: Place turkey meatballs with zucchini in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer/Freezing Instructions: These turkey meatballs with zucchini freeze really well. Let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight container or a zippered freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can reheat the frozen turkey meatballs in the air fryer at 300°F for about 8 minutes or until warmed through.
Turkey and Zucchini Meatballs FAQs
Yes! If you don’t have an air fryer, you can cook these in the oven. Just know that oven baked turkey meatballs won’t brown as nicely and will have a softer texture than their air-fryer counterparts. If you are trying to replicate the crispy golden exterior like the air-fryer version, I would place the meatballs in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry them for 5 minutes, until all sides are browned, and then finish them off in a 400°F oven for another 5 minutes or until they register 165°F with an instant-read thermometer.
If your meatballs won’t hold together, the mixture is usually too wet. This happens when there’s still liquid left in the zucchini. Be sure to salt and really squeeze the liquid from the zucchini before mixing – you should get about 2 tablespoons of liquid out. In short, removing excess water is key to maintaining the shape of zucchini turkey meatballs. To fix overly-wet meatballs, sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs into the mixture before shaping.
Yes! After cooking, let the meatballs cool completely, then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a freezer bag or air-tight container and store for up to 3 months. In short, freezing these zucchini turkey meatballs makes them a quick, healthy dinner you can reheat straight from frozen.
Turkey and Feta Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup (50g) crumbled feta cheese
- ⅓ cup (30g) finely chopped green onions (about 3 green onions)
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pound ground turkey 93% lean
- avocado oil spray or other oil spray
Instructions
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise and grate enough until you have 130 grams (about 1 cup packed).
- Place zucchini in a colander over a small bowl, stir in salt, and let it sit for a few minutes to draw the liquid. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, combine the egg, feta, garlic, green onions, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Press zucchini with the back of a spoon to release liquid, discard liquid, and stir zucchini into egg mixture.
- Add ground turkey and mix until just combined.
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
- Scoop mixture with a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to create golf ball-sized rounds. Freeze for 20 minutes to set.
- Roll the feta turkey meatballs between your hands to reshape if needed.
- Lightly spray the turkey feta meatballs, and arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket (leaving space between them). Cook in batches for about 8 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F. Keep cooked meatballs warm in the oven until all air fryer turkey meatballs are finished.
- Serve with tzatziki sauce or combine turkey meatballs and rice together with cucumber slices and tomatoes for a complete meal.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for more quick weeknight dinners? Try my Sausage Sweet Potato Sheet Pan Bake or browse all my other dinner ideas for more easy meal inspiration.
I’ve fallen in love with ground turkey….this recipe has such flavor and lovely light and moist texture. I hope you love them as much as I do.