Turkey and Feta Meatballs
These Turkey Feta Meatballs prove that healthy dinners don’t have to be boring. With zucchini for moisture, feta for flavor, and the ease of the air fryer, this recipe solves the problem of what to cook on a busy weeknight.*Quick Note Before You Dive In: This recipe card covers the basics, but if you want tips on avoiding overly wet meatballs or veggie swap-ins, scroll back up. Everything you need for foolproof results is in the post.
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:
Scroll up to see how to fix overly wet meatballs easily.
The zucchini will look soft and lifeless after squeezing the liquid out of it; this is normal and won’t affect the texture of the meatball.
Meatballs should feel very moist when scooped, but still hold their shape. To help them stay round, chill shaped meatballs for 20 minutes in the freezer before air-frying, then roll them gently between your hands if needed.
You'll notice there is no other mention of adding salt to the meat mixture. This is not an error. Adding the salt to the zucchini provides enough salt for the whole recipe. Feel free to add additional salt once they are done air-frying.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and provided as an estimate only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Nutrition
Serving: 166gCalories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 25gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 136mgSodium: 824mgPotassium: 436mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 652IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 2mg
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