These Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs are a game changer if you are on a gluten-free diet or cooking for a friend or family member who is gluten-free. But honestly, I eat them on the regular even though I’m *not* gluten free because I love them that much.
There's a sneaky ingredient in these meatballs to add fiber, a vital nutrient for a healthy gut. And most importantly, they meatballs are tender and delicious. A classic Italian meatball that the whole family will love ready in about 30 minutes!
Pair these healthy turkey meatballs with your favorite pasta! Or try zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash if you are eating low carb. I love to add them to a grain bowl or on top of my favorite salad. You could even eat them on their own with a side of air fryer sweet potatoes or roasted cauliflower and carrots.
Don't skip Air Fryer Apples (like apple pie filling without all the added sugar!), Protein Cookie Dough Balls, or 4 Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies (ready in 15 minutes!) for dessert.
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Why You'll Love GF Turkey Meatballs
QUICK - these only take about 10 minutes of prep and 25-30 minutes in the oven.
FREEZE GREAT - make and freeze for an easy dinner next time you’re having a busy week. I prefer this over buying frozen meatballs because they taste better to me. Plus, making them at home puts you in charge of the flavor…add as much spice or sauce as you want!
NOURISHING - ground turkey is a lean high-quality protein with iron, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc. It’s also high in B Vitamins which are important for brain health. It’s a great alternative to ground beef if you’re looking to cut back on saturated fats.
EASY RECIPE - this recipe is super easy. And equally as important, so is the cleanup! You’ll just use a cutting board and knife, a large mixing bowl, and a baking sheet.
VERSATILE - you can serve turkey meatballs with marinara sauce and pasta. But you can also get creative and serve them with a different sauce. Try sweet and sour sauce for an Asian flare or tzatziki with a squeeze of lemon for a Greek influence.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs
These meatballs are made with simple ingredients!
*Be sure to check the recipe card at the bottom for exact ingredient measurements and full recipe.
93% Lean Ground Turkey - I don’t recommend going leaner than 93/7 for this recipe. Even though 99% has slightly less fat, it makes the meatballs too dry.
Quick Oats - I prefer quick oats for this recipe, but you can also use rolled (old-fashioned) oats. I wouldn't recommend steel oats. Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats to make this recipe gf. Of course, you could also buy gluten free breadcrumbs. But they can be tough to find and often have added ingredients I try to limit as a dietitian. I always have oats in my house and they work perfectly as a replacement for regular breadcrumbs. Plus, oats are loaded with great nutrients like fiber, magnesium, and phosphorus!
Grated Parmesan Cheese - to add lots of Italian flavor! I love buying parmesan at the deli area of my local grocery store.
Fresh Herbs - I use fresh basil, but you could swap it for parsley or even fresh sage! Find fresh herbs in the produce section at the grocery store or at your local farmer’s market.
Egg - egg helps bind the breadcrumbs in a traditional meatball. In these gluten-free meatballs, it binds the oats so you don’t end up with a crumbly meatball.
Olive Oil - just a bit of extra virgin olive oil adds moisture...cause no one wants tough meatballs! Plus, olive oil adds heart-healthy fats. It also helps give these that desired golden brown color.
Onion - the key is to finely dice or grate the onion. This also adds moisture.
Garlic - you can use garlic powder if you prefer, but I love the taste that fresh minced garlic adds.
Italian Seasoning - for an extra boost of flavor.
Salt & Black Pepper - just a small bit of kosher salt and black pepper is all you need to tie it all together!
Instructions for Gluten-Free Italian Turkey Meatballs
*The full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below but here are some visuals that I hope you will find helpful!
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400℉. Prep a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray with a cooking spray to prevent the meatballs from sticking. Then finely dice or grate your onion, mince the garlic, and chop the fresh basil.
Step 2: Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl except the egg. Then, whisk the egg in a separate bowl and add it to the turkey mixture.
Step 3: Using your hands, scoop about 2 tablespoon of the meat mixture at a time and form into balls. Place meatballs on the lined baking sheet. Continue until you have 20 meatballs.
Step 4: Brush or spray the tops with olive oil (optional). Bake on the prepared baking sheet for 25-30 minutes. The meatballs are done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165℉ with a meat thermometer. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the meatballs and the oven.
Hint: To keep all the meatballs the same size, use a cookie scoop!
Substitutions
- Ground turkey: feel free to use ground beef, ground chicken, or ground pork instead. Or do a mixture of 2 of these ground meats!
- Oats: sub oats for oat flour if you want. I tried them with oat flour and they are very moist that way! You could also sub with almond flour or use gluten-free breadcrumbs from the store. I prefer to use oats because breadcrumbs tend to have more added ingredients.
- Onion and garlic: using fresh and finely diced or grated onion and minced garlic helps add moisture to the meatball mixture. But if you prefer a smooth texture or don’t have time to chop the onion and garlic, you can absolutely use onion powder and garlic powder! If using, I recommend ½ teaspoon onion powder and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Herb: don’t have fresh herbs in a pinch? No worries! Use a dried herb instead! As a general rule, you’ll use ⅓ the amount of a dried herb as fresh so use 1 tablespoon dried basil or parsley in place of fresh in this recipe.
Variations
- Dairy Free: make this recipe dairy free by skipping the parmesan cheese.
- Spicy: add some spice using red pepper flakes.
- Fancy: if you want even more flavor, add a tablespoon of coconut aminos. Similar in flavor to Worcestershire Sauce (which is found in some meatball recipes), but a gluten-free option.
Meal Prep and Storage
Meal Prep
Make these meatballs even easier by prepping some meatball ingredients in advance. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the basil ahead of time and store in the fridge in separate containers until you’re ready to make the meatballs. These meatballs are perfect for making ahead of time and freezing, too. If freezing, wait to add the sauce until you’re ready to serve them!
Storage
Let the meatballs cool to room temperature before storing.
Refrigerator: store these meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. You can store them in the fridge with or without sauce. Reheat on the stovetop in a large skillet, in your airfryer, in the oven at 350℉, or in the microwave
Freezer: store the cooked meatballs in a freezer-bag or freezer container for up to 3 months. If storing in the freezer, I suggest freezing them before adding sauce and add the sauce before serving. To defrost, put the meatballs in the fridge overnight until thawed and then reheat on the stovetop, in the oven at 350℉, or in the microwave.
Top tips
- To make these meatballs nice and moist, use fresh onion and finely chop it or grate it to get the juiciness from the onion.
- Blend the oatmeal in a blender for about 15-30 seconds before adding it to the meatball mixture to make a finer texture.
- Don’t overcook these because they will dry out easier than meatballs made with ground beef.
- Use a cookie scoop to make evenly sized meatballs! You can also use an ice cream scoop or large spoon.
FAQ
Yes! from a nutritional perspective, these meatballs contain high-quality lean protein and are low-carb with no added sugars. Turkey is a good source of many nutrients including iron, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc. It’s also high in B Vitamins which are important for brain health. It’s a great alternative to ground beef if you’re looking to cut back on saturated fats.
The key to getting a moist turkey meatball is the finely diced onion and olive oil! The combination of these ingredients really make a difference.Â
Absolutely! I do prefer to use oats because they are high in fiber and I always have some in my house. I have found that gluten-free breadcrumbs tend to have added ingredients that I would prefer to avoid and they can be hard to find. That's just my personal preference though!Â
How to Serve Turkey Meatballs
Serve gluten-free turkey meatballs with your favorite marinara or tomato sauce and gluten-free pasta. I love serving them with chickpea pasta like Banza spaghetti for more extra protein and fiber! Or serve with zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash for a low carb dinner.
Add them as a protein on top of a salad, or eat them in a grain bowl with brown rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa and your favorite vegetables and sauce. Or eat them on their own with a side of air fryer sweet potatoes or roasted cauliflower and carrots.
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I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram....I LOVE knowing there’s people out there trying out my recipes! 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs (with no Breadcrumbs)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
- â…“ cup quick oats can sub with rolled oats
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped can sub with parsley
- â…“ cup yellow onion, finely chopped or grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Prep a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray with a cooking spray to prevent the meatballs from sticking. Then finely dice or grate your onion, mince the garlic, and chop the fresh basil.
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl except the egg. Then, whisk the egg in a separate bowl and add it to the turkey mixture.Â
- Using your hands, scoop about 2 tablespoon of the meat mixture at a time and form into balls. Place meatballs on the lined baking sheet. Continue until you have about 20 meatballs.
- Brush or spray the tops with olive oil (optional). Bake on the prepared baking sheet for 25-30 minutes. The meatballs are done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165℉ with a meat thermometer. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the meatball and the oven.Â
Notes
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- To make these meatballs nice and moist, use fresh onion and finely chop it or grate it to get the juiciness from the onion.Â
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- Blend the oatmeal in a blender for about 15-30 seconds before adding it to the meatball mixture to make a finer texture.Â
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- Don’t overcook these because they will dry out easier than meatballs made with ground beef.Â
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- Use a cookie scoop to make evenly sized meatballs! You can also use an ice cream scoop or large spoon.
- Contain high-quality lean protein and are low-carb with no added sugars.
- Turkey is a good source of many nutrients including iron, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc. It’s also high in B Vitamins which are important for brain health.
- A great alternative to ground beef if you’re looking to cut back on saturated fats.
Shawnna
Amaze-balls! These came out delish and were super easy to make! Definitely something I will have on rotation as one of my go -to's. I had the meatballs with spaghetti squash which was great but next time will try using them to do meatball sandwiches since they are gluten free. Can't wait 😉
Mallory
Thank you so much for taking time to leave a review, friend! 🙂 I'm SO happy you love the meatballs!! Can't wait to hear how the sandwich is!