Air fryer turkey meatballs are a great way to whip together healthy meatballs with a ton of flavor in a short time with my simple recipe.
Do you love the taste of juicy and flavorful turkey meatballs but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen? Look no further! With an air fryer, you can whip up delicious turkey meatballs in a matter of minutes.
Using just a handful of ingredients, including lean ground turkey, breadcrumbs, herbs, and spices, you can create a mouthwatering dish. The air fryer efficiently cooks the meatballs, reducing the need for oil and cutting down on calories without sacrificing flavor or your time.
Whether you’re planning a quick weeknight dinner or hosting a party, these air fryer turkey meatballs are sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Serve them as an appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce or as the main course with a side of pasta or salad. Get ready for a delicious and hassle-free cooking experience with these quick and easy air fryer turkey meatballs!
How To Make Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients needed
- Ground turkey
- Breadcrumbs
- Egg
- Milk
- Seasonings (listed below)
Helpful recipe tips before starting
- Avoid over mixing the meatballs. This tends to make them tougher because you are activating the gluten in the breadcrumbs. Fold everything to the point where it is mixed evenly then stop.
- Optional, refrigerate the meatballs for an hour covered. This gives time for the flavors to work together.
- For a single person, you can store the mix covered in the fridge and make the meatballs as you are ready to serve them.
Making the air fryer turkey meatballs
- First, in a large bowl add the ground turkey, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Using a clean hand mix everything together evenly.
- Now, in a small bowl combine the egg and milk then whisk. Next, add the breadcrumbs with the whisked egg and milk with the seasoned ground turkey.
- Mix everything together to the point where everything is even then stop. Allow the mix to sit for 15 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to moisten.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F.
- Then, take a spoon and form the meatballs while the air fryer is preheating.
- Add the meatballs into the air fryer without crowding and cook for 8 minutes. You do not have to shake the basket. Allow the meatballs to cook all the way through.
- Allow the air fryer turkey meatballs to cool before serving the insides will be hot.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do you keep meatballs from sticking in the air fryer?
Preheat the air fryer. The key is placing the meatballs on a hot surface so that they sear and release. This is very similar to cooking with a stainless steel frying pan or grill grates.
Why are my turkey meatballs rubbery?
Turkey is naturally very lean. There isn’t much fat and if you over mix the meatballs you can make the strands of gluten much strong. Think of chewy bread or when you over-mix bread it becomes super hard.
Can I freeze these turkey meatballs?
Yes and you can pop them right into the air fryer from frozen using this recipe. You do not have to cook them before freezing but you will need to form them into their shape.
Other meatball recipes to try
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Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- First, in a large bowl add the ground turkey, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Using a clean hand mix everything together evenly.
- Now, in a small bowl combine the egg and milk then whisk. Next, add the breadcrumbs with the whisked egg and milk with the seasoned ground turkey.
- Mix everything together to the point where everything is even then stop. Allow the mix to sit for 15 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to moisten.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400℉.
- Then, take a spoon and form the meatballs while the air fryer is preheating.
- Add the meatballs into the air fryer without crowding and cook for 8 minutes. You do not have to shake the basket. Allow the meatballs to cook all the way through.
- Allow the air fryer turkey meatballs to cool before serving the insides will be hot.