These turkey and zucchini meatballs are the juiciest, most tender meatballs ever! They're perfect for summer and go well with just about anything.
I love making them when zucchini are in season - either cheap at the store or growing in abundance in the garden. I end up putting zucchini in everything!
These meatballs are delicious with Red-Skinned Mashed Potatoes, a Hearty Marinara Sauce, or simply on their own with some bread, mustard, and maybe a few pickles.
Ingredients: 11 + salt, pepper, and oil
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Jump to:
Recipe ingredients
Ground turkey: You can, of course, use any other type of ground meat instead.
Zucchini: About 1 cup of finely grated zucchini. If you have more on hand, make sure to try these amazing Rice Stuffed Zucchini or Zucchini Corn Fritters.
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make turkey meatballs with zucchini?
Step #1: Grate the zucchini on the fine side of a box grater.
Step #2: Place the grated zucchini on a clean kitchen towel, gather the towel, and squeeze out the excess water.
Step #3: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Step #4: Form the meatballs, using about ยผ cup of the mixture for each one.
Step #5: Brown the meatballs in a pan for about 2 minutes per side.
Step #6: Finish cooking them in the preheated oven.
Store and reheat
Refrigerate the zucchini and turkey meatballs in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freeze them for up to 3 months and defrost them in the fridge.
Reheat them in the oven, air fryer, or microwave.
What to serve with them?
Sign up for our Newsletter to receive new, quick, and delicious recipes in your inbox occasionally! Find me sharing daily meal-time inspiration on Pinterest and Facebook
Give my quick recipes a try for your next family meal! Feel free to reach out if you need any assistance!
Recipe
๐ Recipe
Turkey and Zucchini Meatballs
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Box grater
- Frying pan
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup zucchini finely grated, about 4.5 oz/ 130 g
- 1 lb ground turkey Note 1
- โ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tablespoon dill chopped, Note 3
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons whole grain mustard or another type you like to taste
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ยผ teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste
- ยพ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF/ 200ยฐC. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare zucchini: Grate them on the fine side of a box grater. Place them on a clean kitchen towel, gather the towel, and squeeze out the excess water. Place them into the bowl.1 cup zucchini
- Meatball mixture: Add ground turkey and all the other ingredients except for the oil. Mix well to combine.1 lb ground turkey + โ cup breadcrumbs + 1 small onion + 2 garlic cloves + 1 tablespoon dill + 1 tablespoon parsley + 1 egg + 1 ยฝ teaspoons whole grain mustard + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + ยผ teaspoon red pepper flakes + ยพ teaspoon fine sea salt + ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Form the meatballs using about ยผ cup of the mixture for each one. You will have about 12 quite large meatballs (Note 3).
- Brown the meatballs: Heat the oil in the pan and brown the meatballs in batches. It should take about 2 minutes per side.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Cook the meatballs: Place the browned meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake them in the preheated oven for 7-8 minutes or until they are cooked through.
- Check them with an instant-read thermometer โ the internal temperature should be 165ยฐF/ 74ยฐC. You can also check by cutting one in the middle.
Notes
- Ground meat: You can also make these meatballs with any other type of ground meat: chicken, pork, beef, or a mixture.
- Herbs: You can use frozen dill and parsley, or other fresh herbs like oregano or thyme. If you donโt have fresh or frozen herbs, use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme or oregano instead. Dried dill and parsley are not so great, but you can use them if you want.
- Meatball size: These are fairly large meatballs. You can make them smaller, but keep in mind they will cook faster, so check them a bit earlier.
Manu says
Love them so much!