Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs

Name: Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey; 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs; 1 egg; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped; Marinara sauce, for serving

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs mix seasoned ground turkey into tender meatballs, air fried until golden and cooked through in about 15 minutes.

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Ground turkey has a reputation for drying out, and some of that reputation was earned by people mixing it like bread dough and then wondering why dinner bounced. These air fryer turkey meatballs stay tender by keeping the mixture simple and handling it gently: ground turkey, panko, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley. Mix only until everything is combined, then form 1 1/2-inch meatballs without packing them into little spheres of resentment. Keeping them the same size also means they finish cooking at roughly the same time.

Arrange the meatballs with space between them and air fry at 380°F for 10 to 12 minutes, giving the basket a gentle shake halfway through. The outside browns while the inside cooks through, without needing a skillet full of oil or constant turning. Warm marinara makes the obvious partner, whether you spoon it over pasta, build a meatball sub, or set out toothpicks and call the entire thing an appetizer. If the mixture sticks while you shape it, wet your hands first. It is a much better solution than trying to negotiate with raw ground turkey one palm at a time.

Prep15 minutes

Cook12 minutes

Total27 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Marinara sauce, for serving

Instructions

1Preheat air fryer to 380°F.
2Combine ground turkey, panko, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, pepper, and parsley in a bowl. Mix gently — overworking makes them dense.
3Roll into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. You should get about 16 to 18.
4Place in the air fryer basket with space between each one. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, shaking gently halfway, until the outside is browned and the internal temp reads 165°F. Cook ground meat until it reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
5Serve with warm marinara for dipping or toss them directly in the sauce.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

300Calories

33 gProtein

7 gCarbohydrates

14 gTotal Fat

4 gSaturated Fat

1 gFiber

1 gTotal Sugars

780 mgSodium

165 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Wet your hands before rolling to prevent the mixture from sticking to your palms.
Don't pack the meatballs too tightly or they turn into rubber bouncy balls.
A small ice cream scoop gives you perfectly even meatballs every time.