My Italian turkey meatballs combine flavorful and bright herbs for an easy addition to my weekly meal plan, especially when combined with my zero-point crockpot pasta sauce. For those on WW, these healthy turkey meatballs are Weight Watcher friendly turkey meatballs and 3 WW SP on Green, and 1 WW SP on Blue and Purple for FIVE MEATBALLS--217 calories for 4.
How to make ground turkey juicy
The turkey meatballs stay moist because of these rich caramelized onions. They keep the turkey meatballs juicy and give them a deep flavor. If your kids (or spouse) are not into meatballs with texture, you can grind all the ingredients in the food processor. I do recommend not including fresh parsley because they will have a greenish tint (I speak with experience).
These meatballs are my go-to meatballs, not just for Weight Watchers, but all the time. When we have people over for large parties, I typically do these turkey meatballs the night before unless I have batches frozen.
Freezer-friendly turkey meatballs
I typically freeze these by the dozen, fully cooked, in a flat freezer bag, and simply that and reheat when the occasion calls for them. Just simmer in your favorite sauce until they are warm.
If I am cooking these for a crowd and they will be sitting in the slow cooker for a party, I usually add about 1-2 oz. mozzarella per pound of turkey to make them moister, but that barely affects the points. It also helps stretch them a little further.
It is something I can count on being quick, delicious, and reliably eaten by my daughters who will inevitably get messy while eating.
Healthy Turkey Meatballs
These meatballs take a little more work than my plain janes, but, man, is it worth it. These meatballs are tender, juicy, and old Italian grandmother approved. Very few things in this world beat out meatballs slowly simmering away on a Sunday evening. These are incredibly satisfying, and they will convert any naysayer when it comes to using turkey instead of beef.
Green - 3 WW SP for 5 meatballs, Blue & Purple - 1 WW SP for 5 meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb 99% lean ground turkey
- 1 eggs
- ½ oz grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (use 2 tbsp if you use dry parsley)
- ½ onion, diced
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tbsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup(s) panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Spray your preferred cooking spray into a pan, and saute onions with a pinch of salt until they are translucent and golden brown. If you are cooking sauce, save yourself the trouble and cook this in the pot you will cook your sauce in.
- Once the onions begin to get nice and soft (about 5 minutes), add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 30-45 seconds, and remove mixture to let cool.
- Once the onion mixture is cool, add all ingredients into a bowl. Mix with your hands, and form into golf ball sized meatballs. The mix will be sticky but still easily formed. I reliably get 24-26 meatballs.
- Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, line the meatballs at least 1 inch apart, and roast for 12-15 minutes at 400°.
- Alternatively, you can pan fry the meatballs in a pot and add the partially cooked meatballs to sauce to finish cooking. Make sure that your meatballs are cooked to at least 165° before eating!
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
4 meatballsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 217Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 773mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 26g
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Theresa Alkire
these meatballs are delicious! thank you for sharing the recipe!
Melissa Gaguzis
Just made these meatballs tonight. They are super fabulous!!!