Description
Greek Turkey Meatballs with Fresh Herbs are a quick, healthy, and flavorful Mediterranean-inspired dish made with lean ground turkey combined with fresh parsley, oregano, mint, and traditional spices. These juicy and tender meatballs offer a bright citrus zing from lemon zest and warming notes from cumin and cinnamon, perfect for family dinners or meal prepping. They are easy to prepare, cook in under 30 minutes, and serve wonderfully with salads, pita, or tzatziki sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (or gluten-free alternative like almond flour)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)
Instructions
- Prep the Ingredients: Finely chop fresh parsley, oregano, mint, onion, and garlic. Zest the lemon to infuse bright citrus flavor throughout the meatballs.
- Mix the Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, chopped herbs, onion, garlic, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, egg, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Gently mix until all ingredients are just incorporated to keep the meatballs tender.
- Shape the Meatballs: Use your hands or a small scoop to form the mixture into 1-inch diameter meatballs. Place them evenly spaced on a lined baking sheet or plate.
- Cook the Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches and brown on all sides for about 6-8 minutes. Then reduce heat, cover the skillet, and cook for an additional 6 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
- Serve and Enjoy: Remove the meatballs from the skillet and let them rest briefly before serving. Enjoy hot with your favorite sides such as Greek salad, pita bread, or creamy tzatziki sauce.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the meat mixture to keep meatballs tender and juicy.
- Use fresh herbs like parsley, oregano, and mint for the best flavor.
- Keep all meatballs uniform in size for even cooking.
- Rest cooked meatballs for a few minutes to lock in juices.
- For a healthier option, bake meatballs at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 meatballs
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
Keywords: Greek turkey meatballs, Mediterranean meatballs, healthy meatballs, fresh herbs meatballs, quick dinner, gluten-free meatballs