For a quick and healthy dinner, try these juicy Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs. Serve them plain or with your favorite marinara sauce. This healthy meatball recipe is made gluten-free and dairy-free without breadcrumbs or cheese. Ready in about 30 minutes.

Three plates of zoodles topped with red sauce and air fried turkey meatballs.

Meatballs are such an easy weeknight meal. They are flavorful and satisfying, and can be served with pasta, zucchini noodles, or even plain.

While most meatballs are made using ground pork or beef, this simple recipe uses ground turkey. This lean protein is mild in flavor and low in fat, and is a great alternative to red meat for a quick dinner.

These homemade meatballs taste just like traditional meatballs, but without breadcrumbs or dairy. So, this easy recipe is a great way to stick to your healthy diet.

Contents hide
1 Healthy Turkey Meatball Recipe Benefits
2 Recommended Ingredients
3 Recipe Steps
4 Recipe Tips
5 Recipe FAQs
6 More Healthy Turkey Recipes You Might Like
7 What to Serve with Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
8 Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs Without Breadcrumbs

Healthy Turkey Meatball Recipe Benefits

  • Air frying gives you a delicious crispy outside with a juicy inside, perfect for a lean protein like ground turkey.
  • Fresh onion and carefully selected seasonings shine through for a delicious meal that even picky eaters will enjoy.
  • Flavorful on their own, these easy air fryer turkey meatballs can be served with or without sauce.
Ingredients for air fryer turkey meatballs in small bowls on a white surface.
  • Ground turkey is a lean protein that is full of nutrition. Look for 93% lean ground turkey in the meat section at your local grocery store. I also love making Mini Turkey Meatloaf Muffins using this ingredient.
  • Eggs hold the meatballs together without using any cheese or bread crumbs.
  • Fresh onion is perfect for adding flavor and interest. Dicing them small means they may even go unnoticed.
  • I also recommend seasonings like garlic powder, salt and pepper.

See the recipe card below for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Steps

Process shots for mixing and cooking air fryer turkey meatballs.

Step One

Spray the air fryer basket with oil and preheat if your machine requires it. Add all ingredients including the ground meat to a large mixing bowl.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Two

Dive in with clean hands! This is truly the easiest and best way to get in there and mix everything well in the large bowl without overdoing it.

Step Three

Shape into evenly-sized meatballs and set on a tray or in a single layer in your air fryer basket. For best results, don’t overcrowd the meatballs.

You may need to cook in batches depending on how large your basket is.

Step Four

Air fry until cooked through, and enjoy!

Serve with pasta (see my favorite gluten-free pasta brands), zoodles, cauliflower rice, and your favorite pasta sauce. You can also serve them as meatball subs. These cooked meatballs are also low carb depending on what you serve them with.

I hope your family loves this Air Fryer Turkey Meatball recipe as much as mine does. With just a handful of ingredients, you can make this easy meatball recipe.

Turkey meatballs in the basket of an air fryer.

Recipe Tips

  • Some air fryers need to be preheated. Be sure to read the manufacturer’s guide for your specific air fryer model to determine if it needs to be preheated.
  • Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to cook the meatballs in two batches.
  • The nutrition information for this recipe only includes the meatballs and does not include any noodles or sauce.
  • Cooking in batches? Let the first round of meatballs rest in a lightly simmering pot of red sauce to stay warm. Or, place the cooked hmeatslls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in the oven at the lowest temperature to keep warm while the others finish.
  • These healthy turkey meatballs are great for meal prep. They will stay fresh in your refrigerator for up to 4 days.
plate of cooked air fried turkey meatballs.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use 99% extra lean ground turkey in this recipe?

Yes, but the meatballs may turn out drier and with less flavor than the 93% lean ground turkey.

Do I need to serve these with pasta?

These meatballs are great with any form of pasta. You can also try zoodles or cauliflower rice if you are gluten-free. They are also perfect on their own for a quick protein-filled snack.

How do I know when the meatballs are cooked through?

You can use an instant read thermometer or meat thermometer in the center of the meatball to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F .

Can I freeze the cooked meatballs?

Yes! You can freeze them in a covered airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Reheat your frozen meatballs from frozen to serve.

Can I bake these in a regular oven?

Yes, I would bake them for 20 minutes at 375 degrees F. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

More Healthy Turkey Recipes You Might Like

What to Serve with Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs

How to Freeze Zucchini Noodles (Without Getting Soggy)

Best Gluten-Free Pasta Brands for 2024 (Not Mushy)

Baby Romaine Salad Recipe

Dairy-Free Pesto Pasta
Two plates of zoodles topped with red sauce and turkey meatballs.

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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A plate of zoodles and turkey meatballs with serving dishes in the background.

Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs Without Breadcrumbs

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5 from 2 reviews

Print Recipe

For a quick and healthy dinner, try these juicy Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs made without breadcrumbs. Serve them plain or with your favorite marinara sauce. This healthy recipe is made gluten-free and dairy-free.

  • Total Time: 32 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 white onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 cups warmed marinara sauce (optional, for serving)
  • Cooked noodles or vegetable noodles (optional, for serving)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional, for topping)

Instructions

  1. Spray the inside of your air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Then, in a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, egg, onion, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine the ingredients.
  3. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 -inch diameter meatballs. You should have enough for 12 meatballs.
  4. Lay the meatballs in a single layer in your air fryer. Try to keep the meatballs from touching.
  5. Bake at 380°F for 12 minutes, or until the outsides of the meatballs have browned slightly.
  6. Let the meatballs cool for a few minute before serving.

Notes

  1. Some air fryers need to be preheated. Be sure to read the manufacturer’s guide for your specific air fryer model to determine if it needs to be preheated.
  2. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to cook the meatballs in two batches.
  3. The nutrition information for this recipe only includes the meatballs and does not include any noodles or sauce.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 196
  • Sugar: 0.6 g
  • Sodium: 387.5 mg
  • Fat: 10.7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 1.7 g
  • Fiber: 0.3 g
  • Protein: 23 g
  • Cholesterol: 130.6 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.