These healthy Greek-inspired turkey feta meatballs are juicy, packed with flavour and a great lean protein to add to any salad or bowl!
I have always loved Greek culture and cuisine. When I first had the opportunity to go to Greece I instantly fell in love with the country. I loved the sunsets, the people, the Greek approach to the eating experience and most of I loved the food! Thats why I knew I needed to find a way to try to bring some of the Greek culture into my household. Weve been making Greek-inspired bowls often and love adding these turkey feta meatballs for an easy protein.
These Greek-inspired turkey feta meatballs are a weeknight staple in my household and Im hoping they become one in yours too!
Turkey meatballs are an underrated weeknight dinner hero. With the right ingredients and technique, they can be juicy, flavorful and come together quickly. This easy baked turkey meatball recipe combines ground turkey with spinach, feta, fresh herbs and a secret ingredient for the most moist, tender meatballs that hold together perfectly.
Why Make Turkey Meatballs?
Ground turkey is a smart alternative to ground beef for healthier everyday cooking. Turkey provides lean protein with less saturated fat than beef or pork. While turkey meat won’t have quite the same rich flavor as beef, it takes well to bold seasoning.
Turkey meatballs make a nice change from the expected beef or pork versions They are
- Lower in calories and fat, especially saturated fat
- Packed with protein to keep you full
- Versatile – serve with pasta, rice, salads or even as party appetizers
With Mediterranean flavors like mint, parsley, garlic and feta, these turkey meatballs have plenty of taste. A touch of spinach adds moisture and nutrition.
Secrets to the Juiciest Turkey Meatballs
Making moist baked meatballs with lean ground turkey can be tricky. Here are tips to ensure tender, juicy turkey meatballs that hold their shape:
1. Add a panade – The panade is a mixture of bread and milk or water that adds moisture and binds the meatball mixture. For this recipe whole wheat bread is soaked in water.
2 Use Egg – Eggs work like a glue to bind the meatball mixture for meatballs that don’t crumble
3. Keep Meatballs Small – Form into golf ball sized meatballs. This ensures they cook through without drying out.
4. Don’t Overwork the Meat – Gently mix the ingredients just until blended. Over-mixing toughens the texture.
5. Use Some Fat – A little olive oil or cheese adds richness that keeps the meatballs tender. Feta cheese is the perfect choice here.
Follow these suggestions and you’ll have the juiciest baked turkey meatballs ever!
How to Make Turkey Meatballs Step-by-Step
Making these baked turkey feta meatballs is easy breezy! Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll do:
Toast and Soak the Bread – This moistens the bread so it can act as a binder. Squeeze out excess water after soaking so the meatballs don’t get soggy.
Wilt the Spinach – Fresh spinach cooks down to just a cup or so. This adds moisture and nutrition.
Mix the Meatball Batter – Combine all ingredients except oil and seasonings. Go easy on the mixing.
Form into Balls – Make golf ball sized meatballs and arrange on an oiled baking sheet.
Bake the Meatballs – Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes until cooked through. Broil 2 minutes to brown the tops.
Enjoy Your Turkey Meatballs! – Serve these flavorful feta turkey meatballs over pasta, rice, greens or a fresh salad!
With just 30 minutes hands on time and a 40 minute bake time, dinner is ready in about an hour!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses simple ingredients you likely have on hand:
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 slice whole wheat bread
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 yellow onion, grated
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1 Tbsp dried mint
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Whole wheat bread is key for adding moisture and binding the meatballs. Fresh spinach, mint, parsley, garlic and feta amp up the flavor.
How to Serve Turkey Feta Meatballs
The possibilities are endless when it comes to serving baked turkey meatballs! Here are some tasty ideas:
- Over salad greens with lemon vinaigrette
- Mixed into a bowl of tomato pasta sauce, served over spaghetti
- In a pita or on a bun for meatball sandwiches
- Over rice with tzatziki sauce on the side
- As an appetizer, skewer with toothpicks and offer dipping sauces like hummus or whipped feta
Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze cooked meatballs for quick meals later.
More Delicious Meatball Recipes to Try
If you love these baked turkey feta meatballs, try some of these other flavorful meatball recipes:
- Baked Italian Meatballs – With ricotta, parmesan and herbs
- Lebanese Cinnamon Meatballs – Fragrant with allspice and cinnamon
- Vegan Eggplant Meatballs – A vegetarian take made with eggplant and walnuts
- Beef and Pork Meatballs – A classic combo that’s easy to make
- Turkey and Cranberry Meatballs – Festive flavors for the holidays!
Get the Recipe
- Easy to whip up in just over an hour
- Flavorful with Mediterranean herbs and feta
- Juicy and tender thanks to a few binding tricks
- Endlessly adaptable – serve over pasta, on sandwiches, with salads and more
For the full recipe including step-by-step photos and instructions, visit The Mediterranean Dish.
Give these crowd-pleasing turkey feta meatballs a try for your next weeknight dinner or party appetizer!
More Healthy Dinner Recipes
Loving the easy dinner recipes? Here are more favorites from the Nourished kitchen:
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these turkey feta meatballs, dont forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
Why This Dietitian Loves This Recipe
Heres why you need to make my turkey feta meatballs.
- Lean protein option. Each meatball has 7g of protein! I love ground turkey as a leaner protein that is lower in fat.
- Packed with flavour. We have freshness from the herbs and saltiness from the feta for the perfect flavour-packed bite.
- Versatile. These meatballs can easily be added to a variety of meals throughout the week- bowls, sandwiches, salads, pitas. They taste great in EVERYTHING!
- Ground turkey
- Olive oil
- Oregano
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic
- Feta cheese
- Breadcrumbs
- Garlic
- Fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix with your hands until fully combined.
Measure out heaped tablespoons and roll using your hands until a ball begins to form. Recipe will make approximately 27 meatballs.
Place rolled meatballs onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the middle of the meatballs reaches 165 F. Make sure to flip the meatballs halfway.
Once meatballs are done, carefully remove them from the oven enjoy!
To make gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
To make dairy-free: Use a dairy-free feta like this one.
To make vegan: For a vegan meatball recipe, try my tofu meatballs!
To make nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut-free.
Switching up ingredients? Try these:
- White onion: Swap for red or yellow onion.
- Turkey: You can use any ground meat for these meatballs, however I chose turkey as a leaner protein. Lean ground beef, lean ground veal or ground chicken are other great options.
- Spinach: Try adding 1 cup of chopped spinach for a spinach feta variation.
Once cooked, these turkey feta meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost: use the defrost function on the microwave or place them in the fridge overnight.
Don’t forget to flip the meatballs halfway through cooking. This helps create an even bake and will ensure your meatballs are fully cooked through.
I love adding these meatballs to my Greek bowls. Theyre also delicious with a burrata caprese salad, quinoa salad, or any air fried veggies. For a quick meal idea, toss it in a pita with veggies and tzatziki. So yummy!
I think the secret ingredient to any Mediterranean dish is fresh parsley. You are able to replace this for dried parsley, however the flavour will change slightly.
Yes! You can bake these at 350F for about 10–12 minutes in the air fryer. Just remember to flip the meatballs halfway through cooking.
Yes! These are a great meal prep protein option. I love making a batch to use for lunches and dinners for the week ahead.
