These Baked Turkey Meatballs won’t disappoint! The meatballs are loaded with flavor then they’re cooked in marinara sauce to keep them moist, and then loaded with cheese for the ultimate bite. An irresistible dinner that only takes 30 minutes to make!

I was never a fan of meatballs growing up. If my mom made spaghetti it was usually with a meat sauce that she made from scratch, never meatballs. When I first tried making turkey meatballs as an adult, I baked them on a sheet pan and they turned out dry. So the next time around, I did it differently: I broiled the meatballs in a skillet to lock in all the flavors, then I poured my favorite marinara sauce all over them. These Baked Turkey Meatballs are truly the best! (And if you’re in the mood for a non-Italian version, make my Greek Turkey Meatball Gyro with Tzatziki!)
Why These Turkey Meatballs Will Be Your Favorite
I’m pretty confident you are going to LOVE this recipe for baked turkey meatballs. Here’s why.
- Moist and delicious. The marinara ensures that the meatballs don’t dry out and are the moistest most delicious meatballs you will E V E R have! The flavor from the meatballs seeps into the marinara sauce and the flavor from the marinara sauce seeps into the meatballs, making this dish absolutely irresistible.
- Super cheesy. Cheese is everything! It’s the game changer. There’s Parmesan in the meatball mixture and then mozzarella is baked to melty perfection on top.
- So many ways to serve them. Go with the classic option and serve them over pasta, pile them onto hoagie rolls, or go the low-carb route with zucchini noodles. There are endless options!

What You’ll Need
The ingredient list might look long at first glance, but a lot of what you’ll need are seasonings you probably have in your pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Ground turkey
- Yellow onion and garlic – These make your baked turkey meatballs tasty! Dice the onion finely; you can even grate it if you have the time. A fine dice is more evenly distributed in the meatball mixture.
- Gluten-free panko – Or regular panko if you’re not gluten-free.
- Grated Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated is always best, but this is a recipe where you can get away with using store-bought.
- Eggs
- Seasonings – Dried oregano, basil, parsley, salt, fennel seeds, and black pepper.
- Marinara sauce – Any kind you like!
- Mozzarella cheese – Or an Italian cheese blend.
How to Make Baked Turkey Meatballs
Here’s what you’ll need to do.


- Make the meatball mixture. Use your hands to mix the ground turkey with the onion, garlic, Parmesan, eggs, and seasonings.
- Roll the meatballs. Form the meatballs into 12 two-inch balls and arrange them in a pan.


- Bake. Place the pan in a 400ºF oven and bake for 15 minutes, then broil for 4 minutes.
- Add the sauce and cheese. Pour the marinara evenly over the meatballs and then sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.
- Bake again. Bake for 5 minutes more, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs is 165°F and the cheese is melty.
- Serve. Garnish the baked turkey meatballs with basil if you’d like, then serve.

Tips and Variations
I’ve got a few extra pointers to help you make the perfect baked turkey meatballs.
- Don’t overwork the turkey mixture. Use your hands to mix it just until combined and when you’re rolling the meatballs, do so lightly rather than rolling them tightly. This helps the meatballs stay tender!
- Use a good marinara. Some are better than others! I really like Rao’s and other varieties that aren’t made with a lot of added sugar.
- Make sure the meatballs are even sizes. If some are bigger than others, they’ll take longer to finish cooking. Using a cookie dough scoop can help you make uniform meatballs.

How to Serve These Baked Meatballs
We like to eat baked turkey meatballs with spaghetti squash, but pasta and zucchini noodles also work. You can use them to make an epic meatball sub, serve them with Parmesan Mushroom Polenta or garlic bread, or even spoon them over cauliflower rice.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftover baked turkey meatballs to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze these meatballs in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat: Place the meatballs in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350ºF until warmed through. You can also use the microwave.

More Recipes With Ground Turkey

Baked Turkey Meatballs
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 meatballs 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
These Baked Turkey Meatballs are cooked in marinara to keep them flavorful and moist, and they’re also loaded with cheese. Done in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground turkey
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves, diced
- 1/2 cup gluten free panko
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon dry oregano
- 1 tablespoon dry basil
- 1 tablespoon dry parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 jar of marinara sauce
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add ground turkey, onion, garlic cloves, parmesan cheese, eggs, oregano, basil, parsley, salt, fennel seeds, and black pepper. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients.
- Form into twelve 2″ balls.
- Place the meatballs in the pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and place the meatballs under broiler for 4 minutes to brown.
- Remove meatballs from the oven. Cover the meatballs with marinara sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
- Place the meatballs back in 400°F oven and bake for another 5 minutes or until internal temperature of meatballs reached 165°F.
- Garnish with basil and serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatballs + cheese/sauce
- Calories: 281
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 604 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg