Healthy Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

• Turkey Meatballs:
• 1 pound ground turkey, 94% lean not 99%
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup scallions, (green onion) finely sliced
• 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, or tamari (gluten-free)
• ⅓ cup of panko bread crumbs, gluten-free panko (if needed)
• ¾ tsp freshly grated ginger, very fine
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ – 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• Healthy Teriyaki Sauce:
• ⅓ – ⅔ cup homemade teriyaki sauce, (can use store-bought if needed)
• Roasted Broccoli:
• 2 heads broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil

Salt & pepper, to taste

• To Serve:
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• Garnish: green parts of the scallions, and/or sesame seeds

Prep:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Make sure there are two racks open before heating the oven.
2. Roasted the Broccoli:
3. Toss the broccoli florets, olive oil, salt, and pepper into a mixing bowl.
4. Spread the coated broccoli across one of the lined baking sheets.
5. Roast for 22 – 28 minutes, depending on how charred you want the broccoli. Check at the 18-minute mark.
6. Make the Meatballs:
7. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, egg, scallions, soy sauce, breadcrumbs, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
8. Gently mix with hands until fully combined and form 18-22 meatballs using a scooper or your hands (for even sizing, measure 2 tablespoons of mixture per meatball).
9. Place meatballs evenly on the second lined baking sheet. Bake for 13-16 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
10. Make the Teriyaki Sauce:
11. Meanwhile, prepare the healthy teriyaki sauce on the stovetop. Follow these instructions. It takes 8 minutes.
12. Carefully transfer cooked meatballs to the saucepan with teriyaki sauce, and gently coat them. Alternatively, use a mixing bowl for this step if your saucepan is not large enough.
13. Serve the teriyaki turkey meatballs with brown rice and roasted broccoli. Then, garnish with sliced green parts of scallions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Air Fryer Instructions: You can air fryer the turkey meatballs instead of baking them. Air fry them at 360°F for 8 – 10 minutes or until fully cooked (165°F internal temperature).

Swap with other roasted vegetables: I love serving teriyaki meatballs with crispy broccoli, but you can also serve them with green beans, shishito peppers, baby carrots, or cauliflower and broccoli.

Use 94% lean ground turkey. Using 99% lean turkey can result in dry meatballs. I recommend using 94% lean turkey to ensure that these Asian turkey meatballs are super juicy.

Don’t overwork the turkey meatball mixture. This is my #1 tip for gluten-free meatballs. If you overwork the mixture, the meatballs will be tough and dry.

Freezing: You can prepare the turkey meatballs, shape them, and then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a resealable bag or airtight container. When you’re ready to cook them, bake them directly from frozen and add 3 – 4 extra minutes to the cooking time.

Storing: Place leftovers into one large or individual airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 days. I recommend letting the turkey meatballs cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

Reheating: To reheat, transfer any leftovers to a microwave-safe dish and heat in 30-second intervals until warm. Alternatively, you can reheat everything in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed.