Back when I was in college, I had a good friend named whose family lived close enough to actually visit during the holidays unlike my own. During our freshman year he invited me to join his family for some of their holiday celebrations since I was missing my own family. One of his family’s traditions has stuck with me since then – eating Asian takeout and watching The Christmas Story the week before Christmas. It was a tradition that I absolutely loved being a part of, something so non-traditional that I always remember it. These baked turkey meatballs are my way of remembering that fun tradition with my friend from years ago! Teriyaki turkey meatballs inspired by, but better than, Asian takeout!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe is so easy. Both the meatballs and the teriyaki sauce are literally just mixing ingredients together. The flavor is amazing. The combination of the salty soy sauce with the sweet brown sugar in the teriyaki sauce perfectly complements each other. It’s great for a crowd or making ahead. Making a second sheet pan of meatballs isn’t much different than making one. Store the meatballs and enjoy with a little sauce all week long. They’re baked. The recipe with the teriyaki sauce may not be quite healthy but baking instead of frying does keep the calorie count down. And if you eat them without the teriyaki sauce (not my preference), they really are pretty healthy!
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Soy sauce – we typically use the reduced sodium kind, you can also use coconut aminos as a substituteGround turkey – try to use the leanest ground turkey available if you’re wanting to make this recipe as healthy as possible Brown sugar – you can use either dark or light brown sugar in this recipe, either one works fineDried parsley – since this is going into the meatballs, use dried parsley instead of trying to substitute with fresh Bread crumbs – plain, unseasoned bread crumbs work best since you’ll be adding other seasoning to the meatballs. Panko also works.
Step by Step Instructions
I’m going to break this into two sections – making the meatballs and making the teriyaki sauce. That way if you only want one or the other, you’re golden. And ps., if you like teriyaki sauce, you have to try this teriyaki sheet pan chicken recipe. So good!
1 – Prep the Meatballs
Before you get started on the meatballs, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the egg to the bowl and combine with the large ingredients. Note, make sure your egg is scrambled before you add it! Add the turkey to the bowl and mix everything together by hand. Once the turkey is mixed, roll into small bowls and place about 1/2 inch apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
2 – Bake the Meatballs
Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. Flip then bake for another 5 minutes.
3 – Make the Teriyaki Sauce
While the meatballs are baking, make your teriyaki sauce. To make the sauce, all you need to do is combine all of the sauce ingredients in a pot over medium heat and stir. Wait until the mixture comes to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until mixture reaches your desired thickness. I typically like it to be thick enough that it has some thickness to it (i.e., it doesn’t just run off a spoon like a soup) but not too thick.
4 – Finish the Meatballs
After you’ve baked the meatballs for the additional five minutes, remove from the oven. Cover with teriyaki sauce then put back int the oven for a last five minutes to finish cooking. Serve warm with coconut rice, regular white rice, pasta, or just a side of steamed veggies. Oh and any leftover teriyaki sauce!
Recipe Video
Watch how quickly these baked turkey meatballs come together in this quick video!
Expert Tips
Don’t over bake. If you over bake the meatballs, you’ll end up with dry meatballs or worse, burnt teriyaki sauce. Make sure to cook the teriyaki sauce on medium then reduce the heat to a simmer once it comes to a boil. If you continue to cook on medium and boil the mixture, you risk burning the sauce or evaporating so much you won’t have enough for the meatballs. If you like sauce, double the teriyaki sauce so you have even more to add to the meatballs after baking. Use your hands to mix the meat. This keeps the meatballs moist and tender.
More 30 Minute Dinners
Coconut chicken tendersEasy feijoada recipeHam fried riceSausage jambalayaAlmond chickenEasy orange chicken
Update Note: This post was originally published December 8, 2015 but has since been updated to add additional photos, video, and details.
