Asian Turkey Meatballs

Easy, 30 Minute Asian Turkey Meatballs are baked and tossed in a sticky and savory Asian-inspired sauce. Serve as an appetizer or add rice and veggies for a well-rounded meal!

Love meatballs as much as I do? Then give my Slow Cooker Meatballs or my Italian Meatball Recipe a try!

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Two of my favorite things: Asian food and meatballs come together to make these amazing Asian Turkey Meatballs. These meatballs are tender, flavorful, juicy and loaded with tons of sauce!

I baked these meatballs instead of pan frying. It makes it a lot easier to cook the meatballs and they can be cooked in one batch. They still get browned on both sides (just make sure to flip them halfway). The best part? These Asian Meatballs only take 30 minutes to make.

Simply combine all of the meatball ingredients together and mix until combined, making sure not to over mix. Shape into 12 equal size meatballs and bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through. They also can be frozen and tossed with the sauce before serving.

I like to add a little Sriracha sauce to my meatballs for an extra kick. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions too!

Serve as an appetizer or as a meal with some vegetable fried rice or chow mein noodles.

What you’ll need:

For the Meatballs:

• Ground Turkey: Ground turkey is my choice of meat for this meatball recipe, however, you can also use ground beef or ground chicken. Ground beef will be a bit fattier and ground chicken will be leaner, so ground turkey is a nice middle ground.
• Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs help to keep meatballs moist. When the meatballs are baking, they will release juice that the breadcrumbs will soak up and keep all that juice inside the meatball!
• Garlic & Green Onion: Garlic and green onions add loads of flavor! The green onion also adds a nice crunch.
• Egg: Egg is used to bind the meatballs together!
• Sesame Oil: This adds a slightly nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the Asian-inspired sauce.
• Soy Sauce: Soy sauce will season up the Asian turkey meatballs to perfection. I used low sodium soy sauce, but you can use regular or even opt for coconut aminos if you prefer!

For the Sauce:

• Hoisin Sauce: If you have never had hoisin sauce, it is packed with umami flavor but also has a slightly sweet taste to it.
• Low Sodium Soy Sauce: Low sodium soy sauce is great for the sauce so it doesn’t get too salty, since hoisin sauce is also salty. If you only have regular, add a little bit less than what is called for in the recipe and then add more to taste if needed.
• Water: A little bit of water will make this sauce the perfect texture.
• Sesame Oil: Sesame oil balances the flavors of the hoisin and soy sauce and adds a slightly nutty taste as well!
• For Serving: Top these turkey meatballs off with some green onions and sesame seeds for serving!

How to Make Asian Turkey Meatballs

• Preheat & Mix: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add turkey, breadcrumbs, garlic, green onions, egg, sesame oil and soy sauce. Mix with your hands until combined, making sure not to over mix.

• Portion out Meatballs: Grease a baking sheet with oil. Portion out 12 meatballs. Working with slightly wet hands helps to get the perfect meatballs! Place meatballs on the oiled baking sheet.

• Bake: For 15 minutes or until fully cooked, flipping halfway through.

• Make the Sauce: While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce. Add hoisin sauce, soy sauce, water and sesame oil to a medium bowl and stir to combine.

• Coat the Meatballs: Take the meatballs out of the oven and toss with the Asian sauce.

• Serve & Enjoy: Serve immediately and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired. They also are great to through in the crockpot and cook on low until heated through!

Tips for Success

• Avoid over mixing! When you mix the raw meat with the rest of the ingredients, only mix until everything is just combined. Over mixing the meat can cause it to become tough!
• Need a spicy kick? Add sriracha! You can add some sriracha to the sauce or simply drizzle it over the meatballs before serving.
• Meal prep perfection! Asian turkey meatballs are perfect for a weekly meal prep. Just pop about four meatballs, a cup of rice and some steamed veggies into separate Tupperware to eat throughout the week! These meatballs can be in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just reheat in the microwave until heated through.

What To Serve With Asian Turkey Meatballs

• White or brown rice to soak up all the extra sauce! For a low carb option try cauliflower rice.
• Steamed vegetables
• Garlic Green Beans
• Chow mein noodles
• Noodle Stir Fry with Rainbow Veggies
• Chicken Lo mein
• Vegetable Fried Rice
• Roasted Potatoes
• Air Fryer Vegetables

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze these Asian turkey meatballs?

Yes, I prefer to freeze the baked meatballs without the sauce. You can partially bake them and finish cooking them when you pull them out of the freezer. They keep in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat defrost the meatballs, make the sauce and bake the meatballs in a 350 degree oven until warmed through or simply reheat the meatballs in the warmed sauce! They also are great to throw in the crockpot and cook on low until heated through!

Can I make these in a skillet?

Definitely! Baking them is a little bit easier and hands off, but you can definitely sauté the meatballs in a skillet. Coat the pan with about 1-2 tablespoons of neutral oil and cook them, turning them onto different sides to get them browned all over. They should be cooking in about 12 minutes, but you can use an meat thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees. At the end of cooking, toss them in the sauce in the pan.

More Easy Meatball Recipes to Try

• Thai Red Curry Chicken Meatballs
• Teriyaki Beef Meatballs
• Turkey Meatballs with Arugula and Mushrooms
• Asian Style Chicken Meatballs
• Slow Cooker Asian Sesame Meatballs