Cheesy Turkey Burger Meatballs

If you ask me, turkey burger meatballs are a total game-changer.

These protein-packed bites make a family-friendly dinner that’s loaded with flavor and comfort. Lean ground turkey gets mixed with simple seasonings and rolled into tender meatballs that cook up juicy every time.

They’re pan-seared until golden brown and finished in a rich tomato sauce that brings everything together. Serve them over pasta, rice, or with crusty bread for dipping.

It’s a crowd-pleasing meal that feels lighter than traditional beef meatballs, perfect for busy weeknight dinners.

What Kind of Ground Turkey Should I Use?

For these turkey burger meatballs, you’ll want to pick up ground turkey from the meat section, though I notice it wasn’t listed in your ingredients. When shopping for ground turkey, you’ll typically see options like 85/15, 90/10, or 99/1 – these numbers refer to the lean-to-fat ratio. I’d recommend going with 85/15 or 90/10 ground turkey since a little fat helps keep your meatballs moist and flavorful. The super lean 99/1 option can make your meatballs a bit dry, so save that for recipes where you’re adding plenty of other moisture. Make sure to check the sell-by date and choose packages that feel cold to the touch.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps – here are some easy substitutions you can make:

• Bread crumbs: No bread crumbs? Crush up some crackers, use rolled oats, or even make your own by toasting and grinding stale bread. Panko works great too and gives a slightly different texture.
• Pickles: If you’re not a pickle fan, try finely diced celery for crunch, or leave them out completely. You could also use chopped olives for a different tangy flavor.
• Cheddar cheese: Any melting cheese works here – try Swiss, mozzarella, or pepper jack for some heat. Just make sure to shred it yourself for the best melting.
• Fresh onion: Don’t have fresh onion? You can use all onion powder instead – just bump it up to about 1 teaspoon total. Dried minced onion also works if you have it.
• Egg: For binding, you can substitute the egg with 3 tablespoons of milk or even a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes).

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making turkey burger meatballs is overmixing the meat mixture, which creates dense, tough meatballs instead of tender ones – gently combine ingredients just until they hold together.

Since turkey is naturally lean, these meatballs can dry out quickly, so avoid cooking them on high heat and instead use medium heat to ensure they cook evenly without becoming rubbery.

Don’t skip letting the mixture rest for 10-15 minutes before shaping, as this allows the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture and helps the meatballs hold their shape better during cooking.

To check for doneness without cutting into every meatball, use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F, and consider adding a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan to prevent sticking and add extra moisture.

What to Serve With Turkey Burger Meatballs?

These turkey burger meatballs are perfect over a bed of buttery mashed potatoes or creamy pasta like penne or rigatoni. Since they have that classic burger flavor with pickles and cheddar, they pair really well with simple sides like roasted vegetables or a crisp coleslaw. You could also serve them as sliders by putting a few meatballs in small burger buns with some lettuce and tomato. For a lighter option, try them over a fresh garden salad or with some oven-baked sweet potato fries on the side.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: These turkey burger meatballs keep really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. I like to make a big batch on Sunday and use them throughout the week for quick dinners. They’re great tossed with pasta or served over rice with some veggies on the side.

Freeze: You can definitely freeze these meatballs for up to 3 months! I recommend freezing them on a baking sheet first, then transferring to freezer bags once they’re solid. This way they won’t stick together and you can grab just what you need for dinner.

Reheat: To warm them up, just pop them in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes if they’re thawed, or 20-25 minutes from frozen. You can also reheat them in the microwave, but the oven keeps them from getting too soft and maintains that nice texture.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 650-750
• Protein: 23-28 g
• Fat: 33-38 g
• Carbohydrates: 58-66 g

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped pickles
• 1 tbsp finely minced onion
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Step 1: Prepare the Baking Dish and Preheat Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line a large baking dish with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.

Step 2: Combine Meatball Mixture

• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped pickles
• 1 tbsp finely minced onion
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

In a large bowl, add the ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, grated cheddar cheese, chopped pickles, finely minced onion, ground black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.

Using your clean hands, mix everything together thoroughly until well combined.

I find that using my hands helps mix the ingredients more evenly and makes for juicier meatballs.

Step 3: Form and Arrange the Meatballs

• meat mixture from Step 2

Shape the meat mixture from Step 2 into 1-2 inch meatballs, depending on your preferred size.

Arrange the formed meatballs evenly on the parchment-lined baking dish.

Step 4: Bake the Meatballs

• formed meatballs from Step 3

Place the baking dish with the meatballs in the preheated oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Serve the meatballs warm.

To make them even more delicious, I sometimes sprinkle a little extra cheddar cheese on top for the last 5 minutes of baking.

Cheesy Turkey Burger Meatballs

Delicious Cheesy Turkey Burger Meatballs recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 700 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped pickles
• 1 tbsp finely minced onion
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking dish with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
• In a large bowl, add the ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, grated cheddar cheese, chopped pickles, finely minced onion, ground black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Using your clean hands, mix everything together thoroughly until well combined. I find that using my hands helps mix the ingredients more evenly and makes for juicier meatballs.
• Shape the meat mixture from Step 2 into 1-2 inch meatballs, depending on your preferred size. Arrange the formed meatballs evenly on the parchment-lined baking dish.
• Place the baking dish with the meatballs in the preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve the meatballs warm. To make them even more delicious, I sometimes sprinkle a little extra cheddar cheese on top for the last 5 minutes of baking.