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Baked Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe

Baked Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe
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★★★★★

5 from 17 reviews

These Baked Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce are a flavorful, tender, and juicy dish perfect for a healthy dinner. Made with lean ground turkey, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, and baked to perfection, they are coated in a zesty, fragrant lemon garlic butter sauce infused with fresh herbs for an irresistible finish.

Ingredients

Scale

Meatballs

  • 2 pounds (900g) ground turkey
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic (about 2–3 cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt, to taste

Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup, 113g) unsalted butter
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Sriracha, optional)
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

For Garnish

  • Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Make Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, egg, onion powder, minced garlic (2 teaspoons), Italian seasoning, crushed chili pepper flakes (if using), and salt to taste.
  3. Mix Gently: Use your hands to gently mix the ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the meatballs tender.
  4. Form Meatballs: Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop about 1.5-inch portions of the mixture and roll them gently between your hands into meatballs.
  5. Arrange in Dish: Place the formed meatballs in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
  6. Bake Meatballs: Bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned (internal temp 165°F/74°C).
  7. Drain Fat (Optional): If there is excess fat in the dish after baking, carefully spoon it out and discard.
  8. Make Sauce: While meatballs bake, melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals until fully melted. Stir in lemon juice, fresh rosemary, thyme, sage, minced garlic (3 cloves), black pepper, hot sauce (if using), and salt to taste. Mix in fresh parsley last.
  9. Coat Meatballs: Pour the lemon garlic butter sauce over the baked meatballs and gently toss or spoon the sauce to coat evenly.
  10. Final Bake: Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and meatballs are reheated. Avoid overbaking to prevent drying out.
  11. Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven. Optionally sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Do not overmix the meatball mixture to ensure tender meatballs.
  • Use fresh herbs in the sauce for the best flavor.
  • Crushed red chili flakes and hot sauce are optional but add a nice kick.
  • Check internal temperature of meatballs to ensure they are fully cooked (165°F/74°C).
  • Leftover meatballs and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
  • These meatballs pair well with pasta, rice, or a fresh salad.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked turkey meatballs, lemon garlic butter sauce, healthy meatballs, turkey recipes, easy dinner, low fat meatballs

Find it online: https://chefmilacook.com/baked-turkey-meatballs-with-lemon-garlic-butter-sauce-recipe/