16 to be exact. Well, that’s how many 1.25 lbs of ground turkey meat yielded. Not just any old meatball, but awesome turkey ricotta meatballs with basil! Since our recent post focused on garden herbs, I felt there was no better time to incorporate them into a meal! These savory spheres boast delicious, wholesome ingredients—fresh basil, thyme, rosemary, but are still on the lighter side. You might think turkey would mean dry, but by adding pungent herbs, parmesan, skim ricotta, and a little lemon, we keep these moist & extremely flavorful. Turkey doesn’t have to be saved for the holidays. It’s time to get our dinner-on!

- 1 package fresh ground turkey (approx 1.25 lbs)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup dry bread crumbs
- ½ cup skim ricotta cheese
- ½ onion, sweet white (finely chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 T parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 T fresh chopped basil
- ¼ tsp fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ fresh rosemary, chopped
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper, coarse
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- dash cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3T Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), for browning on stove
- Measure and prep all ingredients.
- Mix all ingredients with ground turkey, combining well.
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Roll turkey mix into meatballs, about golf ball sized.
- Preheat a large non-stick skillet or Dutch oven on stove,adding few tablespoons EVOO.
- To skillet/pot add a batch of meatballs, not overcrowding
- Brown on ALL sides, on medium heat
- On a baking pan lined with foil, spray with oil & all place browned meatballs
- Bake in 375 degree oven for ~15 minutes, or until done.
- Serve with side of warm marinara or over any pasta dish!
Beef meatballs seem to be the standard, but if you’re looking to keep it light, give these little guys a whirl. You can serve them-up over spaghetti, in a meatball sandwich, or just solo as an appetizer with some dippage (mmm marinara). You’ll have an empty pan in no time, so you might want to double the batch!
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This recipe looks terrific! I am trying to substitute ground turkey in my recipes (but boy, gone are the days when it was actually cheap, lol). However, I have found I’m not a fan of it as it simmers in a pan. This recipe, however, looks perfect for me!!
Found you from the Your Thriving Family link up.
Thank you Lori! You are right about the prices indeed. I sometimes can get the turkey buy-one, get-one at my local Vons, and then I stock-up and freeze them! I do these meatballs with beef sometimes too, but turns out the turkey tastes just as flavorful and moist in this one. I hope you enjoy them!
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