Asian Ground Turkey Meatballs: Two Delicious Recipes for Your Next Meal

Asian Glazed Turkey Meatballs are deliciously sticky and sweet. Ground turkey is seasoned with ginger, garlic, and scallions, and formed into bite-sized meatballs. The meatballs are covered in a flavorful sauce that has ginger, soy sauce, hoisin, and rice wine vinegar. These Asian Glazed Turkey Meatballs provide a perfectly balanced meal (or meal prep) when served with rice and a vegetable. They also make a perfect bite-sized appetizer!.

Are you craving flavorful, juicy meatballs with an Asian twist? Look no further! We’ve compiled two fantastic recipes for Asian ground turkey meatballs, each offering its own unique blend of flavors and textures. Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal or a show-stopping appetizer, these recipes have you covered.

Recipe 1: Asian Glazed Turkey Meatballs from Eat Yourself Skinny

This recipe is a crowd-pleaser, boasting a sweet and savory sauce that perfectly complements the tender turkey meatballs The sauce is made with a combination of soy sauce, honey, beef broth, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and pepper, creating a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • For the meatballs:
    • 1 lb ground turkey
    • 1/3 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
    • 1 egg
    • 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
    • 1 tsp fresh grated ginger (or 1/4 tsp ground ginger)
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 2 green onions, sliced
    • Garnish: extra green onions and sesame seeds
  • For the sauce:
    • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
    • 1/3 cup beef broth (or water)
    • 1/4 cup honey
    • 1 tsp sesame oil
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tsp fresh grated ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes (optional)
    • Optional for thickening the sauce:
      • 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
      • 1/2 Tbsp water

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients and mix well.
  3. Using a small cookie scoop, form 1-inch sized meatballs and place them on a baking sheet.
  4. Bake the meatballs for 13-15 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.
  5. While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bringing to a boil.
  6. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.
  7. If desired, thicken the sauce further by mixing cornstarch and water to create a slurry and adding it to the sauce.
  8. Once the meatballs are cooked, transfer them to a bowl and coat them in the sauce.
  9. Serve the meatballs over fluffy brown rice, drizzled with extra sauce, and garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

Recipe 2: Asian Glazed Turkey Meatballs from Sweet Savory and Steph

This recipe offers a slightly different take on Asian-inspired meatballs, featuring a sticky glaze and a delicious combination of scallions, ginger, and garlic. The meatballs are baked in a mini muffin tin for a fun and convenient presentation, making them perfect for parties or meal prep.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • For the meatballs:
    • 2 lbs ground turkey breast (or ground chicken)
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (plain, unseasoned)
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • 2 scallions
    • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 tsp kosher salt
    • Freshly cracked pepper
  • For the glaze:
    • 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
    • 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
    • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
    • 1 tbsp cornstarch
    • 3/4 cup water
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1 tsp fresh or ground ginger
    • Sesame seeds and scallions for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Mince the garlic and chop the scallions.
  3. Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
  4. Using a small scoop, form 24 equal-sized meatballs.
  5. Spray a mini muffin tin liberally with cooking spray (or use a baking sheet if you don’t have a muffin tin).
  6. Place one meatball in each muffin tin opening or lay them on the baking sheet.
  7. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes.
  8. While the meatballs are cooking, prepare the glaze by combining all the glaze ingredients in a saucepan and whisking together.
  9. Cook the glaze over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent clumping.
  10. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
  11. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and cook for another minute or two.
  12. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

Additional Tips:

  • Both recipes can be easily adapted to your dietary needs. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free breadcrumbs or almond flour. For a dairy-free option, omit the cheese or use a dairy-free cheese alternative.
  • These meatballs can be served over rice, noodles, or even roasted vegetables. They also make a delicious appetizer or snack.
  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

With these two fantastic recipes, you’re sure to find the perfect Asian ground turkey meatballs for your next meal. Whether you prefer a sweet and savory glaze or a sticky sauce with a ginger-garlic kick, these recipes offer a delicious and satisfying experience. So gather your ingredients, put on your apron, and get ready to create a culinary masterpiece!

How to make the Asian glaze

While the meatballs are cooking, this is the perfect time to get started on the glaze.

Prepare a sauce pan and add the water, corn starch, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and hoisin. Whisk everything together, and turn the heat to medium.

Cook the sauce for ten minutes, stirring frequently. The sauce will start to bubble and thicken the ingredients to create the desired glaze as the cornstarch cooks.

asian ground turkey meatballs

asian ground turkey meatballs

How to make the meatballs

I am going to walk you through how to make the meatball portion of this recipe first. Start by preheating your oven to 375F.

I use fat-free ground turkey breast for this recipe, but you can definitely use ground chicken breast or any other kind of ground meat that you happen to have on hand. I use 2 lbs. for this recipe, and it makes 24 meatballs.

Since I made this for meal prep, I divided this recipe into 6 portions at 4 meatballs each.

Anyway, let’s make the meatballs. First, chop up your scallions and mince your garlic cloves. Next, transfer your ground turkey to a sizable mixing bowl and incorporate the eggs, panko, scallions, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper.

Using your hands, mix thoroughly, ensuring all ingredients are incorporated throughout the mixture.

asian ground turkey meatballs

asian ground turkey meatballs

Take a mini muffin tin and spray it liberally with cooking spray. (If you don’t have a mini muffin tin, a sheet pan works perfectly. I like to cook my mini meatballs in a mini muffin tin, too! 😉 Take a small scoop and divide the mixture into equal portions, forming 24 meatballs (you can weigh the batch and divide by 24 to get a uniform measurement of each ball). For reference, meatballs weighed 1. 5 ounces each, raw.

asian ground turkey meatballs

asian ground turkey meatballs

asian ground turkey meatballs

Place each formed meatball into the mini muffin tin (or on your sheet pan). Put them into the oven at 375F and bake for 15 minutes.

At this point, they taste excellent, but they don’t look very “glazed” or interesting, so let’s glaze them!

Asian Turkey Meatballs

FAQ

How do you keep turkey meatballs from falling apart?

I don’t suggest using 99% lean ground turkey as it may result in tough meatballs. Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs combine with the egg to help bind the turkey together to keep the turkey meatballs from falling apart. They also hold moisture, which helps keep the meatballs tender.

Why are my turkey meatballs rubbery?

Recipe Tips & Tricks If your turkey meatballs are hard or rubbery, you likely overworked the meat or compacted them too tightly. Trust and Believe: Baking Is Best. It’s fast, has easy clean up, and as long as you brush the meatballs with olive oil, you’ll get juicy results.

Leave a Comment