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Golden brown Turkey Pesto Meatballs coated in vibrant green pesto sauce, served in a white bowl.
Daniel

Turkey Pesto Meatballs

Juicy, herby meatballs packed with basil pesto and Parmesan, baked until golden and perfect for weeknight dinners.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 385
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs
  • 1.5 lbs ground turkey 93% lean
  • 0.33 cup basil pesto store-bought or homemade
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated, plus more for serving
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for drizzling

Equipment

  • Large Rimmed Baking Sheet
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Microplane or fine grater

Method
 

Prep and Mix
  1. In a large bowl, gently mix together the ground turkey, pesto, panko, Parmesan, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper. Use your hands or a fork, but do not overmix - stop as soon as everything is evenly distributed. Overworking makes tough meatballs.
  2. Lightly oil your hands and roll the mixture into 20 meatballs, about 1.5 inches across. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil, leaving an inch of space between each.
Bake
  1. Drizzle the meatballs lightly with olive oil. Bake at 400°F for 22-25 minutes, until deeply golden on top and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F). The bottoms should be nicely browned.
Serve
  1. Let the meatballs rest for 3 minutes, then serve over pasta with marinara, tucked into sub rolls with melted mozzarella, or on their own with a simple arugula salad. Shower with extra Parmesan at the table.

Notes

For extra insurance against dryness, add 2 tablespoons of whole milk ricotta to the mix. These freeze beautifully - bake, cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a bag; reheat at 375°F for 15 minutes. If your pesto is very oily, reduce the olive oil drizzle to a light mist.