Easy Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs (Dairy-Free)
Juicy and flavorful, these gluten-free turkey meatballs make a delicious appetizer and finger food for gatherings and dinner parties. Serve with your favorite sauce and your guests will be begging for seconds! Totally dairy-free too.
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Flavorful Turkey Meatballs for a Tasty Appetizer!
If you love meatballs, but want a change from the usual beef meatballs, you’re in for a delicious treat!
These easy turkey meatballs are tender and filled with flavor, and make an amazing appetizer that you and your guests will love!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple Ingredients: The main ingredients required for making these gluten free turkey meatballs are easily accessible at the local grocery store (nothing fancy required!).
- Very Easy to Make: These turkey meatballs come together easily – just combine the ingredients and shape the meat mixture into balls, before cooking them (with instructions for either the oven or the air fryer!).
- Totally Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free: The best part is that these easy meatballs are 100% gluten-free or dairy-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten or lactose intolerances can enjoy them without issues!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for this gluten-free turkey meatballs recipe.
(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
Recipe Notes + Substitutions:
- Ground Turkey:Â Since this is a turkey meatballs recipe, ground turkey is the key ingredient here. I recommend using higher-fat ground turkey for more flavor and taste. Alternatively, if you want to make meatballs with other types of ground meat, go ahead and swap out the ground turkey with ground chicken, ground pork or ground beef.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: I used gluten-free panko bread crumbs to make this recipe gluten-free, but if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, go ahead and use regular breadcrumbs instead.
- Onion: I used a yellow onion, but white onions or red onions will work just as well.
- Garlic: Freshly grated garlic adds amazing flavor to these meatballs, so make sure to add it in. Alternatively, you can use garlic paste instead.
- Eggs: Eggs act as the binder for the ingredients in these meatballs, so make sure to add them in.
- Parsley: I like added fresh chopped parsley for color and taste. Alternatively, you can also rehydrate dried parsley (let dried parsley soak in water for 10 minutes before using) if you don’t have fresh parsley on hand.
- Mustard: I used Dijon mustard, but any type of mustard will work just as well.
- Worcestershire Sauce: I used gluten-free worcestershire sauce to keep this recipe gluten-free. However, if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, go ahead and use regular worcestershire sauce instead.
- Dried Herbs: I used a mix of dried thyme and dried rosemary for added flavor, but feel free to add whichever dried herbs you prefer.
How to Make Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs (Step by Step):
1. Combine Ingredients
Place ground turkey, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, panko, salt, herbs and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chopped onions, garlic and chopped parsley.
2. Mix Ingredients
Mix the ingredients very well until you get a homogeneous meatball mixture.
3. Form Meatballs
Form the meatballs into 1-1.5 inch balls (you’ll get approximately 20 meatballs) and place them on a parchment-lined plate.
4. Cook Meatballs
Method 1 (Oven):
To bake, preheat the oven to 375F and line a large baking dish or sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place the raw meatballs on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
Spray the meatballs with cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes. Flip the meatballs over and bake for another 10 minutes. If the meatballs are large, you can increase the baking time by 5 minutes.
Method 2 (Air Fryer):
To air fry, line the air fryer basket with parchment paper and preheat the air fryer to 370F.
Spray the raw turkey meatballs with cooking spray before air frying for 12 minutes on one side. Then flip the meatballs in the air fryer and cook for another for 8-10 minutes.
5. Serve and Enjoy
Serve these flavorful meatballs warm, with fresh herbs (such as spinach or basil) and your favorite dipping sauce!
Dish by Dish Tips & Tricks:
- Swap Turkey for Other Protein: If you want to make meatballs with other types of ground meat, go ahead and swap out the ground turkey with ground chicken, ground pork or ground beef.
- Storing:Â To store, place these gluten-free dairy-free turkey meatballs in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven before serving.
- Optional Seasonings: Feel free to use other seasonings such as Italian seasoning or if you want something with a little heat (you can use ground paprika or red chili powder too).
- Freezing: To freeze, place the ground turkey meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour until they are hardened, before transferring the semi-solid meatballs to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
- Serve These Meatballs With: For a low-carb option, you can serve these meatballs with zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash or cauliflower rice. Alternatively, feel free to serve them with gluten-free pasta instead.
Sauces to Serve These Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs With:
- Marinara Sauce (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Sriracha Chili Sauce (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Sriracha Aioli (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Garlic Aioli (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Copycat Raising Cane’s Sauce (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Other Gluten-Free Meatball Recipes You’ll Enjoy:
Other Turkey Recipes to Make:
- Easy Turkey Burgers (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Roasted Turkey Thighs (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Flavorful Turkey Gravy (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Ground Turkey Bolognese (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Gluten-Free Appetizers to Make:
P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!
Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs (Dairy-Free)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Juicy and flavorful, these gluten-free turkey meatballs make a delicious appetizer and finger food for gatherings and dinner parties. Serve with your favorite sauce and your guests will be begging for seconds! Totally dairy-free too.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
- 1 cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons grated garlic
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Place ground turkey, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, panko, salt, herbs and pepper in a bowl. Add the chopped onions, garlic and chopped parsley.
- Mix Ingredients: Mix the ingredients very well until you get a homogeneous meatball mixture.
- Form Meatballs: Form the meatballs into 1-1.5 inch balls (you’ll get approximately 20 meatballs) and place them on a parchment-lined plate.
- Cook the Meatballs:
- Method 1 (Oven): To bake, preheat the oven to 375F and line a large baking dish or sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the meatballs on parchment paper. Spray meatballs with cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes. Flip the meatballs over and bake for another 10 minutes. If the meatballs are large, you can increase the baking time by 5 minutes.
- Method 2 (Air Fryer): To air fry, line the air fryer basket with parchment paper and preheat the air fryer to 370F. Spray the turkey meatballs with cooking spray before air frying for 12 minutes on one side. Then flip the meatballs in the air fryer and cook for another for 8-10 minutes.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the meatballs warm, with fresh herbs and your favorite dipping sauce (such as marinara sauce, ketchup, sriracha chili sauce, sriracha aioli, garlic aioli, copycat Raising Cane’s dipping).
Notes
Ground Turkey: Since this is a recipe for turkey meatballs, ground turkey is the key ingredient here. I recommend using higher-fat ground turkey for more flavor and taste. Alternatively, if you want to make meatballs with other types of ground meat, go ahead and swap out the ground turkey with ground chicken, ground pork or ground beef.
Panko Breadcrumbs: I used gluten-free panko breadcrumbs to make this recipe gluten-free, but if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, go ahead and use regular panko bread crumbs instead.
Onion: I used a yellow onion, but white onions or red onions will work just as well.
Garlic: Freshly grated garlic adds amazing flavor to these meatballs, so make sure to add it in. Alternatively, you can use garlic paste instead.
Eggs: Eggs act as the binder for the ingredients in these meatballs, so make sure to add them in.
Parsley: I like added fresh chopped parsley for color and taste. Alternatively, you can also rehydrate dried parsley (let dried parsley soak in water for 10 minutes before using) if you don’t have fresh parsley on hand.
Mustard: I used Dijon mustard, but any type of mustard will work just as well.
Worcestershire Sauce: I used gluten-free worcestershire sauce to keep this recipe gluten-free. However, if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, go ahead and use regular worcestershire sauce instead.
Dried Herbs: I used a mix of dried thyme and dried rosemary for added flavor, but feel free to add whichever dried herbs you prefer.
Storing/Freezing: To store, place these gluten-free dairy-free turkey meatballs in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven before serving. To freeze, place the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour until they are hardened, before transferring the semi-solid meatballs to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
