Turkey meatballs get a bad wrap. But in this quick post, I’ll show you how to meal prep turkey meatballs to use throughout the week.
The secret to delicious turkey meatballs
Because ground turkey breast does not have much flavor, you need to add a bit of fat to make them not only flavorful, but juicy. I’ve used diced turkey pepperoni before, but in this recipe I used three ounces of hot Italian sausage. It gives such a depth of flavor to the meatballs.
How to meal prep turkey meatballs
The problem I see people making when they meal prep proteins that are going to be reheated, is that they cook them perfectly the first time. This results in overcooked meat when you reheat it later in the week. For these turkey meatballs, I removed them from the pan between 145-150 degrees. That way, once reheated, they will reach the desired doneness of 165 degrees and they will be perfectly cooked. No one wants dry balls in their mouth! 😂
Ingredients needed for turkey meatballs
- 99% fat free turkey breast (ground) (I like Jennie-O brand)
- Italian sausage
- dried oregano
- fresh basil
- salt and pepper
- garlic powder
- dried parsley
If you haven’t invested in a meat thermometer, you need to get one. They aren’t that expensive and it will help you cook meat perfectly. I went so many years without one, and can’t tell you how many times I brought in raw chicken from grilling in my early cooking days.
Meal Prep Turkey Meatballs
The secret to my turkey meatballs is using 99% fat free ground turkey breast, but adding just three ounces of hot Italian sausage gives these meatballs such a depth of flavor.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces 99% fat free ground turkey breast
- 3 ounces hot Italian sausage (or mild)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic seasoning
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients together. Cook one small portion to make sure it's seasoned to your liking. I decided to add a bit more crushed red pepper to mine, but that's completely up to you.
Divide the meatballs into 32 balls, and cook over medium low heat for about 7-8 minutes, browning the outside. Remove from heat and let cool completely before storing in the fridge. Use them in 5 days or freeze.
Since we are using these meatballs as meal prep to be reheated later in the week, cook the meatballs to 145-150. Once you reheat they will reach the desired temp of 165 and they won't be overcooked.
Notes
I plan on using the meatballs in tomato soup, Italian wedding soup, meatball subs, and sliced on pizza.
As of the date of this publication, 4 meatballs is 1 WW point, or 8 meatballs is 3 WW points. Click here for the WW tracker.
