These gluten-free Asian Turkey Meatballs are SO easy, delicious, and healthy. Plus, they’re served with a peanut sauce that even picky eaters will love!
Meatballs are one of the easiest, yummiest, and most versatile meals you can make. Stick them on toothpicks for a simple and tasty appetizer. Toss them on top of pasta or noodles. Serve them on their own with a side dish like mashed potatoes or veggies. Plus, you can make them with beef, chicken, lamb, or pork, or even make them vegan or vegetarian-friendly. There’s no limit to how creative you can get!
However, this recipe might just be my favorite. The creamy peanut butter sauce adds just the right amount of unique flavor to these tasty meatballs. While they make for a fun appetizer to serve for a party, I also love them on their own as a meal or served alongside some Honey Garlic Instant Pot Noodles. Try it out and see for yourself.
Are Asian Turkey Meatballs Healthy?
Many traditional meatballs include ingredients that don’t offer many health benefits besides some protein. But these Asian turkey meatballs feature coconut flour, lean ground turkey, and reduced-sodium soy sauce. If you can’t have peanut butter, other types of nut butter, like almond butter, can be used instead. If you’re following a paleo diet, almond butter, as well as coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, will make this a diet-friendly snack or meal.
Can I Freeze the Meatballs?
Absolutely! If you want to make these in advance, start to prepare the meatballs as directed, but don’t cook them just yet. I recommend storing your Asian turkey meatballs raw in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to a month and then thawing and cooking them whenever you need them! I’m all about prepping ahead of time, and this hack will save you time while still maintaining that perfect texture when you’re ready to cook and eat your meatballs.
Why are my turkey meatballs mushy?
Be sure to bake the meatballs until they are cooked through and firm. Once they have been gently tossed in the sauce, I recommend serving them immediately so that they don’t become mushy. If you’re going to eat them later, you can prep your meatballs, but wait to cook them until you’re ready to serve and eat.
Serving Suggestions
These Asian turkey meatballs are delicious all on their own, either as an appetizer or a light dish. But if you want to turn them into a full meal, there are several different ways that you can serve them. Baked Rice is a simple side that lets the flavor of these meatballs shine. Just don’t forget a little extra sauce that you can drizzle over the rice and meatballs. Vegetable Stir-Fry is a light yet tasty side that’s packed with veggies, with flavors that complement the meatballs. For a little extra crunch, whip up a batch of Asian Cabbage Salad on the side, too.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey (85% lean)
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1/4 cup green onion, sliced (plus additional for garnish)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter (or almond butter)
- 8 teaspoons full fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- Cilantro, for garnish
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the turkey, egg, green onion and salt. Add in the coconut flour and mix until combined. Form into 20 balls (I use a heaping cookie scoop) and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until no longer pink inside, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to blot off the fat that gets released as they cook.
- Whisk ALL the sauce ingredients together until smooth and then GENTLY stir in the meatballs (they break easily.)
- Garnish as desired and DEVOUR
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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