Ready in 30 minutes, these healthy teriyaki turkey meatballs are a protein-packed recipe that is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve them with rice and veggies for a delicious and nutritious family-friendly meal.
If you’ve never made teriyaki sauce at home, you might be surprised to learn how quick and easy it is to make! With 5 simple ingredients, you can create a delicious homemade teriyaki sauce with the perfect balance of flavors that can be used in many ways.
The combination of salty and sweet teriyaki sauce and moist and tender turkey meatballs in this teriyaki turkey meatball recipe creates a meal that is as healthy as it is tasty. Not to mention, you can easily store leftover teriyaki meatballs in the fridge and freezer making them a great make-ahead meal.
INGREDIENTS + SUBSTITUTIONS
- Ground Turkey – To make the meatballs, you can use lean or extra-lean ground turkey. You can also use ground chicken, ground pork, or ground beef if you want to mix it up.
- Bread Crumbs – To ensure the turkey meatballs are moist and tender. You can use regular or panko bread crumbs.
- Egg – To bind the teriyaki meatballs.
- Green Onion – To flavor the meatballs and a little for topping.
- Garlic and Ginger – A combination of garlic powder and ground ginger for the teriyaki sauce. You can use fresh garlic and fresh ginger if desired, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Soy Sauce – To make the teriyaki sauce. You can use regular or low-sodium soy sauce.
- Brown Sugar – To sweeten the teriyaki sauce. You can use dark or light brown sugar, honey will also work.
- Cornstarch – To thicken the teriyaki sauce.
Storage + Reheating
To Refrigerate: Allow the teriyaki turkey meatballs to cool completely, then add them to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If desired, you can store the meatballs and teriyaki sauce combined or separately.
To Freeze: Once the teriyaki meatballs have cooled completely, add them to an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. If desired, you can store the meatballs and teriyaki sauce combined or separately.
To Reheat: Once thawed, place the turkey teriyaki meatballs in a saucepan, add a tablespoon of water, and reheat them on medium heat for 2-5 minutes or until warmed through, stirring them to loosen up the sauce and adding additional splashes of water as needed. The meatballs can also be reheated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warm.
Ingredients
Turkey Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 green onions, white parts only, minced
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Teriyaki Sauce:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
To Serve:
- 2 green onions, green parts only, sliced
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the ground turkey, green onions, bread crumbs, egg, and salt. Using your hands or a fork, gently mix until everything is well incorporated.
- Roll the meatball mixture into 1-tablespoon balls, placing them onto the baking sheet once formed, until all the turkey is used, and you have about 30 mini meatballs.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven to bake for 12-15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F and golden brown.
- With 5 minutes remaining on the meatballs, prepare the teriyaki sauce. In a small bowl, add the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, ground ginger, garlic powder, and cornstarch, and whisk to combine until well combined.
- Place a large non-stick pan or pot on the stovetop on medium heat, pour in the soy sauce mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes until the sauce has thickened. If your sauce gets lumpy at any stage, don’t worry, just continue whisking it until it comes together as a smooth glaze.
- Transfer the cooked meatballs to the pan with the teriyaki sauce and gently toss them until all the meatballs are coated in the sauce.
- The teriyaki meatballs can be served immediately with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions, or cooled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
To Use Ground Chicken: Swap the ground turkey for 1 pound of ground chicken.
To Use Fresh Ginger: Swap the ground ginger for 1 inch of freshly grated ginger or 1 tablespoon of ginger paste.
To Use Fresh Garlic: Swap the garlic powder for 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced or grated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 meatballs
- Calories: 197 calories
- Sugar: 6 grams
- Fat: 7 grams
- Carbohydrates: 15 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Protein: 18 grams
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