If youโve been looking for a great way to make tender, juicy meatballs with a healthy twist, this zucchini turkey meatballs recipe is going to be your new favorite. The shredded zucchini blends seamlessly into the ground turkey, keeping every bite moist while sneaking in hidden veggies that the whole family will love. Simmered in a simple tomato sauce, these tasty meatballs are a great option for busy weeknights, and they make a delicious main dish or a good meal prep recipe for lunches all week. Whether you serve them over pasta, zoodles, or with crusty bread, these amazing turkey zucchini meatballs are sure to be a great addition to your dinner rotation.
Why Youโll Love This Recipe
- These zucchini turkey meatballs are a great option for adding hidden veggies to your main dish.
- Theyโre tender meatballs made with shredded whole zucchinis and lean ground turkey.
- The panko crumbs (or almond flour for a gluten-free version) give them a light texture while keeping the meatball ingredients simple.
- Simmering them in a simple tomato sauce makes them a great addition to pasta or crusty bread.
- This turkey meatballs recipe is flavorful enough to rival traditional meatballs but with a lighter twist.
- Theyโre an easy weeknight meal that comes together quickly in one skillet.
- Leftover cooked meatballs store well, making them a good meal prep recipe for busy weeks.
- All the ingredients can be found at most grocery stores, so you can whip these up anytime.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground turkey - you will need one pound ground turkey for this recipe. You can also swap with another type of ground meat like ground beef or ground chicken. You may also love our one pan sweet potato ground turkey skillet.
- Zucchini - you will need to shred the zucchini and squeeze out the excess moisture with a paper towel. Our lemon zucchini poppyseed muffins are another great way to use up zucchini.
- Onion - we recommend fresh onion over onion powder here to help provide additional moisture to these delicious meatballs. You can use a white onion, yellow onion, or red onion depending on preference.
- Panko bread crumbs - we prefer plain panko breadcrumbs for this recipe, or almond flour for a gluten-free version!
- Marinara sauce - pick your favorite sauce!
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- This recipe would also be delicious served with spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or cherry tomatoes for extra veggies.
- Top with fresh herbs, such as fresh basil, and freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.
- Use ground chicken instead of turkey for a similar flavor, or ground beef for a richer taste. You may also like our easy ground beef stroganoff.
- Use almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs in place of regular ones for a gluten-free meatball. Looking for other gluten-free options? Try our gluten-free ramen or our recipe for gluten-free banana zucchini bread with chocolate chips.
How to Make Zucchini Turkey Meatballs
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Place the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible to prevent the meatballs from getting soggy.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef or turkey, grated zucchini, diced onion, breadcrumbs or almond flour, parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic.
Step 2: Mix until just combined.
Step 3: Roll the meatball mixture into about 1ยฝ-inch balls. You can also use a cookie scoop. You should get around 16 meatballs.
Step 4: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs in a single layer and brown them on all sides. You donโt need to cook them through at this stage, just get a good sear.
Step 5: Pour the marinara sauce over the browned meatballs. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 15โ20 minutes, or until meatballs are fully cooked (the internal temperature should reach 165ยฐF).
Step 6: Spoon over pasta or dip bread into the sauce. Sprinkle with extra parmesan if desired.
Zucchini Turkey Meatball FAQs
We recommend storing leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and consuming within 3-4 days. We prefer to store the meatballs and sauce in a separate container from the noodles.ย
You can freeze zucchini turkey meatballs either raw or cookedโboth methods work well! You can cook zucchini turkey meatballs straight from frozenโno need to thaw first. Just add a few extra minutes to your cooking time, whether youโre baking them in the oven or simmering them in sauce. If you prefer, you can thaw frozen meatballs overnight in the fridge for quicker reheating, but itโs not required.
Raw: Form the meatballs and freeze them on a baking sheet until firm. Then transfer to a freezer bag. When ready, cook them straight from frozen for the freshest texture and flavor (ensure internal temperature reaches 165 degrees).
Cooked: Alternatively, fully cook the meatballs, let them cool to room temperature, and freeze in an airtight container. To enjoy, simply reheat gently in marinara sauce or bake in the oven until warmed through.
Check out our full collection of freezer friendly meals and snacks!
Regular breadcrumbs are fine and soft, blending smoothly into recipes, while panko breadcrumbs are light, airy flakes that create a crispier crunch. Use regular for a softer texture and panko when you want extra crunchโwe like the extra crunch!
These meatballs can be gluten-free with the use of almond flour in place of breadcrumbs. They are dairy-free with the omission of the parmesan cheese.ย
Other Great Meatball Recipes
If you make this turkey zucchini meatball recipe, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Donโt forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished productโit makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Skillet Zucchini Turkey Meatballs With Red Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey (or beef)
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (squeeze out excess moisture with a clean towel or paper towels)
- โ cup finely diced onion
- โ cup panko breadcrumbs or almond flour
- ยผ cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
- 1 egg
- ยพ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- For serving: cooked pasta or crusty bread
Instructions
- Place the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible to prevent the meatballs from getting soggy.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef or turkey, squeezed zucchini, diced onion, breadcrumbs or almond flour, parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Mix until just combined.
- Roll the mixture into about 1ยฝ-inch balls. You should get around 16 meatballs.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs in a single layer and brown them on all sides. You donโt need to cook them through at this stage, just get a good sear.
- Pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 15โ20 minutes, or until meatballs are fully cooked (internal temp should reach 165ยฐF).
- Spoon over pasta or dip bread into the sauce. Sprinkle with extra parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Save time/prep ahead:
- Prep in advance: Mix the meatball ingredients and form the meatballs a day ahead, then store them covered in the fridge until ready to cook.
- Freeze raw meatballs: Shape and freeze the uncooked meatballs on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Cook them straight from frozen when you want a quick meal.
- Batch cook: Prepare a large batch of meatballs and sauce, then freeze individual servings for easy grab-and-go meals.
- These meatballs can be gluten-free with the use of almond flour in place of breadcrumbs. They are dairy-free with the omission of the parmesan cheese.ย
- The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Zucchini Turkey Meatballs." The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.ย
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