Easy air fryer turkey meatball bowls are a great weeknight dinner or easy meal prep lunch. Air fryer meatballs are light, tender, and have a slightly crunchy exterior. Served over a bed of orzo with cucumber salsa, an easy yogurt sauce, and Kalamata olives. I serve mine with some warm pita breads or homemade pita chips and a heavy sprinkle of fresh mint. Another great recipe for the air fryer!
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These healthy turkey meatballs go so well with a quick cucumber salsa
Highlights of the easy air fryer turkey meatball bowls:
- Simple ingredients
- Budget friendly
- Easy weeknight meal
- Kid friendly
- 12 minute cook time
- Leftovers can easily store in an airtight container
- Versatile air fryer recipe
- Fresh, balanced meal
Tools I used for this healthy meatball recipe:
- Glasslock Glass Food Storage Containers – the square containers are the perfect size for lunches, stain proof, and they are dishwasher safe. Great for storing leftovers.
- Tongs – a must have kitchen tool!
- USA Pan Half Sheet Pan – my go-to sheet pans, these are truly non-stick and clean up nicely
- Instant 6 qt. Air Fryer – Sleek and functional, the perfect size for 2-3 people.
- Portion Scoops – perfect for getting even sized meatballs.
Or serve these meatballs over zucchini noodles or on top of pasta with marinara sauce for a great low carb, quick, dinner option. You could also serve warm with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese for a great appetizer option.
If you like these easy air fryer turkey meatballs, you’ll love these other easy recipes…
Air Fryer Chicken Meatball Bowls
Crispiest Air Fryer Chicken Katsu Recipe
Meal Prep Sweet Sriracha Meatball Bowls
Meal Prep Greek Chicken Meatballs
Quick Steps for this simple recipe:
- Cook orzo, toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper
- Combine ingredients for cucumber salsa, combine
- Mix ingredients for meatballs, portion, air fry
- Whip up the yogurt sauce
- Serve meatballs over orzo
- Top with cucumber salsa, yogurt sauce, olives, and fresh herbs
- Store any leftovers
Creamy yogurt sauce is quick & easy, it can be customized as desired. You could substitute a store-bought tzatziki sauce as well.
Grocery store list & ingredient substitutions:
- Lean ground turkey (could substitute a different ground meat option like, lean ground beef, ground pork, or ground chicken)
- Plain bread crumbs (could substitute panko bread crumbs or Italian bread crumbs, I like the extra flavor from the Italian seasoning)
- Large whole eggs
- Garlic cloves
- White onion (could substitute red onion, yellow onion, or shallot)
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Orzo
- English cucumber
- Olive oil
- Fresh mint
- Fresh Parsley
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Kalamata olives
- Pita bread, optional
Serving these as rice bowls instead? Check out my post on Perfect Brown Rice (without a rice cooker) or Perfect Steamed Rice (without a rice cooker) for prefect rice each time!
Are turkey meatballs healthier than beef?
Turkey is about equal with beef when it comes to calories and fat. Turkey is lower in saturated fat than ground beef.
How do you keep your turkey meatballs from falling apart?
A good mixture of binding agents is important. Both whole eggs and breadcrumbs are great for keeping meatballs from falling apart. A simple way to check that the meatballs wont fall apart while cooking is while rolling the meatballs. If the meatballs do not stay together while rolling, they will most likely fall apart while cooking. If your raw meatball mixture is falling apart, increase the amount of breadcrumbs as needed. You can also chill the meatballs before baking to help them hold their shape.
How do I make sure my meatballs are moist?
Cooking meatballs in the air fryer keeps the outside crispy and the inside light and moist. The key is to start on the low end of time and add more as needed!
Homemade turkey meatballs are super quick to make and budget friendly! Simply mix ingredients together until incorporated, portion, and air fry.
Instructions for the air fryer turkey meatballs recipe:
Orzo:
- Combine cooked orzo with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, set aside.
Cucumber Salsa:
- In a medium bowl combine diced cucumber, onion, fresh parsley, fresh mint, and olive oil. Stir to combine, season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Meatballs:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Using a portion scoop or measuring spoon, scoop 1 oz. portions, roll into balls. You will get about 20, 1 oz. meatballs. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F. with a cook time of 10-12 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and place the meatballs in an single layer. Air fry for 10-12 minutes, flipping half way through. Meatballs are done once they are crispy and have an internal temperature of about 170 degrees F.
Yogurt Sauce:
- In a bowl combine the yogurt, parsley, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Serve meatballs over a bed of orzo, topped with cucumber salsa, yogurt sauce, Kalamata olives, and fresh mint.
- Leftover cooked meatballs can keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
This easy recipe for air fry turkey meatballs is a versatile family favorite! A great use for ground turkey breast.
Easy Air Fryer Turkey Meatball Bowls
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- Fresh mint, for garnish
- Kalamata olives
For the orzo:
- 12 oz. Dry orzo, cooked according to package instructions
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt & pepper, to taste
For the Meatballs:
- 1 lb. Ground turkey
- 1 1/2 cup Plain bread crumbs
- 2 Whole eggs
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/2 small White onion, finely diced
- 1 tsp Salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
For the Cucumber Salsa:
- 1-2 large English cucumbers, finely diced
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/2 small White onion, finely diced
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Fresh mint, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the yogurt sauce:
- 1/2 cup Plain Greek yogurt
- 2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
- Fresh parsley & mint, chopped
- Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
For the Orzo:
- Combine cooked orzo with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, set aside.
For the Cucumber Salsa:
- In a medium bowl combine diced cucumber, onion, fresh parsley, fresh mint, and olive oil. Stir to combine, season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the Meatballs:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. In a large bowl combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Using a portion scoop or measuring spoon, scoop 1 oz. portions, roll into balls. You will get about 20, 1 oz. meatballs. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F. with a cook time of 12 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and place the meatballs in an even layer. Air fry for 12 minutes, flipping half way through. Meatballs are done once they are crispy and have an internal temperature of about 170 degrees F.
For the Yogurt Sauce:
- In a bowl combine the yogurt, parsley, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Serve meatballs over a bed of orzo, topped with cucumber salsa, yogurt sauce, Kalamata olives, and fresh mint.
- Leftover turkey meatballs can keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
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