Turkey spinach meatballs can be a little hit or miss. Sometimes they’re dry. Sometimes they’re dense. And sometimes they’re… well, just kind of bland. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
With a few tiny adjustments, turkey spinach meatballs can be tender, juicy, and packed with flavor, without requiring a ton of effort. Whether you’re serving them with pasta, piling them into sandwiches, or adding them to a soup, this recipe has your back.
Jump to the recipe to start cooking or read on for tips for success + ways to incorporate them into a meal.
Tips for turkey spinach meatball success
Making tender, flavorful turkey spinach meatballs doesn’t require wizardry. Just a few small, smart tweaks. Here are my three go-to tips for turkey meatball greatness:
1. Salt the outside, not the inside.
It might feel counterintuitive, but skip mixing salt directly into the meat. It has nothing to do with flavor—it’s all about the texture. Salting the outside keeps them tender and prevents that dense, rubbery texture that nobody wants.
Instead of salting the mixture, just form your meatballs and sprinkle them evenly with salt afterwards. You can even do this in the pan as they cook.
Here’s a link to an article on the science that backs this practice up.
2. Don’t skip the “panade.”
A simple mix of breadcrumbs and milk adds moisture and holds everything together without drying out. It’s the not-so-secret secret to turkey spinach meatballs that stay juicy, even with leaner meats like turkey (or even chicken).
If you don’t have breadcrumbs on hand, white bread works as well. Instead of 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, use 2 small pieces of white sliced sandwich bread with the crusts cut off. Tear the bread into small pieces and soak in the milk until it’s totally soggy and falling apart. If you’re gluten free, try this with gluten free white bread.
3. Use those brown bits!
Once you’ve cooked the meatballs, deglaze the pan (just a splash or water does the trick). This creates a quick, flavorful sauce that clings to every bite, and make the whole dish feel more special.
The key here is heat control. Don’t let it get too high or your pan will have burnt bits instead of brown bits.
Recipes that feature these meatballs
Here are a few ways I love putting these turkey spinach meatballs to use:
- Cheesy meatball bake: Toss with marinara sauce, top with shredded mozzarella, and a little parmesan. Bring to a simmer on the stove to make sure everything is warmed-through, then place under the broiler until bubbly. Serve with bread or pasta.
- Pasta with meatballs: Serve with your favorite pasta, pesto (or whatever sauce you’d like), and broccoli.
- Italian wedding soup: Incorporate these into your favorite Italian wedding soup recipe.
- Mashed potatoes and gravy topped with these turkey meatballs.
- Use these cooked meatballs as a pizza topping.
- Toasted subs with turkey spinach meatballs.
Turkey Spinach Meatballs
- Yield: 30 to 35 small meatballs
Ingredients
- 8 oz [225 g] frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1 lb [455 g] ground turkey
- ½ cup [55 g] bread crumbs
- ½ cup [30 g] finely grated parmesan
- ⅓ cup [80 g] whole milk
- 1 Tbsp dried basil
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup [60 g] water
Instructions
- Wring the spinach out well until it’s very dry. You should end up with about 1 cup [110 g].
- Add the spinach to a mixing bowl along with the turkey, bread crumbs, Parmesan, milk, basil, garlic, and pepper (do not add the salt). Mix together until well combined.
- Shape into 30 to 35 heaped meatballs, about 1 Tbsp each. Set on a plate as you shape them, then sprinkle evenly on the first side with half the salt.
- Heat a large nonstick sauté pan or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil, swirl to coat, and add the meatballs salty-side down. Sprinkle the other side with the rest of the salt. Cook until deeply golden brown on one side before turning. Rotate the meatballs every couple minutes, for a total of about 10 minutes. Once evenly seared, add the water to the pan, cover, and steam the meatballs for about 3 more minutes, until completely cooked through. Remove the lid and let the liquid reduce down while frequently shaking the pan to roll the meatballs around. Stop once the sauce glazes the meatballs, 2 to 3 minutes after removing the lid.
Psst… by the way, I love this recipe so much, I ended up including it in my cookbook, Piecemeal.
If you like this recipe as much as I do, you might like my book! It’s full of mix-and-match recipes and inspiration for fun and easy meals.
The cookbook also has recipes for Italian wedding soup, cheesy meatball bake, and mashed potatoes with gravy. And all three recipes feature these meatballs!
