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Turkey zucchini meatballs on a white plate with red pepper and tomato sauce behind it and a bowl of pasta in front of it.

Turkey Zucchini Meatballs – Air Fryer Recipe


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Amy Estes
  • Total Time: 17 minutes
  • Yield: 15-20 meatballs 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

You are going to love these juicy, golden turkey zucchini meatballs. You can make them in the air fryer or bake them in the oven and they come out perfectly tender and packed with flavor every time! Ready in 20 minutes, gluten-free, and paleo. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs 93/7 ground turkey
  • 1.5 cups shredded zucchini 
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil – optional for extra crispy meatballs
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare the zucchini. Shred the zucchini using a box grater, or you can cut it into chunks and pulse it a few times in the food processor. Then place the shredded zucchini onto a clean towel and squeeze any extra moisture out of it over a bowl or the sink. Discard the liquid. 
  2. Mix up the meatball mixture. Add the zucchini, ground turkey, olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper to a large bowl and use your hands or a fork to combine the ingredients.
  3. Form the meatballs. Use your hands or a small ice cream scoop to roll the mixture into 20 even-size meatballs. 
  4. Cook. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F.  Add a parchment paper liner or some foil to the bottom of the air fryer basket and spray it with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place half of the meatballs into the air fryer basket in an even layer, about 1-inch apart. You will probably need to cook them in batches. Cook the meatballs for 9-11 minutes until they are nice and golden and cooked through.  You want to cook them until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Continue until you have cooked all of the meatballs. 
  5. Serve. Serve warm with some pasta or topped with some zesty tomato sauce

Notes

  • Use good quality ground turkey that is 93/7.
  • Make sure to squeeze the extra moisture out of the zucchini before you add it to the meatballs mixture. 
  • Cook the meatballs until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. 
  • Store these meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can reheat them in the air fryer or the microwave. 
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 12
  • Category: Healthy dinner Ideas
  • Method: Air Fryer
  • Cuisine: Italian