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Home » Recipes » Dinner » Oven Baked Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

Oven Baked Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

By Taesha Butler October 21, 2021 (Updated September 25, 2022) 16 Comments

Servings6 servings
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Jump to Recipe
5 from 10 votes

These Turkey Zucchini Meatballs are easy to make and full of flavor. Mixed up in one bowl and then into the oven they go, this veggie-loaded recipe is perfect for adding protein to any weeknight dinner or for stocking up your freezer.

Turkey zucchini meatballs in a pan with sauce and a wooden spoon is scooping one up.

Veggie-loaded meatballs are a TNN house staple. Perfect as part of meal prep, as a share for a potluck, a hearty addition to a busy weeknight dinner, or as the perfect protein to stock my freezer with..meatballs are versatile and always a winner at our dinner table.

I first started exploring adding veggies to meatballs when I created my Healthy Meatballs with veggies back when the Veggie-Loaded Approach was just a budding idea. When I saw how much my family loved that recipe and how easy it was to get some bonus veggies into our diets via tasty meatballs, I kinda went wild. Since then, I have added many different kinds of veggie-loaded meatball recipes to the pages of TNN. They are always loved by our community members and I’m sure these Oven Baked Turkey Zucchini Meatballs are going to win over oodles of hearts and bellies.

grated zucchini in a paper towel.

Why you want to make these turkey meatballs…

  • They have shredded zucchini, which not only adds a dose of veggies to the meal but helps in keeping these turkey meatballs moist and tender.
  • Super flavorful. Turkey meatballs sometimes get a bad wrap for being blah. But not these turkey zucchini meatballs! They are packed with flavor, so they are delicious to eat on their own, in sauce, over pasta or however you like to eat meatballs.
  • They are easy to make, so they are perfect to add to meal prep or throw together on a crazy busy weeknight dinner. The only veggie prep you need to do is grating and draining zucchini and everything is mixed in one bowl.
  • Great as leftovers or for meal prep. These turkey meatballs freeze beautifully, so they are a perfect way to stock up. Or make them on a Sunday and store them in the fridge to quickly add a protein AND veggies to a meal in a flash.

Frequently asked questions

Can I omit the breadcrumbs?

The breadcrumbs in this Turkey Zucchini Meatball recipe helps to keep the meatballs moist. Turkey meatballs can get dry when cooking, so while I have had success making these without breadcrumbs, I find I enjoy the flavor much more with the addition of panko breadcrumbs.

How can I make these gluten free?

Simply used gluten free breadcrumbs. I have found many great ones on the market that work beautifully in recipes and have great flavor.

Can I omit the egg?

The egg works as a binder in this recipe. You can replace it with a flax egg (1 tablespoon flax meal + 2.5 tablespoons water) or omit it. However, I haven’t tested these turkey meatballs sans egg. If you omit the egg, be aware that the meatballs might not hold together as well….but will still be super tasty.

Ingredients for turkey zucchini meatballs in a mixing bowl.

Can these Turkey Zucchini Meatballs be made dairy-free?

The parmesan cheese gives these meatballs a great flavor, but it can be omitted to make this recipe dairy-free if needed.

How do I store these meatballs?

These meatballs make a great meal prep item or as part of your freezer stash!

Once you have cooked the meatballs, let them cool completely before transferring them into an airtight container and storing them in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, just pop into the oven on a baking sheet to heat up or add to sauce on the stove top and warm them up together.

Or, you can freeze these meatballs. They freeze really well, so they are great for stocking up your freezer. After cooking and cooling, I like to store them in a large freezer bag or freezer-safe large container.

To defrost, I like to take them out of the freezer and let them thaw overnight in the fridge.

Turkey zucchini meatballs on a baking sheet. A hand is placing one meatball into place.

Suggested adaptations

  • Use a different vegetable instead of zucchini. Grated carrots or finely chopped spinach would also work well in these turkey meatballs.
  • Use whatever ground meat you prefer. Pork, chicken or beef will work well in this zucchini meatball recipe.
  • Make them gluten free by using gluten free breadcrumbs.
  • Omit the cheese to make these Turkey Zucchini Meatballs dairy-free.
  • Replace the egg in this recipe with a flax egg.

Tips & tricks

  • Shred the zucchini ahead of time and store it in your fridge so that these turkey meatballs are even easier to throw together.
  • Use a food processor with the shredding blade attachment to make prepping the zucchini for these turkey meatballs faster and extra easy.
  • Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to make clean up easy and prevent the meatballs from sticking to the baking sheet.
  • Use your hands to mix the meatballs. This helps all of the ingredients to get incorporated evenly into the meatball mixture and is much faster than using a spoon.
  • Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the meatballs. This makes the process faster and the balls more even in size. I like this one. You can also use a heaping tablespoon to portion out the meatballs.

Other veggie-loaded meatball recipes you will love

  • Healthy Meatballs (with veggies!)
  • Ranch Spinach Turkey Meatballs
  • Beef & Mushroom Meatballs
  • Chicken Cauliflower Meatballs
  • Mushroom Lentil Meatballs (vegetarian)

Loving This Turkey Zucchini Meatball recipe and now you’re hungry for more?

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Turkey zucchini meatballs in a bowl with pasta and sauce. A fork has cut a meatball in half and has half on the prongs.
Print Recipe
5 from 10 votes

Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

These Turkey Zucchini Meatballs are easy to make and full of flavor. Mixed up in one bowl and then into the oven they go, this veggie-loaded recipe is perfect for adding protein to any weeknight dinner or for stocking up your freezer.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: ground turkey, zucchini
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 159kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Ingredients 

  • 1 ½ cup grated zucchini
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg

Instructions 

  • Preheat your oven to 400℉.
  • Take shredded zucchini and put it in the middle of a clean dish towel or large piece of paper towel. Wrap up the zucchini with towel squeeze a few times to help drain out some of the zucchini’s moisture.
  • In a large bowl, combine drained zucchini and remaining ingredients. Using clean hands or a spoon, mix until well combined.
  • Gently roll the meat into golfball size portions. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until meat is cooked through.
  • Enjoy warm and with your favorite sauce and/or pasta or veggies. Allow leftovers to cool completely and store in an air-tight container in fridge for 3-4 days

Nutrition

Serving: 4meatballs | Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 410mg | Potassium: 345mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 206IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

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Filed Under: Dinner, Meal Prep Tagged With: zucchini

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Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Karen F FitzGerald

    November 1, 2021 at 2:27 pm

    5 stars
    These are my new favorite. I made them with chicken instead of turkey. Perfect.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      November 1, 2021 at 3:36 pm

      5 stars
      I am so glad, Karen! Thanks for taking the time to share.

      Reply
  2. Christine

    February 27, 2022 at 1:11 am

    5 stars
    These were so delicious and my picky toddler gobbled them up! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      February 27, 2022 at 12:56 pm

      Oh I am so glad to hear that, Christine! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!

      Reply
  3. Julie

    March 31, 2022 at 9:24 pm

    5 stars
    I made these with a few tweaks (less breadcrumbs and parm, didn’t squeeze the shredded zucchini, threw in some leftover chopped onions) and they are AMAZING – so tender and moist, so flavorful, and so easy and quick.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      April 1, 2022 at 2:13 pm

      Yay! So glad to hear that, Julie! I love the little changes you made!

      Reply
  4. Sabrina

    April 5, 2022 at 9:03 pm

    5 stars
    My family loves anything “meatballs” so I’m always looking for new simple delicious recipes and this one did not disappoint! It was so easy to make and there were packed with so many flavours. Thanks for this, its a keeper!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      April 6, 2022 at 12:29 pm

      I’m so glad these were a hit with the family, Sabrina! Thank you for taking the time to share!

      Reply
  5. Colleen

    April 12, 2022 at 10:02 pm

    5 stars
    Always a win when I can get my one year old to eat something other than eggs!
    Thanks for the great recipe- these were tasty!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      April 13, 2022 at 3:11 pm

      Yay! I am so glad to hear that, Colleen! Thanks for taking the time to share and leave a review.

      Reply
  6. Telly

    July 13, 2022 at 12:58 pm

    Hello! Making these for the first time for my little baby. I just wanted to know if they can be reheated?
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      July 21, 2022 at 6:04 pm

      Absolutely! I love these as leftovers

      Reply
  7. Lindsay Maielli

    August 25, 2022 at 12:14 am

    5 stars
    I rarely remember to come back and leave reviews but had to for these! My “picky eater” ate both an animal protein AND a veggie all in one with these! He ate 4 and asked if they could be in our dinner rotation. I used GF breadcrumbs and they came out perfectly moist. Major win in our household. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      August 25, 2022 at 7:18 am

      Lindsay! I am SO happy these were such a success! Thanks for sharing this win 💚

      Reply
  8. Sara

    September 25, 2022 at 9:34 am

    Any suggested substitutes for the breadcrumbs? We are grain free in our household but these look yummy.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      September 25, 2022 at 2:00 pm

      Almond flour might work! Or you could take a grain free cracker like Simple Mills and pulse it down in your food processor.

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

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