Food & Cooking Recipes Jessica Alba's Turkey Meatballs 4.0 (760) These kid-friendly meatballs are moist and delicious—and easy to make. Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 40 mins Servings: 6 Jump to recipe Jessica Alba's recipe for turkey meatballs, which she shared with Martha on her TV show, is a true winner. Made with lean ground turkey, the easy meatballs are a clever way to get more vegetables into your—or your kids'—diet because they include finely chopped onion, carrot, and zucchini. Panko breadcrumbs give them structure and beaten egg binds them. After they’re browned in olive oil, the turkey meatballs finish cooking in a small amount of chicken broth to stay plump and moist. Serve them as is—they make great finger food for little kids—with spaghetti and sauce or make a big batch and serve them with different side dishes throughout the week. 21 Ground Turkey Recipes to Add to Your Dinner Rotation Credit: Jake Sternquist Buying Ground Turkey for This Recipe WThis recipe calls for lean ground turkey and you can use whichever kind looks best to you with great results. Here are a few tips for knowing the difference between the various options: Light vs. dark meat: Most ground turkey you'll find at the store contains a mix of dark and light meat (if the package doesn't specify, assume it's a combination). For the leanest option, look for ground turkey labeled "ground turkey breast" or "extra lean"—it'll also be lighter in color than the other options. A mix of light and dark meat will be slightly more juicy and flavorful after being cooked. Fat content: Packages of ground turkey will almost always list the fat content on the front, just like with ground beef. You're likely to see ratios of 85-percent lean to 15-percent fat, 93-percent lean to 7-percent fat, and 99-percent lean to 1-percent fat. The higher the percentage of fat, the more moist and flavorful the meat will be after cooking. Instead of finely chopping the produce, you can use the large holes of a box grater to shred one-quarter of an onion, one-third of a large carrot, and half of a small zucchini (or one-third of a large one). How to Form Turkey Meatballs To form even-sized meatballs quickly and easily, try these two tricks from Martha: Use an ice-cream scoop: Portioning the turkey mixture with an ice-cream scoop will help ensure each meatball is the exact same size and cooks at the same rate. Wet your hands: Keep a small bowl of water nearby and wet your hands as needed to keep the turkey mixture from sticking while shaping. It'll also help you achieve extra round, even meatballs. Directions Credit: Jake Sternquist Combine meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, mix turkey, panko, carrots, zucchini, onion, eggs, Italian seasoning, and salt until well combined; form into 1-inch balls. Credit: Jessica Alba's Turkey Meatballs Credit: Jake Sternquist Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to brown the meatballs in two batches. If this is the case, return them all to the skillet in step 3 when you're ready to add the chicken broth. Brown meatballs in olive oil: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook, turning, until browned, about 7 minutes. Credit: Jake Sternquist Tip Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to cook the meatballs in two batches. Should that be the case, divide the broth in half, adding 1/4 cup to the skillet in step 3 and 2 tablespoons in step 4. Add broth, cover, lower heat, and cook: Add 1/2 cup chicken broth; cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is almost completely absorbed, about 7 minutes. Credit: Jake Sternquist Add remaining broth, increase heat, and cook uncovered: Add remaining 1/4 cup broth and increase heat to medium; cook, uncovered, until liquid is absorbed. Serve. Credit: Jake Sternquist How to Store and Reheat Turkey Meatballs In the refrigerator: Store meatballs in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat them in an oven or air-fryer at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes, in simmering tomato sauce for 10 minutes, or in the microwave for 2 to 4 minutes. In the freezer: Store meatballs in an airtight container (a resealable bag works great here) for up to three months. You can reheat them directly from the freezer in a pot of simmering sauce for 15 minutes. Otherwise, plan to thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then follow the reheating instructions above. 5 Ways to Serve Turkey Meatballs There are so many ways to enjoy these turkey meatballs, including: Simmered in your favorite homemade or store-bought tomato sauce and served with spaghetti In lettuce wraps along with spicy mayonnaise, pickled vegetables, and vermicelli noodles In chicken broth with spinach and orzo for a light and simple soup Layered on sub rolls with marinara and melty provolone or mozzarella cheese Added to a grain bowl or salad for a boost of protein (they'd be excellent with our Thai cucumber salad) Other Meatball Recipes to Try: Easiest Spaghetti and Meatballs Eggplant Meatballs With Spaghetti Spaghetti Squash With Turkey Meatballs Shrimp Meatballs With Spaghetti Beef-Zucchini Meatballs Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.