Asian Turkey Meatballs

Asian Turkey Meatballs combine ground turkey with fresh ginger, scallions, garlic, and Panko breadcrumbs, egg, and sesame oil to create tender meatballs with lots of flavor! Serve them with a delicious Japanese barbecue sauce.

Easy, flavorful Asian Turkey Meatballs the whole family will love!

Weeknight dinners are always a little hectic at our house, especially during the school year when after school activities and homework dictate our evenings.

And even with all the cooking we do for A Family Feast, we’re often searching for quick and delicious dinners that the entire family will enjoy. These Asian Turkey Meatballs fit the bill – and we’ll cook up a big batch and freeze some of the leftovers for another meal later.

These meatballs can be made with ground turkey or chicken, and they get their Asian-inspired flavor from the addition of fresh ginger and garlic, as well as sesame oil in the mix. Japanese breadcrumbs, also known as Panko, give the meatballs a lighter texture as well.

The meatballs are cooked in Japanese BBQ Sauce – a salty-sweet, syrupy sauce that goes perfectly with these meatballs – with more drizzled on top for serving. A sprinkle of fresh, chopped scallion greens also adds a bright note of fresh flavor.

• Super tender and loaded with flavor, these tasty meatballs are a delicious change of pace from a typical Italian meatball dinner.
• You can prepare the meatballs ahead of time, then cook them up just ten minutes before serving. Or, cook up a batch of meatballs ahead of time and freeze – then reheat when you need a quick family meal.
• They are a versatile! While we served these meatballs over white rice with Japanese barbecue sauce, you could also add them to an Asian Chicken Soup or serve them with noodles.

• Japanese BBQ Sauce – You can make your own (see our recipe here) or buy this brand. It is reduced by simmering, then used to cook the meatballs.
• Ground Turkey – Any ground turkey will work, but we try to find a ground turkey mix of both dark and light meat. (The darker meat has a higher fat ratio and more flavor.) Ground chicken can be also be substituted – and again, look for that dark/light mix if possible.
• Egg
• Panko Bread Crumbs – These are also called Japanese bread crumbs. They have a lighter, crispier texture than the more finely-ground Italian-style breadcrumbs – so they give the meatballs a softer and more tender texture.
• Scallions – Also called green onion, the white part is used in the meatballs while the green top is chopped and used for garnish.
• Fresh Ginger
• Fresh Garlic
• Sesame Oil – Either toasted or plain sesame oil can be used. (Toasted has a more intense flavor.)
• Ground White Pepper
• Oil – For cooking, choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point such as safflower, canola, or grapeseed oil.

1. Reduce the BBQ sauce to thicken into a thick syrup.
2. Mix the meatball ingredients, then scoop into 36 one-ounce balls.
3. Roll the meatballs with your hands until smooth.
4. Heat the oil then brown the outside of the meatballs.
5. Add reduced BBQ sauce to the skillet, then cook the meatballs until no longer pink inside.
6. Serve over white rice with chopped scallion greens over the top. Drizzle more barbecue sauce on top if you’d like.

• Can I make Asian Turkey Meatballs ahead of time?  Yes, you could make and refrigerate the meatballs then finish the recipe once ready to cook.
• How do I store leftovers?   Store refrigerated for up to three days.
• How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat in the microwave or in a saute pan with a little water. You may need more BBQ sauce for serving.
• Can I freeze?  The cooked meatballs will freeze fine, but the BBQ sauce may break down a bit when reheating. You can add more sauce to recoat them.

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