Juicy Baked Turkey Meatballs with Garlic Herb Sauce

These delicious turkey meatballs use a surprising ingredient that helps them hold together while staying moist and flavorful.

My mom always made meat sauce instead of meatballs when I was growing up, so I didn’t learn to make them until later. For the past ten years I’ve been making meatballs for my kids, experimenting with different proteins and binders.

I’ve tried recipes with ground beef, turkey, and chicken. My goal with this version was to avoid breadcrumbs because my husband and one of our kids are sensitive to gluten.

Over time I tested a few substitutes and landed on today’s secret ingredient: pumpkin puree. I first saw the idea on The Kitchen and decided to try it. Pumpkin keeps the meatballs tender and juicy and works as a nutritious breadcrumb substitute.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Ground turkey – I prefer a slightly higher fat turkey for better flavor, but ground chicken also works well.
• Pumpkin puree – Use unsweetened canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to avoid adding sweetness.
• Onion, garlic, parsley – Yellow onion is my favorite, but red or white onions are fine. Fresh basil can replace parsley, and sage could pair nicely with pumpkin though I haven’t tried it yet.
• Salt and pepper – A good rule is about 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of meat.
• Parmesan – Optional. It adds flavor but can be omitted to keep the recipe dairy-free.

Recipe steps

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, gently combine the ground turkey, pumpkin puree, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, chopped parsley (or basil), and grated Parmesan if using. Mix just until everything is combined—overmixing can make meatballs dense.

Form the mixture into meatballs about 1½ inches in diameter (this makes roughly 15 meatballs). Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the meatballs are cooked through.

FAQs

How to serve

These meatballs are versatile. Serve them in a classic spaghetti and meatballs dish, tuck them into subs, make sliders, add them to Italian wedding soup, or adapt the seasoning for Swedish-style meatballs.

• Spaghetti and meatballs
• Meatball subs
• Meatball sliders
• Meatball soup (Italian wedding style)
• Swedish-style meatballs

For a low-carb option, combine the baked meatballs with marinara, top with mozzarella, and bake until the cheese is melted and golden.

More recipes

Egg-Free Meatballs (If pumpkin feels too unusual, an egg-free beef-based meatball is another breadcrumb-free option.)

Beef and Quinoa Meatballs (Add quinoa for extra protein and fiber.)