I love a good turkey meatball. They’re great to have stored in the freezer or sitting in the fridge, ready for a quick dinner or even a high-protein lunchtime snack.
I usually stick with a turkey meatball recipe from another cookbook, but decided to give a new one a try this time around. This recipe called for frying the meatballs, which gave me an idea. I split the batch and turned it into a little taste test challenge for my family. Half went into a skillet on the stove, and the other half went into the air fryer.
Any guesses on which one won?
Why I Love This Recipe
It’s an easy, healthy recipe and a great use for ground turkey. I actually prefer turkey over chicken for meatballs because it tends to stay juicier and less dry. Plus, meatballs are incredibly versatile and go with just about anything.
For dinner, I paired these with Easy Garlic Butter Pasta, and the combination was delicious.
Oddly enough, my kids aren’t big meatball fans, but I gave it a try anyway. As expected, they were unimpressed. The upside? They still ate every one on their plate. My husband and I, however, were very happy with the results.
And the winner of the cooking method test? The air fryer.
It gave the meatballs perfect golden edges with just the right crisp on the outside while staying juicy inside. And it’s a little healthier than frying in a skillet, which is always a nice bonus.
Skillet vs Air Fryer Meatballs
Since this recipe originally called for frying the meatballs, I decided to split the batch and try both methods.
Skillet Fried
- Golden brown exterior
- Slightly richer flavor from the oil
- Requires a little more attention while cooking
- This was quite messy, and added to the clean-up
Air Fryer
- Crispy edges and evenly browned
- Less oil required
- Quick and mostly hands-off
- Much easier to clean-up!
Both methods worked well, but the air fryer was unanimous. It gave the meatballs a great crisp on the outside while keeping them juicy and flavorful inside.
Recipe Credit
These meatballs come from Gina Homolka’s Skinnytaste Simple. The exact recipe from the book isn’t available online, but a very similar version (with a marinara recipe) can be found on her website here. You can also watch her video on how to make this recipe here.
Notes From My Kitchen
- I made this recipe exactly as written. I did use homemade chicken broth from my fridge, which adds a little extra moisture and flavor to the meatballs.
- To test the cooking methods, I split the batch. Half went into an oiled skillet on the stove and the other half into the air fryer for about 10 minutes. I flipped both batches halfway through cooking.
- These freeze beautifully, so they’re great to make ahead and keep on hand. You can serve them with pasta, add them to a sandwich, or just enjoy them as a quick high-protein snack throughout the day.
Serving Ideas
These turkey meatballs are incredibly versatile. A few ways to serve them:
- With garlic butter pasta
- Over spaghetti and marinara
- In a meatball sub
- Added to a salad for extra protein
- As a quick snack straight from the fridge
What I Used
- Staub 3.5 qt. Braising Pan
- Ninja Crispi Air Fryer – I love this air fryer because it’s non-toxic (only glass and ceramic), and comes with different glass dishes with lids for easy storage and re-heating.
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