This is the go-to recipe for fast and flavorful turkey meatballs. With the Instant Pot, they’re ready in just 12 minutes, making them perfect for weeknight dinners.
Serve them over pasta, rice, or enjoy them on their own for a lean, tasty meal everyone will love.
Not only can you enjoy meatballs as they are or pair them with noodles as well, but did I fail to mention that these meatballs take less than 15 minutes? Talk about a simple recipe that will be in your tummy fast!
I'm the type of person that loves eating my meatballs with mashed sweet potatoes because the two textures work so well together. It's literally a meal that I crave all the time.
This recipe is also super popular with kids as well because who doesn't love eating meatballs? They're the perfect bite-sized recipe that you can pop in your mouth all at once and enjoy!
Table of Contents
Recipe Video
Why This Recipe Works
This meatball recipe works for a lot of reasons. The biggest is that it's a simple way to make meatballs without a ton of grease or fat. Being able to enjoy a bite of juicy meat that is juicy because of moisture and not grease is how I want my meatballs every single time!
Since you can eat them with or without sauce, these meatballs are super versatile in how they can be used. You just need to make the recipe and then let everyone else eat them how they want.
- You can use these meatballs to make a meatball sub
- It's a fun way to make a lot of protein bites that will have enough for leftovers as well
- This meatball recipe is the perfect combination or flavor and simplicity
Recipe Ingredients
Ground turkey - You can grind your own turkey meat or buy it ready at the store.
Dried parsley - This is my favorite dried herb, but it can be optional or changed to your liking.
Salt and pepper - To taste.
Egg - A must as it's the binding agent that holds everything together.
Turkey broth - Using turkey broth keeps the meat moist during the cooking process.
Vegetable oil - Avocado oil and coconut oil are delicious, too.
Cornstarch - Adding cornstarch also helps bind everything together so that the meatballs don't fall apart while cooking.
Water - Added to the Instant Pot.
How to make Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs
Before starting, make sure that you have all the needed ingredients on hand. There's nothing worse than beginning to make a recipe and realizing that you're missing something!
Step One: In a bowl, pour in the water and the cornstarch. Mix together.
Step Two: Grab a different bowl and add the egg, and whisk.
Step Three: In a third bowl, add the ground turkey meat, parsley, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix together well.
Step Four: Form meatballs and put them in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step Five: Pur the turkey broth into the Instant Pot and add the meatballs.
Step Six: Set the instant pot to “Manual” at high pressure for 5 minutes.
Step Seven: Once the time has passed, do a quick release.
Step Eight: Take out the meatballs and put them in a dish.
Step Nine: Select the sauté button for 2 minutes and bring the turkey broth that is remaining in the Instant Pot to a boil.
Step Ten: Once it's boiling, add the cornstarch mixture.
Step Eleven: Let the liquid simmer so that it thickens. Don't stir during this process.
Step Twelve: Once it's thick, pour it over the top of the meatballs and enjoy!
Variations
The great part about this meatball recipe is that you can add so many other ingredients to change up the flavor. Some options to add in could be:
- Tomato paste
- Cilantro
- Parmesan cheese
- Dijon mustard
- Bread crumbs
- Worcestershire sauce
- Finely chopped onions
It's easy to mix and match or try out new options every single time.
You could also use ground beef and ground chicken as well.
Helpful Tips
- Don't pack the meatballs too tightly when you're making them. Pack them just enough so that they hold together but still allow the interior to remain juicy.
- You don't need to flip the meatballs, but you can roll them in the broth before taking them out of the Instant Pot to add some extra juiciness.
How to serve
The options are endless! You can serve it with spaghetti, rice, or however you'd like.
As I mentioned above, eating the meatballs with a side of mashed potatoes is so good!
You can also use them to make a delicious Italian Wedding Soup as well!
FAQs
If the meatballs are tough and rubbery, this means that you pattied up the meat too much. Just form a meatball, and move on. The process should be fast so that you're not overworking the meat.
To check the doneness of the meatballs, you can use a meat thermometer. Just insert the tip of the thermometer into the middle of a meatball. As long as the temperature reading shows 165 degrees, they're done and ready.
If the meatballs are overcooked, this is where the gravy will help! Adding moisture helps tenderize every bite.
Yes, you can use turkey stock or broth. If you want to make your own, the best option is to make this Instant Pot Turkey Stock and use it for this recipe.
Instant Pot Meatballs
I know that I can't get enough meatballs, so I thought I'd share a few of my other favorites with you as well!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment below. Thanks!
Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 cup turkey broth
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- In a bowl, crack and whisk 1 egg.
- In another bowl, mix the ground turkey, salt, pepper and parsley.
- Pour the whisked egg over the turkey mixture and combine.
- Create the meatballs from the mixture and then put them in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Pour the turkey broth into the Instant Pot and then place the meatballs inside.
- Put on the lid and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, do a quick pressure release.
- Remove the meatballs and put them in a dish.
- In a bowl, combine the cornstarch with water and then pour the mixture into the Instant Pot.
- Press "saute" and saute for 2 minutes while stirring. Bring it to a bowl and then let it simmer to thicken.
- Once it's thickened to a gravy, pour over the top of the meatballs and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Notes
- Don't pack the meatballs too tightly when you're making them. Pack them just enough so that they hold together but still allow the interior to remain juicy.
- You don't need to flip the meatballs, but you can roll them in the broth before taking them out of the Instant Pot to add some extra juiciness.
- You can make this recipe using ground beef and ground chicken as well.
Amazing recipe and super easy
What was the tablespoon of vegetable oil for?
Hello, you state in the instructions to add the turkey and “dressing” ? What do you mean since it is not in the ingredients? You also have 1/4 t salt twice listed. Should this be pepper?.