Well-seasoned and pan-fried in olive oil, they are so good, whether freshly cooked or served as leftovers. These delicious meatballs are a huge hit whenever I make them. My kids love them, but it’s not just the kids - the adults enjoy them, too. Seasoned with garlic, onion, smoked paprika, and parsley and fried in plenty of olive oil, these flavorful meatballs are a nice variation when I tire of making meatballs in tomato sauce or lamb meatballs.
Ingredients
Recipe Card
Ground turkey thighs: These should be marked as 93% or 94% lean. Ground turkey breast (99% lean) is too dry. Mayonnaise: I like to use avocado oil mayonnaise. Dijon mustard: You can use yellow mustard, but Dijon mustard is better. It’s thick and creamy, and its flavor is less vinegary and more mustardy. Seasonings: I use kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Chopped fresh parsley: If you don’t have fresh parsley, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, oregano, or thyme instead. But the fresh herb does add a nice flavor. Olive oil for frying: I use ¼ cup even though about half of it stays in the skillet after frying. Being generous with the oil helps the meatballs brown.
Simply mix everything (except for the oil) in a medium bowl. Use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to divide the mixture into 16 portions. Wet your hands and shape the portions into round meatballs. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers and smells great, about 2 minutes. Use a very large skillet - at least 12 inches - and make sure it has a lid. If none of your skillets have a lid, you can use aluminum foil. Add the meatballs to the skillet in a single layer. They’ll be a bit crowded in there, but I’m frankly too lazy to cook in two batches. However, if your frying pan is smaller than 12 inches, you’ll need to cook in two batches. Brown the meatballs all over, turning them frequently, for about 5 minutes. Serve the meatballs immediately, with a dipping sauce if desired.
Serve them on top of mashed cauliflower. Serve them with microwave spaghetti squash and marinara sauce. Stuff them in a lettuce sandwich with some mayo, sliced tomatoes, and pickled red onions. Or just serve them all on their own with a side dish such as roasted Brussels sprouts or broccoli and cheese sauce.
If you’d like to add a dipping sauce, you can use marinara or pizza sauce (as shown in the photos on this page), harissa, tahini sauce, or ranch dip.
