Baked Pesto Turkey Meatballs with Feta

I absolutely love these baked turkey pesto meatballs. They’re great for dinner for two (with some risotto, a salad, or easy buttered noodles), but they can also be a great party food for a small gathering! This recipe makes 15 turkey meatballs that are just over an ounce each, or about 1 1/2 tablespoons each.

The creamy feta sauce in these photos is an ideal dip for these meatballs if you’re making them as a party food recipe. The feta sauce comes together in about five minutes, and will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. It’s SO good and easy to make!

These meatballs have so much flavor, and they come together in less than 30 minutes. You could make the meatball mixture a day ahead of time and refrigerate it, too. The flavors would blend together beautifully and create even more depth in the meatballs.

Ingredient Notes

*I use 85% lean ground turkey for this recipe. The fat content helps the meatballs retain moisture and flavor, and makes them more delicious. If you’re using ground turkey with a lower fat content, the meatballs may not be quite as moist. The flavor will still be delicious, but the texture may be slightly different. If you have a leaner ground turkey, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil. Additionally, ground chicken will also work in place of ground turkey.

**Store bought pesto is a quick, easy, and delicious ingredient for this recipe. I used the Mezzetta jarred Basil Pesto for these meatballs, and definitely recommend it for the best flavor. If you prefer a homemade pesto, check out my Small Batch Purple Basil Pesto recipe OR my Small Batch Basil Pesto on this Baked Salmon Pesto recipe!

I’ve tested these meatballs a few times, and this is the less complicated version that still delivers big on flavor. There’s no oil, no frying, and no waiting period between making and baking these meatballs. However, if you are planning ahead for a dinner party, the meatball mixture can rest in the refrigerator for up to three days before being formed into balls and baked. The flavors will actually start to blend better this way, so I encourage making it ahead of time if you can!

The best way to serve these turkey feta meatballs for a dinner party is alongside a small bowl of my favorite whipped feta dip. The recipe link is included in the recipe card below or through this link right here. I decided to give the feta sauce it’s own dedicated blog post and recipe card because you’ll want to use it for more than just these pesto turkey meatballs!

How to Make Pesto Turkey Feta Meatballs

• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

• In a mini food processor, combine the panko bread crumbs, pieces of white bread, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, feta crumbles, and grated parmesan.

• Blend on low speed for one minute until thoroughly combined.

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, basil pesto, egg, and the seasoned bread crumb mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon (or your hands) until completely combined.

• Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the meat mixture into your hands and form into a ball. Place the meatball on the prepared baking sheet, and repeat with remaining meat mixture until 15 meatballs are formed.
• Bake the meatballs at 375 F for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through.

• Serve immediately with whipped feta dip and additional basil pesto, if desired.

If you’re looking to make these turkey meatballs into a meal, I definitely recommend serving them with fluffy rice, roasted vegetables, or noodles tossed in some of the whipped feta sauce! I also have some favorite vegetable side dishes that would be really good with these meatballs:

• Buttery Small Batch Mashed Potatoes
• Small Batch Creamy Chopped Brussels Sprouts
• Garlic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes

If you make these baked turkey meatballs and love them, I would love it if you commented and rated them below! If you post them on Instagram, be sure to tag me so I can reshare! And as always, shoot me an email anytime if you have questions about this recipe or any recipe.

xx Sara