These baked turkey meatballs are well seasoned, made with ground turkey and chorizo, and served with a luxuriously creamy avocado sauce. Ready in about 30 minutes, they make a quick appetizer, lunch, or weeknight dinner.
✔️ Recipe Overview
Why You’ll Love These Meatballs: flavorful, versatile, and quick to make.
Time: 10 minutes prep, 20 minutes bake.
Equipment: oven-safe baking dish and a food processor (or blender).
These baked turkey meatballs combine lean ground turkey with chorizo for great flavor and moisture. The chorizo’s fat helps bind the mixture, so you don’t need breadcrumbs or eggs. I bake them for 20 minutes and serve them with a creamy avocado sauce that doubles as a dip or pour-over topping. They pair perfectly with rice, noodles, marinara, or piled into a sub for an easy meal.
The recipe is flexible: use chicken, pork, or beef chorizo to adjust richness, and omit jalapeño if you prefer a milder bite. These meatballs refrigerate and freeze well, making them a convenient make-ahead option for busy nights.
ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works
1. Versatile: swap proteins or chorizo types to change flavor and fat content.
2. Healthier method: baking avoids frying and keeps meatballs moist without breadcrumbs.
3. Simple ingredients you can find at most grocery stores.
4. Make-ahead friendly: refrigerate or freeze leftovers for easy meals later.
🛒 Ingredients You’ll Need
The meat mixture is straightforward and full of flavor. I usually add minced jalapeño for heat; leave out the seeds or the pepper entirely if you prefer mild meatballs. Ground turkey is the base and chorizo adds seasoning and moisture — choose chicken chorizo for a leaner result or pork/beef chorizo for more richness.
The avocado sauce is creamy and bright, with cilantro, citrus, and optional heat from jalapeño and cayenne. Olive oil mayonnaise adds silkiness; if unavailable, regular mayonnaise plus ½ teaspoon olive oil works well.
📋 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil. In a large bowl combine the ground turkey, chorizo, minced red onion, finely chopped red bell pepper, minced garlic, finely chopped jalapeño (if using), cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well — using your hands gives the most even result.
Portion the mixture with a small cookie scoop or spoon and form into balls (about 18–24 depending on size). Arrange them in the prepared baking dish — it’s fine if they touch. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
While the meatballs bake, make the avocado sauce. In a food processor combine avocado, cilantro, lime juice, lemon juice, jalapeño (optional), cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pulse until combined, then add olive oil mayonnaise and process briefly until the sauce reaches your desired texture — chunky for dipping or smoother for drizzling.
Transfer the sauce to a bowl and finish with a grind of fresh pepper. When the meatballs come out of the oven, save the flavorful juices in the dish — they make a great drizzle over rice or noodles.
Serve the meatballs with the avocado sauce for dipping or spoon sauce over meatballs on rice, pasta, or tucked into subs. They’re simple but feel special — great for entertaining or a quick weeknight dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
For this recipe, baking is preferred: it yields flavorful juices in the pan, cooks evenly, and avoids extra oil from frying.
Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F for safe consumption.
Refrigerate in a sealed container for 4–5 days. To freeze, cool completely, place in a freezer-safe bag, and store up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven, microwave, air fryer, or slow cooker.
💭 Expert Tips
- Wear disposable gloves when handling jalapeño to avoid skin irritation.
- If you don’t have a food processor, a blender will work for the sauce.
- No need to turn the meatballs while baking — 375°F cooks them evenly.
- These meatballs are great with other sauces such as marinara or pesto.
- Adjust meatball size as desired; always verify doneness with an instant-read thermometer.
🍽️ More Meatball Recipe Ideas
If you enjoy these, try other flavored meatballs with teriyaki, classic Italian marinara, or use the same mix for hearty subs, tacos, or pasta dishes.
Easy Baked Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
For The Meatballs
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ pound ground turkey
- ½ pound chorizo (pork, chicken, or beef)
- ¼ small red onion, minced
- ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ jalapeño, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For The Avocado Sauce
- 1 avocado
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ½ fresh lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ jalapeño (optional)
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅕ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil mayonnaise
Instructions
To Prepare The Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish with 2 teaspoons olive oil.
- In a bowl mix ground turkey, chorizo, red onion, bell pepper, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Use your hands for an even mix.
- Portion the mixture with a cookie scoop and form into balls (about 18–24).
- Arrange meatballs in the baking dish and bake 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
To Prepare The Avocado Sauce
- In a food processor combine avocado, cilantro, lime juice, lemon juice, jalapeño, cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pulse until combined.
- Add mayonnaise and process until the sauce reaches your preferred texture — chunky for dipping or smooth for drizzling.
- Serve the cooked meatballs with the avocado sauce and enjoy.
Notes
- Wear gloves when handling jalapeño to avoid irritation.
- A blender can replace a food processor for the sauce.
- No need to turn meatballs while baking.
- Serve with marinara, pesto, rice, pasta, or in subs.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to confirm doneness.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 5 g
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Protein: 10 g
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Fat: 21 g