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Mediterranean Meatballs made with flavorful ground turkey meatballs served over Israeli couscous and a brilliant, lemony cucumber tomato salad. Make them within the air fryer or oven!

Mediterranean Turkey Meatballs

I really like meatballs, Mediterranean flavors, and pearl couscous, so putting all of them together in a one-bowl meal seemed natural. The meatballs brown beautifully within the air fryer, and the appliance is great through the warmer months, so that you don’t heat up your kitchen. Should you don’t have an air fryer, you possibly can make them within the oven. The couscous cooks quickly and is a wonderful base for fresh Israeli salad and lemon juice. This dish is great to meal prep for lunch or make for a fast weeknight family dinner. More ground turkey meatball recipes to try are these Greek Turkey Meatballs, Italian Turkey Meatballs, and Sheet Pan Turkey Meatballs.

What’s the secret to meatballs?

Listed here are just a few suggestions for delicious meatballs:

1. Binding Ingredients: To forestall turkey meatballs from falling apart, you wish something to maintain them together. That’s why we now have the egg and panko.
2. Don’t Overmix: You should mix the meatball ingredients until just combined without overdoing them. It’ll make the meatballs too tough.
3. Don’t Overbake: Make sure that to not bake (or air fry) the meatballs for longer than needed, which can dry them out.

Mediterranean Turkey Meatball Ingredients

Turkey Meatballs:

• Binders: Egg and panko breadcrumbs bind the meat together.
• Herbs: Fresh dill and Italian parsley
• Salt, Pepper, and Fresh Garlic flavor the meatballs.
• Turkey: Buy 93% lean ground turkey.

What to serve with Mediterranean Meatballs:

• Couscous: I used whole-wheat pearl couscous, also called Israeli couscous, which is definitely a pasta. Should you can’t find whole-wheat, regular is effective.
• Salad: Tomato, Persian or English cucumber, red onion, Italian parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper
• Mediterranean Meatball Sauce: Serve the bowls with lemon wedges, a dollop of tzatziki or nonfat plain Greek yogurt, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Methods to Make Mediterranean Meatballs

1. Make the Meatballs: Crack the egg in a medium bowl and beat with a fork. Add the herbs, panko, garlic, salt, and pepper and blend. Add the turkey and blend with a fork until all the pieces is combined. Watch out to not overmix. Roll the meat into 16 one-ounce balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
2. Air Fryer Meatballs: Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil and place the meatballs in a good layer. Cook at 400°F for eight to 10 minutes, turning halfway through.
3. Or Baked Meatballs: Should you don’t have an air fryer, bake the turkey meatballs at 400°F for 20 minutes.
4. Cook Couscous: Sauté the dry pasta in olive oil in a small pot. Pour within the broth, bring it to a boil, and reduce the warmth to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed. Add a pinch of salt if needed.
5. Make the Salad: Mix all of the salad ingredients in a small bowl.
6. Assemble the Bowls: Put the couscous in each of the 4 bowls with the salad, meatballs, and lemon wedges. Top the Mediterranean bowls with tzatziki or yogurt and olive oil if desired.

Methods to Meal Prep Mediterranean Meatball Bowls

These easy Mediterranean bowls are unbelievable for meal prep. All of the ingredients will keep for as much as 4 days within the fridge. To pack them for later:

• Store the meatballs and couscous in a single container, the salad and lemon wedges in one other, and the tzatziki in a small container.
• To reheat, microwave the meatball dish for a few minute and top it with the opposite ingredients.

Variations:

• Couscous: Substitute regular couscous with pearl.
• Grain Bowl: Swap couscous with brown rice, barley, or quinoa.
• Gluten-free: Use gluten-free panko and brown rice.
• Protein: Make ground chicken meatballs as a substitute of ground turkey.
• Extra Veggies: Add diced bell pepper or zucchini.
• Cheese: Top with feta.

More Ground Turkey Recipes You’ll Love

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 bowl

For the bowl:

• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• ▢ 1 1/3 cup dry pearl Israeli couscous, I used whole wheat
• ▢ 1 ¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken, or vegetable broth
• ▢ 1 cup diced tomato
• ▢ 2 cups Persian or English cucumber, diced
• ▢ ¼ cup red onion, diced
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Italian parsley, fresh chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1/2 lemon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ▢ Lemon wedges, for serving
• ▢ ½ cup tzatziki or nonfat plain Greek yogurt, optional, for serving

For the turkey meatballs:

• Crack the egg right into a medium mixing bowl and beat with a fork.  Add the herbs, panko, garlic, salt and pepper and blend to mix.

• Add the turkey and with the fork, mix to mix, being careful to not over-mix.  Roll mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs, about 1 ounce each, place on a parchment lined sheet pan and put aside until able to cook. (Thoroughly wash your hands and work surface.)

• To air fry: Spray the air fryer basket generously with olive oil.  Add the meatballs in a good layer, cooking in batches if needed, and cook at 400 degrees F for 8- 10 minutes, turning halfway through cook time.

• To bake within the oven, bake on a sheet pan 400F 20 minutes, no have to turn.

• Meanwhile, heat a small sauce pot over medium heat.

• Add ½ tablespoon olive oil and the dry couscous and sauté to toast the grains for about 3 minutes.  Add the new broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed.  Add a pinch of salt, if needed.

• While meatballs and couscous are cooking, make the salad.  In a small bowl, mix the tomato, cucumber, red onion, 3 tablespoons parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste.

• To assemble bowls: Add ¾ cup each of couscous to 4 bowls.  Top with 3/4 cup salad and 4 meatballs.  Serve with a lemon wedge, a dollop of tzatziki or yogurt (if desired) and drizzle of oil, if using.

Last Step:

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Serving: 1 bowl, Calories: 466 kcal, Carbohydrates: 48 g, Protein: 31 g, Fat: 16 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 130 mg, Sodium: 644 mg, Fiber: 4.5 g, Sugar: 3 g