Pesto Turkey Meatballs are rich, savory, and packed with flavor. Baked with ricotta for a tender bite, they're infused with basil pesto and topped with a creamy pesto Alfredo sauce. Comfort food made easy!
Every home cook needs a couple of solid meatball recipes in their back pocket. Meatballs are a staple on our weekly menu, and when I'm not making my slow cooker ground pork meatballs, turkey zucchini meatballs, or meatball stuffed shells, these Pesto Turkey Meatballs are my top pick.
I love serving them with a pesto-infused Alfredo sauce that brings out the rich basil flavor. You can make your own pesto or grab some from the store. It's easy to find in the deli or Italian food aisle.
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Ingredients
Here is a list of the ingredients needed for the meatballs. After the meatballs go into the oven, you can make the pesto alfredo sauce!
- Ground turkey
- Basil pesto spread
- Ricotta cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Panko bread crumbs
- Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper
The ingredients for the pesto alfredo sauce are listed below. I definitely recommend making this sauce! Homemade alfredo is so incredibly easy to make. Skip the jarred stuff and take a few minutes to whip up your own.
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Basil pesto spread
- Butter
- Garlic powder
How to make pesto turkey meatballs
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, pesto, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. You can start out using a large wooden spoon, but eventually you need to use your hands! This is the best way to combine the meatball ingredients.
Step 2: Using your hands, roll the ground turkey mixture into 24 equally sized meatballs. They will be about the size of a golf ball. Place the turkey meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment paper.
Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the pesto turkey meatballs for 30-35 minutes, at 375°F. The meatballs should reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F. The best way to measure the temperature is by using a digital meat thermometer.
Step 3: While the meatballs are cooking, you can make the pesto alfredo sauce. Add the butter and heavy cream to a small sauce pan and cook over low heat, until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a very gentle simmer.
Once simmering, stir in the grated parmesan cheese, pesto sauce and garlic powder. Stir until the parmesan cheese has melted, and then remove the alfredo sauce from the heat. Set the sauce aside until the meatballs are done baking.
Step 4: After the meatballs have finished cooking, transfer them to a serving dish and top with the pesto alfredo sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Substitutions
I'm all for making substitutions when you don't have the exact ingredients on hand. That's part of the fun of cooking! Recipes are easy to adjust and customize to your tastes, which makes them more approachable and forgiving.
- Ground turkey - Ground chicken is the best swap for ground turkey since both are lean, white poultry with a similar taste and texture.
- Dried herbs - I use garlic powder and dried Italian seasoning, but you can substitute fresh minced garlic and Italian herbs if that's what you have. You may need to use a bit more of the fresh herbs and garlic to match the flavor intensity.
- Bread crumbs - I prefer panko for its light, crispy texture, but regular bread crumbs work too. You can even make your own if needed!
Serving suggestions
While I love to pair pesto turkey meatballs with an easy side like pasta, spaghetti squash, or roasted potatoes, it's fun to get creative, too! Here are a few options for you:
Storage instructions
Store turkey meatballs in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Meatballs are one of the best make-ahead meals! They keep very well in the fridge and reheat in the microwave quickly.
More recipes to consider
If you tried this pesto turkey meatball recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Pesto Turkey Meatballs with Alfredo Sauce
Pesto Turkey Meatballs are rich, savory and packed with flavor. These baked turkey meatballs stay moist and juicy thanks to the addition of ricotta cheese. They are infused with flavor from the basil pesto sauce. The meatballs are topped with homemade pesto alfredo sauce, making this an easy, comfort food recipe for any night of the week!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 meatballs
- Category: lunch, dinner
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 2 pounds lean ground turkey
- ½ cup basil pesto spread
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
For the pesto alfredo sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 2 cups grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon basil pesto spread
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients needed for the pesto turkey meatballs. Use your hands to thoroughly mix the meatball ingredients together.
- Use your hands to make 24 equally sized meatballs from the ground turkey mixture. The meatballs will be about the size of a golf ball. Place the meatballs onto a rimmed, parchment lined baking sheet, leaving a little bit of room between each meatball.
- Transfer the meatballs to the oven and bake them at 375°F for 30-35 minutes. The internal temperature of the meatballs should reach at least 165°F.
- While the meatballs are cooking, make the alfredo sauce. Add the butter and heavy cream to a small sauce pan and cook over low heat, until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a very gentle simmer. Once simmering, stir in the grated parmesan cheese, pesto sauce and garlic powder. Stir until the parmesan cheese has melted, and then remove the alfredo sauce from the heat. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Serve the meatballs topped with pesto alfredo sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Add salt and pepper to the alfredo sauce to taste. If you are using salted butter to make the sauce, then you may not need to add additional salt.
Carmella Goodman says
I made this recipe tonight and my husband has not made this much fuss about dinner in a while. He loved it and so did I. Thankful to have extras for another meal. I used pork rinds in place of the bread crumbs to make it gluten free and it was just perfect🥰
Katie says
I'm so happy you and your husband loved it! Thank you for leaving a review!