These turkey meatballs are juicy, tender, and bathed in a light, crisp, and citrusy lemon rosemary sauce. These meatballs go perfectly with buttered egg noodles, couscous, or rice.
My husband and I are huge turkey meatball fans. They are our go-to for meal prep, a quick weeknight dinner, or for entertaining guests. We love them because they’re easy to put together, store and reheat well, and are versatile. You can pair turkey meatballs with just about anything, from noodles or rice, to grilled or sauted veggies (our favorite is grilled zucchini). You can also modify the sauce or the spices and have a completely different dish.
We’ve got the OG, our favorite turkey meatballs, a Greek variety, and a Swedish take in the lineup. And now enter this delicious, lemony cousin. With it’s irresistible vibrant lemon rosemary sauce, this one is quickly surging to the front of the pack.
Ingredients
- Ground turkey – 93% lean ground turkey works best in this recipe. It’s lean while still retaining some fat, so the meatballs stay juicy when cooked.
- Yellow onion – for a little crunch.
- Panko bread crumbs – help retain the juiciness of the meatballs when cooked.
- Egg – a binding agent.
- Avocado oil – high heat oil for browning the meatballs.
- Vegan or low-fat butter – forms the buttery base of the lemon rosemary sauce.
- Lemons – gives the lemon rosemary sauce a bright, vibrant tanginess.
- Low sodium chicken broth – to add some depth to the sauce.
- Dry white wine – dry wines, like chardonnay or sauvignon blanc, add a crispness to this sauce.
- Herbs & seasoning – garlic, fresh parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper round out the seasonings in the meatballs and rosemary sauce.
How to Make Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Rosemary Sauce
In a large mixing bowl combine the turkey meatball ingredients. Mix well to incorporate. Use your hand or a spoon to form 18 rounded meatballs. Place the meatballs on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes, or up to 1 hour. This will help the meatballs retain their shape when cooked.
While the meatballs refrigerate, juice and zest the lemons. Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, chicken broth, white wine, dried rosemary and dried thyme in a small bowl and mix together. Set aside.
Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick pan. Once the oil is warm, add the meatballs to the pan. Cook undisturbed on one side for 4 minutes, or until browned. Use a spoon to turn the meatballs over. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the meatballs another 4 minutes. Turn the meatballs again. Cover and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes, or until no longer pink when cut through. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
Melt the butter in the same pan that the meatballs were cooked in. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Pour in the lemon broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits of meat. Cook the sauce over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about one-third.
Add the meatballs back to the pan and spoon sauce over them. Warm covered on low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate
- Allow the meatballs to cool completely.
- Transfer the meatballs to an airtight container (like glass Tupperware) or a large Ziploc bag.
- Spoon the sauce over the meatballs.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze
Meatballs can be safely frozen raw or cooked. However, we have not tried freezing these meatballs, either way. But if we were going to freeze them, we would take these steps:
- Brown the meatballs according to the directions. Do not make the lemon sauce.
- Allow the meatballs to cool completely.
- Transfer the meatballs to a parchment-lined tray or cookie sheet.
- Freeze for at least 2 hours (this will flash freeze them).
- Transfer the meatballs to a freezer Ziploc bag.
- Store in the freezer for 3 to 4 months.
Reheat
For reheating refrigerated meatballs:
- Lightly mist a frying pan with cooking spray.
- Add the meatballs and a splash of chicken broth.
- Warm, covered, on medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Serve with desired side.
For reheating frozen meatballs:
- Thaw the meatballs overnight in the refrigerator.
- Add the thawed meatballs to the pan and warm, covered, on medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the meatballs to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Make the lemon rosemary sauce.
- Return the meatballs to the pan with the sauce and spoon the sauce over them.
- Serve with desired side.
Recipe Variations
- Herbs and seasonings – try mixing up the herbs and seasonings in this recipe. Add lemon zest or lemon pepper for some extra zing. Throw in fresh or dried basil, rosemary, chives, or oregano.
- Breadcrumbs – try regular or whole wheat breadcrumbs instead of panko.
- Greens – add in finely minced spinach or kale for some extra greens.
- Cheese – shredded or grated Parmesan is an excellent addition to these meatballs. Try other varieties like pecorino romano, goat cheese, or feta.
- Sauce – swap out the lemon rosemary sauce with your favorite pesto (try our pumpkin or kale pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto), marinara, pomodoro, romesco, or alfredo sauce.
Check Out These Turkey Dishes
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Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Rosemary Sauce
Ingredients
Turkey Meatballs
- 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
- ½ c yellow onion, finely diced
- ½ c panko bread crumbs
- ¼ c fresh parsley, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- â…› tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ Tbsp avocado oil
Lemon Rosemary Pan Sauce
- 2 Tbsp vegan or low-fat butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 lemons, juiced and zested
- ¼ c low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ c dry white wine
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced (garnish)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the turkey meatball ingredients. Mix well to incorporate. Use your hand or a spoon to form 18 rounded meatballs. Place the meatballs on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes, or up to 1 hour. This will help the meatballs retain their shape when cooked.
- While the meatballs refrigerate, juice and zest the lemons. Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, chicken broth, white wine, dried rosemary and dried thyme in a small bowl and mix together. Set aside.
- Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick pan. Once the oil is warm, add the meatballs to the pan. Cook undisturbed on one side for 4 minutes, or until browned. Use a spoon to turn the meatballs over. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the meatballs another 4 minutes. Turn the meatballs again. Cover and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes, or until no longer pink when cut through. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Melt the butter in the same pan that the meatballs were cooked in. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Pour in the lemon broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits of meat. Cook the sauce over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about a third.
- Add the meatballs back to the pan and spoon sauce over them. Warm covered on low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
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