How long does it take to cook turkey meatballs in an Air Fryer? This is one of the questions my readers ask a lot. Well, I´ve got you covered.
When making ground turkey meatballs, a common question many have is how long they should be cooked. Cooking turkey meatballs in an air fryer for the correct duration is important to avoid overcooking or undercooking them.
On average, turkey meatballs should be cooked in an air fryer for about 7 to 10 minutes at a temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the cooking period is over, the meatballs can be taken out and served.
Read on to find out more about how long turkey meatballs should be cooked in an air fryer. Happy reading!
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How long to cook turkey meatballs in an air fryer?
So, how long should you cook turkey meatballs in an air fryer? This is a common question many people have when cooking turkey meatballs.
The time it takes to cook turkey meatballs in an air fryer can vary and depends mainly on the size of the meatballs as well as the temperature of the air fryer.
Ideally, turkey meatballs should be cooked in an air fryer at about 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 7 to 10 minutes.
The meatballs are perfectly cooked when the temperature inside them reaches around 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The internal temperature can be measured by inserting a probe thermometer into the meatballs.
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What ingredients are needed to cook turkey meatballs?
Here is the list of ingredients you need to make turkey meatballs:
- Ground turkey – 1 pound
- Breadcrumbs – 3/4th cup
- Salt – ½ teaspoon
- Garlic – ¼ teaspoon
- Pepper – ¼ teaspoon
- Dried oregano
- Egg – 1 large one
- Fresh parsley
- Milk – 2 tablespoons
The equipment you’ll need:
- Large bowl (for mixing all ingredients)
- Air fryer
- Probe thermometer (for checking the internal thermometer of the meatballs)
The quantity of the ingredients mentioned makes roughly five servings of turkey meatballs. If you want to have more servings, increase the quantity of the ingredients accordingly.
Moreover, you can add any other seasonings and condiments you prefer.
Recipe for turkey meatballs
Here are the steps needed to cook turkey meatballs in an air fryer.
- Combine salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, and parsley in the bowl and mix them. Add ground turkey after that and mix all ingredients again thoroughly.
- Preheat the air fryer to a temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roll the mixture of ground turkey and seasonings into meatballs and place them into the air fryer basket. The meatballs should ideally be 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter.
- Let the meatballs cook for about 7 to 10 minutes. Take them out once their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve them and enjoy!
Nutrition facts for turkey meatballs
Let’s look at a summary of the nutritional content of 1 average-sized (36 grams) turkey meatball. This data is taken from Nutritionix.
1. Calories: 37
2. Total fat: 1.8 grams
- Saturated fat: 0.5 grams
- Monounsaturated fat: 0.8 grams
- Polyunsaturated fat: 0.3 grams
3. Potassium: 92 milligrams
4. Cholesterol: 10 milligrams
5. Protein: 2.5 grams
6. Sodium: 119 milligrams
7. Total carbohydrates: 3.1 grams
- Sugars: 1.3 grams
- Dietary fiber: 0.6 grams
8. Vitamin C: 5.9% of recommended daily intake
9. Vitamin A: 2.1% of recommended daily intake
10. Iron: 4.6% of recommended daily intake
11. Calcium: 1.5% of recommended daily intake
How to know when turkey meatballs are done?
So, how do you know when turkey meatballs are done and it is time to take them out of the fryer? The best and most effective way of checking if your meatballs are done is by using a probe thermometer that can instantly tell you the internal temperature of the meatballs.
Once the thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit, you can take out the meatballs.
Another way to check if the meatballs are done is to cut one of them in half and see if it is pink on the inside.
If it is no longer pink, the meatballs are done and can be taken out.
What to serve with cooked turkey meatballs
There is never a dearth of options when it comes to choosing side dishes to serve alongside turkey meatballs. They can be served with a plethora of different sides, some of which we’ll list here:
- A wide variety of salads
- Egg noodles
- Mashed potatoes
- Green beans
- Roasted asparagus
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- Roasted broccoli
- Baked beans
Turkey meatballs themselves can be served in many different ways. They can be enjoyed as an appetizer, eaten with marinara sauce, or put inside a sandwich to make a meatball sandwich.
Can you freeze cooked turkey meatballs for later?
If you have some turkey meatballs left over from a meal, you can store them for later by freezing them.
To freeze them, start by letting the meatballs cool down first so that they’re at room temperature. Next, place them on a baking sheet and make sure to leave some space between the meatballs. You can then store them in a freezer-safe container.
Frozen turkey meatballs can be stored safely in the freezer for up to a couple of months and can be taken out and enjoyed afterward.
How to thaw frozen turkey meatballs
If you’ve stored turkey meatballs in your freezer for a while and want to take them out and cook them, you’ll need to thaw them first.
The best way to thaw or defrost turkey meatballs is to take them out of the freezer and pop them into the refrigerator.
Once in the refrigerator, the meatballs can take up to 12 hours or more to thaw. The time they take to thaw mostly depends on the size of the meatballs.
You can also thaw frozen turkey meatballs (contained in a bag or container) by putting them in a container of warm water. Additionally, you can also use a microwave for thawing meatballs.
Tips for cooking turkey meatballs in an air fryer
Here are some other useful tips for cooking turkey meatballs in an air fryer:
- Avoid mixing the ingredients too much. Over-mixing will affect the texture of the paste and you won’t get tender meatballs.
- Make sure you are not crowding the air fryer basket when cooking meatballs. Instead, cook the meatballs in multiple batches to ensure all of them are evenly cooked.
- When making meatballs from the mixture, try to make all meatballs of roughly the same size. Similar-sized meatballs take the same amount of time to cook, so it is easier to keep track of their state during the cooking process.
- Avoid making very large meatballs since they are prone to falling apart. Smaller or average-sized meatballs are less prone to crumbling.
Easy Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs FAQs
Below, find answers to other related questions you might have about healthy and easy cooking turkey meatballs in an air fryer.
Why are my turkey meatballs falling apart?
A: Your meatballs might be falling apart due to a number of reasons. In most cases, the problem is a lack of binding among the ingredients.
Try using a larger egg for better results. Besides the lack of binding, the size of the meatballs is also a reason for them falling apart.
Larger meatballs fall apart more easily than smaller ones.
How long do you heat up meatballs in the air fryer?
To reheat meatballs in an air fryer, start by preheating the air fryer to about 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the meatballs in the basket of the air fryer and leave them in for around 5 minutes.
Take them out after the 5 minutes are over and serve and enjoy them.
How do you know when ground turkey meatballs are done?
To know when ground turkey meatballs are done, use an instant probe thermometer that can measure the internal temperature of the meatballs.
Once it shows 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the meatballs can be taken out.
Another way to check for the doneness of ground turkey meatballs is to cut one in half and see if is pink on the inside.
If it isn’t, the meatballs can be taken out of the air fryer.
Air Fryer Meatballs Recipe – How To Make Meatballs In Air Fryer – ground turkey air fryer recipes >> Check out the video below:
Final thoughts
To sum it up, turkey meatballs usually take about 7 to 10 minutes to cook in an air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
They are done when their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature can be checked using an instant probe thermometer.
In this guide, we covered everything you need to know about cooking turkey meatballs in an air fryer. We hope you found it helpful!
References
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/286352/air-fryer-turkey-meatballs/