Equipment
Ingredients
Meatball Base
- 450 g ground turkey, chilled
- 100 g plain greek yogurt, full fat preferred
- 50 g rolled oats, dry
- 75 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 10 g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 2 garlic, minced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 15 ml olive oil, for drizzling
- 5 g salt, kosher or sea salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 g dried oregano
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, beaten egg, minced garlic, fresh mint, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth.
Stir the rolled oats into the yogurt mixture. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes so the oats can soften and absorb the excess liquid.
Add the ground turkey and crumbled feta cheese to the bowl. Using clean hands or a spatula, gently mix until the ingredients are just combined. Do not overwork the meat.
Form the mixture into 16 equal-sized meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball. Place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle lightly with the olive oil.
Bake the meatballs for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown on the outside and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center reaches 74°C/165°F to ensure food safety.
Remove from the oven and let the meatballs rest for 3 to 5 minutes on the baking sheet before serving or transferring to a storage container.
Chef's Notes
- Using Greek yogurt and rolled oats creates a panade-like effect, which traps moisture inside the lean ground poultry and prevents it from drying out during high-heat roasting.
- Always wash hands thoroughly and avoid cross-contamination when handling raw poultry. Ensure all work surfaces and tools are sanitized after shaping the meatballs.
- If you plan to serve these in a soup, you can underbake them slightly by removing them from the oven at the 12-minute mark. They will finish cooking and reach the safe 74°C/165°F temperature when dropped into the simmering broth.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze cooked meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer-safe bag to prevent sticking.
Reheating: Microwave on medium power for 1 to 2 minutes, or simmer gently in broth or tomato sauce for 5 to 7 minutes until heated through.
