Discover the ultimate Keto Turkey Meatballs—tender, juicy swimming in a rich, velvety parmesan sauce that’ll make you forget you’re eating low-carb.
Okay, can we talk about how hard it is to find keto-friendly comfort food that actually tastes like comfort food? Like, I love cauliflower as much as the next person, but sometimes you just need something hearty and satisfying that doesn’t feel like you’re eating “diet food.”
That’s exactly why these keto turkey meatballs have become my go-to weeknight savior. I stumbled upon this recipe during one of those “what can I make with ground turkey that won’t bore me to tears” moments, and honestly? It’s been in my regular rotation ever since. The creamy parmesan sauce is so ridiculously good that my non-keto friends didn’t even realize they were eating something low-carb until I told them.
Here’s the thing—ground turkey can be tricky. It’s lean, which is great for your macros, but it also means it can dry out faster than you can say “where’s the flavor?” But when you roll it into meatballs and bathe them in a luscious cream sauce, you get this perfect balance of juicy, tender bites with just enough richness to make you feel like you’re treating yourself.
Table of Contents
What Makes These Keto Turkey Meatballs So Special
These aren’t your average meatballs, my friend. We’re talking perfectly seasoned turkey meatballs that get a gorgeous golden sear before taking a luxurious swim in a homemade parmesan cream sauce. It’s the kind of dish that looks fancy enough for company but easy enough for a Tuesday night when you can barely keep your eyes open.
The best part? You’re getting all that comfort food satisfaction while staying firmly in ketosis. No breadcrumbs, no fillers, just pure protein and healthy fats working together in beautiful harmony. Plus, the whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes, which means you can go from “what’s for dinner?” panic to sitting down with a plate of these beauties faster than ordering takeout.
Irresistible Keto Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Parmesan Sauce
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Skillet
- Meatball scoop
- Oven broiler
- Grater
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons parsley fresh or dried
For the Parmesan Sauce
- 1 ¾ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated from a block
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven broiler.
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley. Mix well using your hands.
- Oil your hands and form the mixture into meatballs about the size of a golf ball.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides until cooked through, working in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.
- Lower the heat, drain excess grease, and add heavy cream, parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir continuously while simmering gently until thick and creamy.
- Return the meatballs to the skillet, coating them in the sauce.
- Place the skillet under the broiler for 2–3 minutes to lightly brown the top.
- Remove, garnish with parsley and extra parmesan if desired, and let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Gather Your Ingredients
Let’s get everything lined up. You’ll notice this ingredient list is refreshingly short—no weird keto substitutes or hard-to-find items, just real food that you probably already have hanging out in your kitchen.
| Ingredient Category | What You’ll Need |
|---|---|
| For the Meatballs | 1 pound ground turkey |
| 1 large egg | |
| 1/2 teaspoon salt | |
| 1/2 teaspoon black pepper | |
| 1 teaspoon garlic | |
| 2 teaspoons parsley | |
| For the Parmesan Sauce | 1 3/4 cups heavy cream |
| 1 cup parmesan cheese (cut from the block—trust me on this) | |
| 1 teaspoon salt | |
| 1 teaspoon garlic powder | |
| 1/4 teaspoon black pepper |
Quick note about that parmesan—definitely spring for the block and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make your sauce grainy instead of silky smooth. It’s worth the extra two minutes of grating, I promise.
How to Make Perfect Keto Turkey Meatballs
Alright, let’s roll up our sleeves (literally, because this gets a little messy) and make some magic happen.
Getting Started
First things first—crank your oven to broil. I know it seems early to do this, but trust the process. You’ll thank me later when you’re not standing around waiting for your oven to heat up.
Mixing the Meatball Magic
Grab a big bowl and throw in your ground turkey, egg, salt, pepper, garlic, and parsley. Now here’s where it gets real—you’re gonna need to get in there with your hands. I know, I know, it’s sticky and kind of weird, but it’s the best way to make sure everything’s evenly mixed.
Fair warning: this mixture is STICKY. Like, really sticky. The secret weapon? Oil your hands before you start rolling. A little olive oil or avocado oil on your palms, and suddenly you’re a meatball-rolling pro instead of wrestling with turkey paste.
Shaping Your Meatballs
Roll that seasoned turkey into meatballs about the size of a quarter in diameter—you want them thick enough to actually be meatballs, but not so huge they won’t cook through. Think golf ball-ish, not tennis ball. I used a meatball scoop (total game-changer if you have one) and ended up with 15 perfectly uniform beauties.
If you don’t have a scoop, just eyeball it. They don’t need to be Instagram-perfect; they just need to be roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
Browning Time
Heat up a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Here’s a pro tip: don’t overcrowd the pan. I know you want to get this done faster, but cramming all those meatballs in there will just steam them instead of giving you that gorgeous golden crust we’re after. If you need to work in batches, do it.
Cook these keto friendly turkey meatballs on all sides until they’re nicely browned and cooked through. You want that caramelization—it adds so much flavor. Just keep turning them gently until they’re golden all over.
Creating the Creamy Parmesan Dream
Once your meatballs are done, pull them out of the pan and set them aside. Turn your heat down to low-medium and drain off any excess grease. You want a little bit of those flavorful drippings, but not a pool of turkey fat.
Pour in that heavy cream—doesn’t it already look amazing? Add your freshly grated parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Start stirring, and whatever you do, keep stirring. The sauce needs to simmer gently (like, barely bubbling) while the cheese melts and everything comes together.
This is where the magic happens. As you stir, you’ll watch the sauce transform from thin cream to this thick, velvety, coat-the-back-of-your-spoon perfection. Don’t rush it. The sauce needs to be properly thickened before the meatballs go back in, or it’ll thin out too much.
The Grand Finale
Once your sauce has reached that perfect creamy consistency, nestle those meatballs back into the pan. Give them a gentle swirl to coat them in all that cheesy goodness, then pop the whole skillet into your preheated broiler.
You’re just looking to brown the top slightly—maybe two to three minutes, max. Keep an eye on it because broilers are basically controlled fire and things can go from perfect to burnt real quick.
Pull it out, hit it with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a little extra parmesan (because why not?), and get ready to dig in. But hold up—that cream sauce is lava-level hot, so let it cool for a minute or two before serving. I’ve learned this lesson the hard way more than once.
Expert Tips for Turkey Meatball Success
The Oil-Your-Hands Trick
Seriously, don’t skip this. Oil your hands generously before forming each meatball. It makes the whole process so much easier and less frustrating. You can also wet your hands with water if you prefer, but I find oil works better for keto turkey recipes ground since there’s no breadcrumb or filler to help with binding.
Temperature Control Matters
Keep that heat at medium when browning the meatballs. Too high and they’ll burn on the outside before cooking through. Too low and you won’t get that beautiful caramelization. Medium is the sweet spot.
Don’t Skimp on Stirring
When making the sauce, constant stirring is your friend. It prevents the cream from breaking and ensures the cheese melts evenly without clumping. Put on a podcast and just commit to standing there and stirring for a few minutes—it’s worth it.
Broiler Watch
Never, and I mean NEVER, walk away from something under the broiler. It goes from golden to charred in literal seconds. Stay close and keep checking every 30 seconds or so.
Delicious Variations to Try
Spice It Up
If you like a little kick, add some red pepper flakes to the meatball mixture or stir some into the sauce. A quarter teaspoon goes a long way, so start small and adjust to taste.
Herb Garden
Switch up the parsley for fresh basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning. Each gives a totally different flavor profile. I’ve done Italian seasoning before and it tastes like you ordered from a fancy Italian restaurant.
Make It Dairy-Free (Sort Of)
While you can’t exactly make a parmesan cream sauce without dairy, you could skip the sauce entirely and serve these turkey meatballs keto-style over zucchini noodles with a simple tomato sauce. Still delicious, just a different vibe.
Add Some Veggies
Toss in some spinach or kale at the end. Just wilt it right into the sauce for added nutrition and color. Or serve these over cauliflower rice if you want to bulk up the meal.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
My Meatballs Are Falling Apart
This usually means you didn’t mix them enough, or you tried to flip them too early. Make sure everything’s well combined, and let them develop a crust on each side before attempting to turn them. The egg should hold them together just fine.
The Sauce Is Too Thin
Keep simmering and stirring. It’ll thicken up as the cheese melts and the cream reduces slightly. If it’s still not thickening, you can whisk in a tiny bit of cream cheese—it’ll thicken right up without affecting the flavor much.
The Sauce Is Grainy
Pre-shredded cheese strikes again. Always use fresh parmesan from a block. Also, make sure your heat isn’t too high—if the sauce gets too hot too fast, the cheese proteins can seize up and get grainy.
Meatballs Are Dry
Ground turkey is lean, so overcooking is the enemy. Make sure you’re not cooking them past the point of being just done. Also, that cream sauce helps keep them moist, so don’t be shy about letting them soak in there for a minute before serving.
How to Store and Reheat
| Storage Method | Instructions | How Long |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Store in an airtight container with the sauce covering the meatballs | 3-4 days |
| Freezer | Place cooled meatballs and sauce in a freezer-safe container, leaving space for expansion | Up to 3 months |
| Reheating from Fridge | Warm gently in a skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of heavy cream if needed | Until heated through |
| Reheating from Frozen | Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as above | Until steaming hot |
Zero-Waste Kitchen Hack: Got leftover cream sauce but no meatballs? Toss it with some sourdough discard cheddar biscuits for a decadent breakfast, or use it as a dip for roasted veggies. Leftover meatballs without sauce? Chop them up and add to a frittata or stuff them in bell peppers.
The sauce reheats beautifully—just do it slowly over low heat and whisk it well. It might look a little separated at first, but it’ll come back together with some gentle heat and stirring.
Nutrition Information (Per Serving)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 385 |
| Total Fat | 32g |
| Saturated Fat | 17g |
| Protein | 22g |
| Total Carbs | 3g |
| Fiber | 0g |
| Net Carbs | 3g |
| Sodium | 680mg |
Based on 5 servings (3 meatballs each with sauce)
These macros are pretty much perfect for keto—high fat, moderate protein, super low carb. You’re getting a solid protein hit from the turkey while staying well within your carb limits.
Keto Turkey Meatballs FAQs
Can I use chicken instead of turkey?
Absolutely! Ground chicken works just as well in this recipe. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious. Just make sure you’re using ground chicken with some fat content—not the ultra-lean stuff or you’ll end up with dry meatballs.
Do I have to use the broiler at the end?
Not really—it’s more for aesthetics than anything. The broiler gives you that beautiful golden top and adds a little extra texture, but if your oven doesn’t have a broiler or you just don’t feel like it, you can skip that step entirely. The meatballs will still taste amazing.
How do I know when the meatballs are fully cooked?
Use a meat thermometer if you have one—you’re looking for an internal temperature of 165°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, cut one open to check. The meat should be completely opaque with no pink remaining, and the juices should run clear.
Can I make these ahead for meal prep?
Yes! These are actually perfect for meal prep. Make the whole batch, portion it into containers, and you’ve got lunch or dinner sorted for the week. They reheat really well, and the flavors actually get better after sitting for a day or two.
Is there a substitute for heavy cream to make it lighter?
You could try half-and-half, but honestly, the heavy cream is what makes this sauce so incredible and keeps it keto-friendly. If you use something lighter, you’ll need to add a thickener, which usually means adding carbs. For keto purposes, the heavy cream is actually your friend here—it’s what keeps those macros in check.
Make These Tonight
Listen, I could go on about how these irresistible keto turkey meatballs are going to change your weeknight dinner game, but honestly? You just need to make them and see for yourself.
They’re comforting without being heavy, indulgent without wrecking your macros, and most importantly, they taste like something you’d order at a restaurant rather than something you whipped up on a random Tuesday night. Whether you’re fully committed to keto or just trying to eat a little lighter, these hit the spot every single time.
Serve them over zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or honestly just eat them straight from the pan with a fork (no judgment here). They’re also fantastic alongside some roasted vegetables or a simple green salad.
So grab that ground turkey from the back of your fridge, block out 30 minutes, and make yourself something delicious. And hey, if you love these as much as I do, snap a pic and pin it to your Pinterest boards so you can find it again! I’d also love to hear how they turned out for you—did you try any variations? Add extra garlic? Burn your tongue on the hot cream sauce like I always do? Drop a comment and let me know!
Now get cooking, friend. Your taste buds (and your keto macros) will thank you.
Check out our other recipes like bibimbap or browse through our full collection of sourdough discard recipes for more creative meal inspiration!
