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These breakfast sausage meatballs are the perfect combination of sweet and savory. They’re made with ground turkey, baked, and absolutely delicious for meal prep!
Update: This recipe was originally published in 2019 and has been republished with all new photos.
A hearty breakfast is a nonnegotiable in my day. It’s the best part of my morning and the perfect way to set myself up for success. If you find you struggle to make time for breakfast I highly suggest making a big batch of these tasty meatballs ahead of time so you have no excuse on busy mornings. They store well in the fridge or freezer and can be quickly reheated when you want to enjoy them as part of an easy meal. Simply pair with eggs and fruit (or my Skillet Breakfast Potatoes if you have the time). You’ll have the very best protein-packed breakfast!
These baked meatballs include simple ingredients like ground turkey, along with the natural sweetness of apples and the salty satisfaction of crispy bacon. No bread crumbs! Plus they’re dairy free, gluten free, and Whole30 compliant.
If you’re looking for more easy breakfast favorites I suggest checking out my Air Fryer Turkey Breakfast Sausage (those are sausage patties), Low Carb Sausage Cheddar Breakfast Casserole, and Chicken Sausage and Pepper Hash. If meatball recipes are what you’re craving visit my Baked Parmesan Chicken Meatballs, Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs, and Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs in Marinara.
Baked Turkey Apple Breakfast Meatball Ingredients
- Ground turkey: Turkey is naturally very lean so I like to choose an option for meatballs with some fat in it. 93% lean ground turkey is as lean as I’d recommend. Anything with less fat will dry out a bit too much.
- Fresh rosemary: Rosemary adds some freshness to these meatballs.
- Apple: Choose a sweet apple variety for these meatballs. I recommend gala, red, or honey crisp apple.
- Olive or avocado oil: If using turkey bacon I suggest sautéing it in a little oil to make it crispy.
- Bacon: Bacon (along with the apples) adds some sweetness to the meatballs. You can use pork or turkey bacon.
- Onion: White or yellow onion will both work well.
- Coconut aminos or soy sauce: The slightly sweet and bold flavor of soy sauce or coconut aminos adds so much yumminess. Use whichever you have.
- Egg: Egg acts as a binder in these meatballs so they’ll stay juicy and keep their shape.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and dried thyme are all you need to add more flavor to this breakfast meatballs recipe.
How to Make Baked Turkey Apple Breakfast Meatballs
Sauté the bacon in a skillet until crispy. If using turkey bacon I recommend adding a little oil to the pan to get the texture we want.
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands to form the meat mixture into balls.
Place meatballs in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake until cooked through.
What ground turkey is best to use?
93% lean ground turkey is what I use most often in these meatballs. Anything with less fat will dry out a bit too much.
How to best cook turkey bacon
I use turkey bacon in this recipe and any recipe with bacon. I recommend Wellshire Turkey Bacon. Their bacon is thick, minimally processed, and nitrate free. They have several amazing varieties to choose from including one that’s completely sugar free.
The big complaint I hear about turkey bacon is that it’s a little flimsy. Let’s solve that, shall we? To crisp up your turkey bacon just add a bit of olive oil to your pan when cooking. Boom. Perfectly crispy turkey bacon every single time.
How to Freeze Meatballs
To freeze, first spread the cooked meatballs in a single layer on a parchment paper lined plate or baking sheet. Place in the freezer until meatballs are frozen (at least two hours). Then store the meatballs in a large freezer bag or airtight freezer safe container in the freezer. They’ll remain good in the freezer for up to 3 to 4 months.
To thaw frozen meatballs, place in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat in a skillet on medium heat or medium low heat. If you don’t have the time to thaw overnight you can reheat from frozen in the microwave in 30 second increments until warmed through.
How to Store Breakfast Meatballs
Want to enjoy these meatballs the next day or later in the week? It’s such a great option for meal prep. Leftover meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Serve Breakfast Meatballs
The whole family will love these meatballs paired with eggs, Skillet Breakfast Potatoes (or hash browns), and fruit.
Baked Turkey Apple Breakfast Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey, I use 93% lean ground turkey
- ¼ cup fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 1/2 oz
- ½ cup gala, red, or honey crisp apple, diced small and peeled, about 1/2 medium apple
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, This helps achieve crispy turkey bacon.
- 4 slices turkey bacon, I use Wellshire Turkey Bacon.
- ⅓ cup white or yellow onion, finely chopped, about 1/4 small or medium onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons Coconut Aminos
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- If using pork bacon, add the bacon to a skillet and sauté until crispy. (If using turkey bacon add oil to the skillet to achieve the desired crispiness.) Set aside the cooked bacon on a paper towel. When cool, chop your bacon into small bits.
- Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Now we’re ready to create the meatballs! At this point your turkey mixture is going to be pretty mushy. That’s just the nature of ground turkey. If you want to firm it up place the bowl it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes and then form the meatballs. (I typically just roll them as is and accept that it’s going to be pretty sticky. Do what you prefer!)
- Use your hands to shape the meatballs into balls approximately 1¼ to 1½ inches in diameter. This produces 24 meatballs.
- Place meatballs in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (Can omit the parchment paper and use a greased baking sheet if you prefer.) Leave a little space in between each meatball.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. (Check the inside of one meatball after 15 minutes and if not cooked through add another 5 minutes. Cooking time can vary based on the oven and size of the meatballs.)
- Remove from the oven and serve! You can also store in the refrigerator in an airtight container to enjoy throughout the week or freeze for later.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just made these and they are amazing! I cut salt in half and used ghost peppers instead since I didn’t have the others. Hubs loves these, they’re a keeper!
Such an easy, make ahead and delicious way to start the day!
Some of the best meatballs I have tried. My kiddos couldn’t stop eating them!
I love that! Kids can be a tough crowd! Thank you, Mallory!
I just made these for my very picky eating family and we all loved it! The rosemary really shines through. Such an easy, great recipe!
I make a variation of the recipe on repeat. Instead of making meatballs I cook all the ingredients except the egg together and add hash-browns to make it more of a hash.
Love these! I’ve made a few times. Today I had fresh dill so subbed that for rosemary. Worked well! Thanks for a “different” breakfast idea. Yum!
I’m happy the dill worked well too! Thanks for trying the recipe and taking the time to leave a comment, Kaimy!
These are really really good especially if you wait and have them on day 2 after cooking. Letting all the flavors set in makes a huge difference. I didn’t have these for breakfast. I made a dinner out of them. After cooking, the next day I chopped some of them up and sauteed some fresh spinich, fresh onions, and fresh garlic. Toward the end of the saute’ I added the chopped meatballs. This was so good!!!
Holy cow! These are so good and easy to make. The recipe is a keeper, I love them. Thank you
These came out really well! I adjusted a few things according to my personal taste. Something I learned is that these are so much better the second day…it gives the flavors a chance to blend together.
I didn’t use these for breakfast, but broke them apart and scrambled them in a frying pan for dinner. I added them to my roasted spaghetti squash. Easy and delicious, just heated everything up in the pan after coming home from work.