I love to cook but that doesn’t mean there aren’t days when the tummies start to grumble in unison and I have no idea what we are going to eat for dinner. On those days, I am grateful to have a few homemade meals stashed in the freezer.
These turkey meatballs have saved my butt several times this summer. They feature the same flavors we love when we go out for teriyaki — soy, ginger, green onion, and spice, but for way less money, effort, and time. I always make double the recipe then put half in the freezer. It doesn’t take much more time to make a double batch. They make a second meal in a snap on those runaway days. Even the baby likes them, the ground meat is easy for him to eat with only a few teeth.
A couple weeks back, I attended the 2014 International Food Blogging Conference. Even though I was only a short hop away in Downtown Seattle, Mr. Second Helpings spent the weekend hanging out solo with our boys. I don’t doubt his ability to prepare a meal, but I also know how nice it is when dinner is just a few pulses of the microwave away. To simplify life for Mr. Second Helpings while I was at the conference, I made a big batch of Baked Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs and left a reminder to heat up some frozen peas. All three guys appreciated the easy-peasy homemade meal (pun intended).
If you like meatballs, foods with Asian flavors, quick family dinners, or you are just plain hungry — I think you will really enjoy these Baked Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs.
Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
Serve these individually as an appetizer or 4-5 per person as an entree.
Prep Time: 20 min, Cook Time: 20 min; Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 20 oz lean ground turkey
- 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce (make your own – see below)
- 1/2 teaspoon five spice
- 1/2 cup minced green onion, 2-3 onions white and green parts
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger root
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl: Use a fork (or your hands) to fold the ingredients together. Mix just enough to combine, over mixing makes the texture go mushy.
Use a scale to portion the meat into 1.5 ounce (1 1/2 inch) balls. Form them with a gentle hand so they hold together but are not tightly packed.
Evenly space them on your prepared baking sheet and bake in the center of your preheated oven for 20 minutes or until they are cooked through with toasty brown tops. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees with no pink in the centers.
Serve hot.
Calories 217, fat 10g, protein 29g, carbs 2g, fiber 0g
Teriyaki Sauce
Once you discover how simple it is to make teriyaki sauce at home you’ll never go back to store bought!
Prep Time 5 min, Cook Time 5 min; Yield just under 1 cup of sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sweet rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
Instructions
Heat all the ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved.
Let the sauce cool then store in a bottle or jar with a tight fitting lid.
Sauce adapted from foodnetwork.com.
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