Ranch Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

These family-friendly Turkey Zucchini Meatballs are seasoned with ranch and made with yogurt for a juicy, tender dinner that’s easy to make any night of the week.

This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite recipes from Yotam Ottolenghi. His turkey zucchini burger recipe had a hold on me when his book Jerusalem first came out. Since then, I make a version of it every summer, when zucchini is abundant. In Ottolenghi’s version, the ground turkey is mixed with fresh herbs like mint and cilantro and served with a sumac-yogurt dipping sauce (and it's so delicious). Over the years, my version has taken a different turn, swapping in ranch seasoning for the fresh herbs and mixing yogurt right into the meatballs for extra tenderness. I also add breadcrumbs to make the mixture easier to handle, since I find white meat meatballs tricky to work with without them.

The recipe calls for pan-searing the meatballs, but they work just as well baked in the oven or cooked in the air fryer. However you make them, they’re flavorful, juicy, and a great way to work a little extra vegetable into dinner.

In our house, we love to serve meatballs with non-pasta sides like quick-cooking cheesy polenta or cucumber salad, or my two new summer favorite side dishes: Backyard Tomato Salad and Garlic Butter Couscous.

How to Make It

You can either pan-sear, bake the meatballs or cook them in an air fryer. I prefer to pan-sear them because it's simple and only requires one pan, but choose which method works for you.

Step 1: Add all the meatball ingredients to a bowl.

Step 2: Mix until combined. If the mixture is too wet to handle, add a bit more breadcrumbs as needed.

Step 3: Use a scoop to portion out the meatballs.

Step 4: Pan-sear until just cooked through.

More Meatball Recipes

If you make these Ranch Turkey Zucchini Meatballs, be sure to leave a comment with a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on your experience! Have a question? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can!

Full Recipe

Ranch Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

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• Author: Kelli Avila
• Prep Time: 00:15
• Cook Time: 00:15
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 15 meatballs
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Pan-Sear

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Description

This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite recipes from Yotam Ottolenghi. His Turkey Zucchini Burger recipe had a hold on me when Jerusalem first came out. Over the years, I’ve continued to cook versions of it, slightly adapting it as I went. This version has a different flavor profile (his uses fresh herbs like mint and cilantro), uses breadcrumbs to make the meatballs easier to handle, and adds yogurt to the meatballs themselves (his recipe is served with a yogurt dipping sauce). This version is a little more low-brow with ranch as the seasoning (use store-bought or a homemade mix) that both kids and adults can get behind. The recipe calls for pan-searing the meatballs, but they can be made in the oven or the air fryer as well.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, plus more as needed
• ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 1-½ teaspoons ranch seasoning
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (see note)
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 small zucchini or summer squash (about 5 ounces), grated (1 ½ cups)
• 1 tablespoon high-heat neutral oil, such as avocado oil, more as needed
• ¼ cup finely sliced chives
• ½ cup ranch dressing, for serving

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Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Greek yogurt, egg, ranch seasoning, salt, and cumin. Mix in the ground turkey and grated zucchini until fully combined.
2. The mixture is more wet than typical meatballs, but it should still be a workable consistency. If it is too wet, add ¼ cup more breadcrumbs and let the mixture chill briefly in the refrigerator (5 to 10 minutes) to allow time for the breadcrumbs to absorb some of the extra moisture. 
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 2 to 3 tablespoons of the meatball mixture and roll it into a ball. Place on a plate or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture, forming about 15 meatballs.
4. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and when hot, cook the meatballs, in batches as necessary, turning them frequently, until cooked through to at least 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with the chives and serve with the ranch dressing.

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Notes

If you don’t have ranch seasoning, instead use: ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder and 1 teaspoon dried dill or fresh dill

This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease the volume by half.

Using a scoop is the easiest way to portion out meatballs, but sometimes, when I’m feeling really in a rush, I don’t even roll them in a ball. Instead, I scoop out the mixture and put it directly on the baking sheet. Nobody cares if the meatballs aren’t perfectly round.

If baking, place the meatballs evenly spaced on the prepared sheet tray, drizzle with oil, and bake at 400ºF for 15 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway, until they reach 165ºF. For the air fryer, cook at 380ºF for the same time. They won’t develop as much crust as when pan-seared.

Leftover meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. They reheat well and make an easy leftover meal. They also freeze well for up to 3 months. To freeze, place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. This keeps them from sticking together. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 350ºF oven or toaster oven until warmed through, or in the microwave.