This honey-sriracha turkey meatballs recipe is the perfect appetizer, glazed with spicy sriracha and honey. Great for game day or the star of the meal!
I got some spicy turkey meatballs coming at you, my friends. We're really thinking forward to the holidays where good appetizer recipes are always in demand. You really can't go wrong with meatballs, particularly ground turkey meatballs.
Ground turkey is a healthier option to ground beef meatballs, which I also love, and there is just something about ground turkey that I gravitate toward. I love that it's a blank canvas, taking on all of those wonderful flavors you can throw at it, giving them right back to you.
Like this recipe - Honey-Sriracha Turkey Meatballs.
YES!
My Honey-Sriracha Turkey Meatballs Recipe uses Cajun seasonings for some outstanding flavor, and incorporates cooked celery, onion and peppers (of course!) for both flavor and moisture. Then, the meatballs are finished off with a sweet and spicy honey sriracha sauce that is very much like a glaze and brings it all together.
So delicious! If you're looking for an easy turkey meatballs recipe that isn't boring, this is the one.
Let's talk about how we make them, shall we?
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Turkey. This recipe calls for 1 pound.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Veggies. Use 1 celery stalk, 1 small onion, a jalapeno pepper and 3 cloves garlic. Cooked vegetables add not only flavor to your turkey meatballs, but moisture.
- Seasonings. I love using a good homemade Cajun seasoning blend with this recipe, but feel free to use your favorites. Italian seasonings are quite popular here. I'm also including some chopped parsley, spicy chili flakes and some salt and pepper. Try a nice garlic salt.
- 1 egg, beaten. This helps bind the meatballs.
- 1 cup panko. This also helps to bind the turkey meatballs together. You may need a bit more or less, so start with half a cup then add more as needed.
- Garnish. I'm using fresh chopped parsley, chopped green onion and spicy chili flakes.
- FOR THE HONEY-SRIRACHA GLAZE: 1 cup sriracha, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon chili flakes, and Salt and pepper to taste
How to Make Honey-Sriracha Turkey Meatballs - the Recipe Method
First, heat a large pan to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat. Add celery, onion and peppers. Cook about 5 minutes to soften. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring.
Remove from heat and add contents to a mixing bowl. Cool slightly.
Add the Cajun seasonings, parsley, chili flakes, egg, ground turkey and panko. Salt and pepper to your tastes.
Hand mix the meat mixture until everything is combined, but do not over mix. If you over mix with your hands, the meatballs can become mealy.
Form the meat mixture into 1-inch turkey meatballs. You should get about 16 meatballs.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat the pan again to medium heat and add remaining olive oil. Brown the meatballs 3-4 minutes, rolling them a bit to brown all of the sides.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake the meatballs for 10 minutes, or until the turkey meatballs are cooked through.
While turkey meatballs are cooking, add the sriracha, honey, garlic powder, chili flakes, and salt and pepper to a small pot. Heat gently, stirring, until it is well combined.
Pour the honey-sriracha sauce / glaze over the turkey meatballs, or you can brush it on.
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and fresh parsley and serve.
Boom! Done! Pretty easy overall, right? Turkey meatballs are awesome! Such a great recipe. I love them, especially with a nice honey-sriracha sauce or glaze.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Heat Factor: Mild-Medium. You'll get a good level of heat from the sriracha, depending on the brand you're using. You can spice things up even further by incorporating hotter peppers into your turkey meatball mixture, and/or using extra spicy chili flakes and seasonings. I often like to mix in a few chopped habanero peppers for myself, though that can get pretty hot and spicy for most people. Give it a try, though, you crazy chilihead!
- For Baked Ground Turkey Meatballs: Alternatively, you can add your turkey meatballs to a prepared rimmed baking sheet, lightly oiled or lined with parchment paper, and bake them at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are cooked through.
- Internal Temperature of Turkey Meatballs. The internal temperature of your baked turkey meatballs should be 165 degrees F when measured with a good meat thermometer.
- Keto Friendly. These can be keto turkey meatballs, my friends, if you either skip or go very easy on the honey. Healthy turkey meatballs? You bet!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Spicy Korean Chicken Meatballs
- Spicy Meatballs in Chipotle-Lime Sauce
- Albondigas (Mexican Meatballs)
- Spicy Meatballs Sub Sandwiches
- Spicy Italian Meatballs
- Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Honey-Sriracha Chicken
- Oven Baked Ribs with Honey-Sriracha Glaze
- Chicken and Pork BBQ Skewers with Honey-Sriracha Glaze
- Grilled Salmon with Honey-Sriracha Sauce
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Honey-Sriracha Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasonings
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon spicy chili flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 pound ground turkey you can use beef, chicken or pork as well
- 1 cup panko or more as needed
- Fresh chopped herbs and spicy chili flakes for garnish
FOR THE HONEY-SRIRACHA GLAZE
- 1 cup sriracha
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pan to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat.
- Add celery, onion and peppers. Cook about 5 minutes to soften.
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring.
- Remove from heat and add contents to a mixing bowl. Cool slightly.
- Add the Cajun seasonings, parsley, chili flakes, egg, ground turkey and panko. Salt and pepper to your tastes.
- Hand mix the meat mixture until everything is combined, but do not over mix. If you over mix with your hands, the meatballs can become mealy.
- Form the meat mixture into 1-inch turkey meatballs. You should get about 16 meatballs.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat the pan again to medium heat and add remaining olive oil. Brown the meatballs 3-4 minutes, rolling them a bit to brown all of the sides.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and bake the meatballs for 10 minutes, or until the turkey meatballs are cooked through.
- While turkey meatballs are cooking, add the sriracha, honey, garlic powder, chili flakes, and salt and pepper to a small pot. Heat gently, stirring, until it is well combined.
- Pour the honey-sriracha sauce / glaze over the turkey meatballs, or you can brush it on.
- Sprinkle with chili flakes and fresh parsley and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Ashley says
What would you serve with this?!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Ashley, I like to serve them as an appetizer. If you'd like to serve them as a meal, you can serve them over mashed potatoes or other veg, hummus, rice or couscous. Or, serve them on a toasted roll with some roasted jalapenos and other veg. Delicious!
EDDIE says
Made these last night while watching reruns of football. The meat was full of flavor and the sauce was spicy yet not overpowering. Stay safe and thank you
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Eddie! Glad you enjoyed them!
Oosha Rao says
Your recipes are fantastic. I plan to try out the meatballs with ground chicken since we don’t get ground turkey here.
Especially love the idea of honey sriracha yummy!11
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Perfect, Oosha! Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy them.
Sam Visser says
The meatballs turned out fantastic. Delicious!! Thanks for sharing it