Stuffed with gooey mozzarella cheese and baked with lots of fresh basil pesto, these pesto turkey meatballs are incredible over a bowl of pasta!
We did not come to play with our meatballs today, lemme tell ya. Pesto and mozzarella-stuffed give a pretty convincing argument here.
That and the fact that we’re pulling this all together on one sheet pan AND pasta is invited to the afterparty? Dinner is all set here.
Not only are these meatballs incredibly easy and light on the ingredient list, but the use of ground turkey keeps the calories lower with absolutely no sacrificing flavor.
Honestly, just follow my lead on this one and eat them straight off the sheet pan.
These Turkey Meatballs feature…
- A tender, juicy texture
- Gooey mozzarella and herby basil pesto stuffed inside
- Ready in minutes and baked on one sheet pan
Making the Turkey Meatballs
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Ground turkey
- Egg
- Pesto
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
- Mozzarella cheese
- Spaghetti
- Parmesan cheese
Choosing Your Pesto
These meatballs work well with both jarred and fresh pesto. You can keep it classic with a simple basil pesto or get creative with different flavors.
Tips for Perfect Turkey Meatballs
- Cut mozzarella into 1/2-inch squares – this size fits best in the meatballs.
- Shape meatballs into uniform balls – uniform sized meatballs will cook evenly.
- Top meatballs with additional pesto after baking – this adds an additional pop of fresh herby flavor to the meatballs.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these meatballs.
- Use a different cheese – try gouda, cheddar, or pepperjack cheese in place of the mozzarella.
- Swap chicken for turkey – ground chicken would work great in place of the turkey.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend serving meatballs over a bowl of warmed cooked spaghetti noodles or angel hair with Parmesan cheese and additional basil pesto on top. These meatballs would also be fantastic in a meatball sub or in a wrap!
It’s almost otherworldly how moist these meatballs bake up and I attribute that almost entirely to the pesto and all other credit goes to the cheesy center.
I meannnn…if the tempting cheese pull doesn’t get you fixated on these meatballs, you’re probably nuts, just saying.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More delicious meatball dinners to make next!
Mozzarella-Stuffed Pesto Turkey Meatballs
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Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 12 (1/2-inch) cubes mozzarella cheese
- Additional pesto for meatballs
- Cooked spaghetti, and grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a medium sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly grease. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, egg, pesto, panko, garlic, salt, and pepper. Divide mixture into 12 portions and place a square of cheese in the center of each. Roll meat around cheese into a meatball and place meatballs on prepared sheet pan.
- Bake meatballs at 375F 20-25 minutes until meatballs register 165F. Brush meatballs with additional pesto for serving. Serve meatballs over cooked pasta with Parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 2/26/25.
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