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Meat, Meal soups and plant based

Herbed turkey meatballs with bulgur and roasted vegetables

These are ground turkey meatballs flavored with fresh herbs, baked in the oven and served with bulgur and roasted vegetables. The recipe serves 4, takes 50 minutes and stays easy to make for €2.90 per person. The key is baking the meatballs alongside the vegetables, so they brown on their own while everything cooks together.

Tonight, gentle herbed turkey meatballs with bulgur and oven roasted vegetables, simple and a complete meal in itself.

Herbed turkey meatballs with bulgur and roasted vegetables
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Ground turkey makes tender, light meatballs, kept extra moist by the egg and breadcrumbs that bind them without weighing them down. Fresh parsley and mint add a bright, herby note that sets these apart from classic red meat meatballs. The roasted vegetables, zucchini, bell peppers and red onion, caramelize gently in the oven and keep a little bite.

This dish works just as well for a weeknight dinner as for a more relaxed Sunday meal. Kids tend to like the shape of the meatballs and their mild flavor, while adults appreciate the filling bulgur and seasonal vegetables. Everything bakes at the same time, which leaves you free to prepare the bulgur at your own pace while the oven does the timing for you.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground turkey 500 g

Dairy

  • Egg 1

Pantry

  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Bulguroften in the pantry 250 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Parsley 1 bunch
  • Mint 6 sprigs
  • Onion 1
  • Zucchini 2
  • Bell peppers 2
  • Red onion 1

Allergens Gluten, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, cut the zucchini, bell peppers and red onion into large chunks, and toss them with oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet.

    Fairly large chunks won't dry out.

  2. Mix the ground turkey with the egg, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, chopped herbs, salt and pepper, and shape into meatballs.

    A spoonful of milk or water makes the turkey meatballs more tender.

  3. Place the meatballs on another oiled baking sheet and bake both sheets together. 25 min

    Turn the meatballs halfway through cooking.

  4. Pour the same amount of boiling salted water over the bulgur, cover and let it swell. 10 min

    Fluff with a fork at the end for light grains.

  5. Serve the meatballs with the bulgur and roasted vegetables, drizzled with the cooking juices.

    A squeeze of lemon over the meatballs brightens them up.

Our tips to get it right

  • Shape the meatballs to a consistent size, about the size of a golf ball, so they all finish cooking at the same time.
  • Finely chop the parsley and mint so they blend evenly into the meat instead of forming stringy clumps.
  • Cut the vegetables to roughly the same size so they roast evenly without some pieces burning before others are done.

The variations

  • Swap the ground turkey for ground chicken or ground veal, the texture stays similar and the cooking time doesn't change.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meatballs with homemade chickpea or lentil balls, and keep the bulgur and roasted vegetables as they are.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve the bulgur plain without the herbs and offer the roasted vegetables on the side, some kids prefer everything kept separate on the plate.

What to serve it with

  • A yogurt and mint sauce
  • Warm pita bread
  • A cold glass of lemon water

Storage

The meatballs, bulgur and vegetables keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. The cooked meatballs freeze well for up to 2 months, thaw them in the fridge before reheating. Reheat everything in the oven or in a skillet with a splash of water so the bulgur doesn't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the meatballs ahead of time?

Yes, you can shape the raw meatballs the day before and keep them covered in the fridge. Bake them straight from the fridge the next day, the cooking time stays the same.

Can you swap the bulgur for another grain?

Quinoa or semi-pearled rice both work well instead of bulgur, just adjust the cooking time based on the package. The result stays just as filling.

How do you keep the meatballs from drying out in the oven?

Add a spoonful of milk or water to the mixture before shaping the meatballs, as the recipe suggests. Also avoid overcooking them, 25 minutes at 200°C is enough.

What if you don't have fresh mint?

You can simply double the amount of parsley instead, or use fresh cilantro if you like its stronger flavor. The dish stays fragrant even without mint.

How long does it take to make herbed turkey meatballs with bulgur and roasted vegetables?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in herbed turkey meatballs with bulgur and roasted vegetables?

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does herbed turkey meatballs with bulgur and roasted vegetables cost?

About €2.90 per serving, or €11.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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