Air Fryer Asian Meatballs made with ground turkey, rice and edamame is a healthy dinner idea or lunch and great for meal prep!
Air Fryer Asian Meatballs
If you have a package of ground turkey you’ll love these meatballs. Cooking meatballs in the air fryer is perfect for those summer days when you don’t want to turn on your oven or stove. These easy Air Fryer Asian Meatballs come together quickly and are a one-bowl meal, making them perfect for weekday dinners or meal prep. Of course, you can use your oven if you don’t have an air fryer. These meatball bowls are packed with flavor, loaded with protein, and kid-friendly. More air fryer recipes to try are these Mediterranean Meatballs, Air Fryer Salmon, and Air Fryer Chicken Breast.
Asian Meatball Ingredients
- Binder: A large egg and panko breadcrumbs bind the meat together so it doesn’t fall apart.
- Flavor: Minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, scallion whites, and soy sauce make these Asian meatballs taste amazing.
- Ground Turkey: Buy 93% lean ground turkey.
- Rice: Combine brown rice with sesame oil and scallion greens.
- Edamame: Heat two cups of shelled edamame.
- Toppings: Sesame seed, cilantro (optional), and sriracha (optional)
How to Make Asian Turkey Meatballs
- Mix the Meatballs: Crack an egg into a medium bowl and beat with a fork. Add the panko, garlic, scallion whites, and two tablespoons of soy sauce and combine. Mix in the turkey with a fork, being careful not to overdo it. Roll the mixture into 16 meatballs, about one ounce each. Place them on a
parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside. - Air Fry Raw Meatballs: Spray the air fryer basket generously with oil. Place the meatballs in an even layer, and cook them at 400°F for eight to 10 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Batch Cooking: If the meatballs won’t all fit, cook them in batches. Cover the first batch with foil, and if needed, warm them in the air fryer for a minute before serving.
- Rice: Stir the sesame oil and scallion greens into the brown rice while the meatballs cook.
- Asian Meatball Bowls: Divide the rice between four bowls, and top each with four meatballs and a half cup of edamame. Drizzle each with two tablespoons of soy sauce (and sriracha if using) and a sprinkle of sesame seeds and cilantro.
No Air Fryer? No Problem!
Bake the meatballs in the oven at 400°F for 20 minutes.
What to Eat with Asian Meatballs
I like eating these Asian turkey meatballs in a bowl with brown rice, edamame, and sriracha, but you can switch things up with whatever you have.
- Rice: Substitute quinoa, vermicelli, or soba noodles with brown rice.
- Low-Carb Base: Use zucchini noodles, hearts of palm noodles, or cauliflower rice.
- Vegetables: Swap the edamame for bell pepper, cucumber, or avocado. Or try it with this Asian Cabbage Mango Slaw or Sesame Orange Broccoli.
- Sauce: If you don’t like sriracha and want more sauce for your bowl, drizzle on some hoisin or make this Asian Carrot Ginger Dressing.
How to Meal Prep Meatballs
Leftover meatballs are perfect for meal prep. They will keep for up to four days in the fridge or three months in the freezer. You can also double this Asian meatball recipe if you want extra to freeze.
- Flash freeze them first on a parchment-lined sheet pan so they don’t stick together.
- Once frozen, transfer them to a zip-locked bag or freezer-safe container.
- Thaw them in the fridge overnight before eating or microwave them straight from frozen.
To pack the bowls for lunch, store everything in single-serving containers and microwave until warm.
Variations
- Gluten-Free Meatballs: Use gluten-free panko and tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Poultry: Swap turkey with ground chicken.
- Panko: Regular breadcrumbs will work if you don’t have panko.
More Ground Turkey Meatball Recipes You’ll Love
Air Fryer Asian Meatballs
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Crack the egg into a medium mixing bowl and beat with a fork. Add the panko, garlic, ginger, scallion whites, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce and mix to combine.
-
Add the turkey and with the fork, mix to combine, being careful not to over-mix. Roll mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs, about 1 ounce each, place on a parchment lined sheet pan and set aside until ready to cook. (Thoroughly wash your hands and work surface.)
-
Spray the air fryer basket generously with olive oil.
-
Add the meatballs in an even layer, cooking in batches if needed, and cook at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through cook time. If cooking in batches, cover the first batch in foil and, if needed, add it back to the air fryer for 1 minute to warm before serving.
Oven Method
-
Bake the meatballs in the oven at 400°F for 20 minutes.
To assemble bowls:
-
While the meatballs are cooking, combine the rice with the sesame oil and scallion greens.
-
Add ¾ cup each of rice to 4 bowls.
-
Top each with 4 meatballs and ½ cup edamame.
-
Drizzle each with 2 teaspoons soy sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds then top with sriracha, if using.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.