These Eggless Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs are perfect when you want a fast, family-friendly meal in a jiffy. These are crazy good and so easy. Serve over your favorite bowl of rice, quinoa, or steamed veggies. Stovetop and pressure cooker instructions are included.
Quick & Easy Egg-Free Teriyaki Meatballs Recipe Highlights
Meatballs are one of my favorite dishes to cook. They are really versatile and can be packed with so much flavor. Plus, my kids eat them without complaints. If that’s not a win-win situation, I’m not sure what is!
They look amazing, huh? I promise they taste as good as they look. And have no fear, because today’s recipe is pretty much healthy, only 325 calories per serving, yet still completely delicious and full of all your favorite Asian flavors.
My kids can’t get enough of these meatballs. Even my beef-loving husband, who isn’t the biggest fan of ground turkey, loved them.
This is that super quick and delicious recipe every family needs. These Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs are easy, quick to make, delicious, and perfect for busy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
For the Meatballs:
- Ground turkey meat
- Saltine crackers or Panko
- Buttermilk
- Green onions
- Garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
- Canola or vegetable oil
- Sesame seeds (optional)
For the Teriyaki Sauce:
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Garlic cloves
- Ginger – Fresh or ground
- Canola or vegetable oil
- Brown sugar
- Black pepper
- Cornstarch
Process Overview: How to Make Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs Step by Step
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Step 1 – Make the Meatballs Mixture
In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, crushed crackers, buttermilk, green onions, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Gently shape into 16-18 meatballs.
Step 2 – Prepare the Teriyaki Sauce
Combine teriyaki sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 3 – Brown the Meatballs
You can do this over the stovetop or in your pressure cooker. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to your pan or pressure cooker and brown the meatballs, about 2 minutes per side.
Step 4 – Cook
When the meatballs are brown for all sizes, add the teriyaki sauce, cover, and cook. Depending if you are making this recipe over the stovetop or pressure cooker, the cooking times might vary. Check the recipe card for more detail.
Step 5 – Garnish and Serve
Garnish with fresh chopped green onions and sesame seed, if desired. Serve immediately over rice, quinoa, or steamed vegetables.
Recipe Tips
If you are not a big fan of turkey, you can also use ground chicken or pork.
Browning meat in the Instant Pot can be tricky. The trick to brown meat in the Instant Pot is to do it in small batches and not turning until they have formed a crust on the bottom, or they will stick.
The amount of sauce in this recipe is more than enough for 1 lb of meat. 1 lb of meat yields 14-16 meatballs approximately. If you use more than 1 lb of meat, increase the amount of sauce accordingly.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Here are tips and tricks on how you can store your Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs.
Make Ahead
Eggless Meatballs can be shaped and kept covered in the refrigerator for up to a day ahead.
Store
If you have leftover meatballs, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Then, reheat the meatballs in a pan or microwave until heated through.
Freeze
- Uncooked meatballs: prepare the meat mixture, form meatballs, place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, and then put them in the freezer. Leave them in for 30–60 minutes. Then transfer them into a Ziploc freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Cooked meatballs: prepare the meat mixture, form meatballs, and cook them as directed in the recipe. Then, let them cool completely, put them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. When you are ready to eat, let them thaw in the refrigerator and heat them as needed. Then, you can reheat them on the stovetop, microwave, or oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can also use ground chicken or pork if you prefer.
Over time, I’ve noticed that depending on the brand of ground turkey and the percentage of fat, sometimes the mixture could end up being too wet and not firm enough to hold the meatballs together. If this is your case, add an additional 1/4-1/2 cup of panko to the mixture to help to keep the meatballs together when cooking.
If you don’t have saltines crackers available, you can use 1/2 cup of plain panko.
Yes, you can use 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt.
Yes! Prepare the turkey mixture and teriyaki sauce as instructed in the recipe. Then brown the meatballs in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Add the teriyaki sauce and mix to combine. Reduce heat to low, and cook covered for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs reach 165º F (75º C).
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Recipe Card 📖
Easy Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs (Egg-Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) ground turkey meat
- 8 saltine crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup) (see notes)
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) buttermilk (see notes)
- ¼ cup green onion, sliced + more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
Teriyaki Sauce:
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) rice vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 3 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (or 1 teaspoon of ground ginger)
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 4 1/2 tablespoons (54 g) brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
PRESSURE COOKER:
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, crushed crackers, buttermilk, green onions, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Gently shape into 16-18 meatballs.
- Combine teriyaki sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Heat the Instant Pot in sauté mode. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and brown the meatballs, about 2 minutes per side. When the meatballs are brown for all sizes, add the teriyaki sauce, cover, and lock the lid. Cook high pressure for 10 minutes.
- After the cooking time is over, press "cancel" and allow it to release pressure naturally. This will take about 5-8 minutes. Then, carefully turn the valve to "Venting" to release any extra pressure that might still be in there. Then remove the lid.
- Garnish with fresh chopped green onions and sesame seed, if desired. Serve immediately over rice, quinoa, or steamed vegetables.
STOVETOP:
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, crushed crackers, buttermilk, green onions, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Gently shape into 16-18 meatballs.
- Combine teriyaki sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large pan over medium heat. Brown the meatballs, about 2 minutes per side.
- When the meatballs are brown on all sides, add the teriyaki sauce and mix to combine. Reduce heat to low, and cook covered for 20-25 minutes, or until the meatballs' internal temperature reaches 165º F (75º C).
- Garnish with fresh chopped green onions and sesame seed, if desired. Serve immediately over rice, quinoa, or steamed vegetables.
- Browning meat in the Instant Pot can be tricky. The trick to brown meat in the Instant Pot is to do it in small batches and not turning until they have formed a crust on the bottom, or they will stick.
- The amount of sauce in this recipe is more than enough for 1 lb of meat. 1 lb meat yields 14-16 meatballs approximately. If you use more than 1 lb of meat, increase the amount of sauce accordingly.
Nutrition
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
This recipe was originally published in 2017. The recipe remains the same, but more notes, tips, photos, and information were added to the post in March 2023 to make it as helpful as possible!
I’ve made these before and absolutely love them! I was wondering if you think they would work in a crock pot? I was trying to prep some things that I can just throw in the slow cooker each morning.
Any thoughts would be very welcome!
Hello Sara! I haven’t made these in the slow cooker, but I think it could work. I would suggest browning the meatballs before you put them in the slow cooker with the sauce. Cook on low for 4 hours. Please, let me know how it goes. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
Hi! I thought this recipe was delicious! Made it for our family of 5 and everyone gobbled it down!!! Thanks for the recipe. Quick question! How many meatballs are in a serving? Trying to keep track of my calories! Thanks!
Hello Heather! It sounds like you nailed it! This recipe yields 18 meatballs approximately, so each serving is 3 meatballs. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
The flavors here are delicious and it by no means feels/tastes like a low cal recipe. You’ll fool all the turkey-phobic beef lovers in your life. In the kitchen, we need to be flexible. My first time, these balls were falling apart. If these don’t feel firm in their raw form, don’t expect your balls to remain intact! Add breadcrumbs as needed, adjusting until they keep their shape when gently poked. Will be making again and again!
Hello Chrissy! Sounds like you nailed it. Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
I made this for the first time tonight! Absolutely delicious! My husband finished his plate, looked at me, and said, “that was awesome!”
I made the version that substituted an egg for the buttermilk and panko for the saltine crackers. Like others noted, my sauce was not as thick as I had hoped after the cooking time was up. I took a couple of extra minutes to remove my meatballs from the instant pot, added a cornstarch slurry to my sauce, and sautéed it in the instant pot for a couple minutes. It thickened up beautifully. Then I mixed the meatballs back in and it was perfect. We decided to top our plates with sesame seeds, green onion, and a little sriracha. Thank you so much for this recipe! This will be a regular in our house for sure!
Hello Allison! I’m delighted to hear you and your husband enjoyed it so much. This is a fave around here too, I made them all the time. Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
Was this recipe taken down from the site? 🙁
Hello Lauren! No, the recipe is up. Can’t you see it? Do you have an adblocker? That might be the problem.
I cooked these and they were awesome. I used quinoa as the “absorbent” grain on the bottom. I incorporated 1 egg in place of the buttermilk and used store-bought breadcrumbs.
I was concerned, as many have written, that they’d be dry. I formed the meatballs, then chilled them in the fridge for about 3 hours. Maybe this helped?
They stayed together for the most part. Only 2 pieces came off during the sautee part.
You could definitely make this on the stove. An InstantPot isn’t essential.
Hello Mary! I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed it so much. Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
I ended up making these the other night and they came out amazing!! I used 1 egg (I realized you wrote that in the notes after I asked you what to substitute). They came out so good and everyone loved them!! They kind of stuck to the pot and were falling apart when I was sautéing them but I think I just needed to roll them tighter. But besides that I highly recommend this recipe, it’s amazing!!
Hello Steph! So glad everyone enjoyed it!! Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
I don’t have buttermilk or yogurt. Is there anything else I can substitute?? I really want to make these 🙂 thanks!!
Hello Steph! You can also use sour cream. If you don’t have any of those available, mix 3 tablespoons of milk with 1/8 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, white vinegar or lemon juice. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for a few minutes. When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened and you will see small curdled bits. Use that mixture instead of the buttermilk. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
I used 1 egg instead of buttermilk, deglazed after sautéing but received the burned message on the insta pot. Not sure what I did wrong. Smells delicious tho! And it tastes delish. Also when i opened the insta pot nothing was burned and there was still plenty of liquid (sauce)
Hello Amber! The IP burning message is so annoying, sometimes it happens to me too. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for your feedback.
My sauce burnt to the bottom of the pan and I got a water message.
Hello Stacy! I am sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. Did you deglaze the pot after you brown the meatballs? When using the saute mode always deglaze the pot after sauteing with some water or broth before adding your other ingredients and use a wooden spoon or spatula to remove any food that may be stuck to the bottom. Hope this helps!
Hi there. I decided to try this recipe even though tonight was a busy we’d night for us. It looked pretty easy and it was! I made some substitutions since I had it prepared ahead of time such as using coconut aminos, ground ginger, flour and regular vinegar and they still turned out luscious! I will definitely be making these again. I’m pretty sure my daughter licked her plate! Ha ha. I’m sorry there’s no picture but we were too excited to eat them to think about it!?
Hello Michale! I’m very glad to hear that everyone enjoyed it so much. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!
What if I don’t have an instant pot? My son also has an egg allergy, but what could I substitute the buttermilk with if I don’t have it on hand?
Hello Marilyn! You can totally make these in the stovetop. Plain yogurt can be a good substitute. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =) P.S. Make sure to check my other eggless recipes (https://mommyshomecooking.com/category/recipes/eggless/)
Way too much soy sauce. I would cut in half if I make again.
Hello Debbie! Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
Could I make this with frozen turkey balls ?
Hello April! Yes, you can =) Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it.
I’m giving this recipe 5 stars because it’s a great idea. I followed it completely (bread crumbs instead of saltines and egg instead of buttermilk) and the meatballs were fantastic. The next time I make it though, I’ll add more brown sugar for the Teriyaki Sauce because I felt like it wasn’t sweet enough. I’ll also add more cornstarch, my sauce just didn’t thicken as much as what’s in your video. But otherwise, it was fantastic! I served it over rice with steamed carrots, bok choy and broccoli!
Hello Sandra! So glad you enjoyed this, thanks so much for trying my recipe!
I made these using my Instant Pot for the very first time! While the meatballs themselves were moist and flavorful (I made substitutions with Panko and eggs as well), I’d have to agree that the sauce was super salty (I didn’t have low sodium soy sauce). Browning in the Instant Pot worked well for me. Next time I make them, I will use low sodium soy sauce and dilute a bit with water if necessary. Overall, my family enjoyed them and this will definitely be in our rotation. I will say, for me prep time was way more than 5 mins. It was closer to 1/2 hour making the meatballs and cutting up the green onion and garlic. Not a big deal, but I think 5 mins is a bit of a stretch. Looking forward to trying the cheesy gnocchi next!
Hello Quicha! I am glad everybody enjoyed it. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!
I thought the recipe was great. Instant hit with my husband and 2 year-old son. I used 1 cup of Panko instead of 1/2 cup, an egg instead of buttermilk, and ground turkey with 7% fat. If you are sensitive to salt, I would probably omit the kosher salt when making the meatballs. I did use low sodium soy sauce, but it was still a little on the salty side for me while my husband thought it was fine. I guess it is just personal preference on what you like! Will definitely make again!
Hello Angie! Sounds like you nailed it =) Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!
I make this recipe all the time at home for my family, the kids devour it and it’s adult friendly too. I’m away on vacation and don’t have an instant pot, how do I make these without? Do I use a slow cooker? Stovetop? Do I change any of the ingredients?
Hello Cady! You can do this recipe in the stovetop. 1- Mix meat with all the seasonings and veggies. 2- Prepare the sauce. 3- Brown the meatballs in a skillet or pan over the stovetop, then add the sauce, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until done; about 15 – 18 minutes. Hope this help. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know! Happy Vacation =)
Great flavor, I found that post browning I had to de-glaze the bottom a bit with a little chicken broth which added some crispy bits to the sauce which became a family thumbs up all the way around. Thank you for the great recipe!
Hello Brian! Thumbs up make me happy ?? I’m very happy you and your family enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know! ?
If you make this, I can’t recommend enough NOT browning the meatballs in the instant pot. I just tried several times to do it, and they kept sticking to the bottom no matter what I did. Stick with a non-stick pan and then use the instant pot!
Hello Hichan! Browning in the Instant Pot can be tricky. Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
My mouth started watering when I first glimpsed the photo. Then I read the whole post and recipe and now it’s a full on craving! Dadgum it, Barb, now I have to go back to the grocery store again today
Thanks for your interest in my recipe, Erica! Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
This recipe looked great. However, I didn’t have reduced sodium soy sauce on hand. I only used 2/3 cup but it ended up way too salty. I had 15% fat ground turkey so I thought I’d use a cup of bread crumbs. The meatballs were very moist and almost fell apart. I really wanted to like this recipe but it was too salty. ?
Hello Sue! I am sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. I hope you try this recipe again using the right ingredients…I promise you it not too salty. Thanks for trying my recipe though.
Sue…kinda unfair to rate someone’s recipe two stars when YOU were the root cause of the recipe being too salty. Next time, use correct ingredients listed.
You are right, MJ! Thanks so much for your feedback =)
I made these last night for my family and they were a huge hit. I did the breadcrumbs/egg version and added a full cup of breadcrumbs instead of a half. I also added in some Sriracha to the sauce. After reading the comments I decided to brown the meatballs on the stove top and then pressure cook after in the Instant pot and everything turned out great!! Will definitely make these again 🙂 the browning took a while, it probably took 1 hour total to make this recipe.
Hello Erica! I’m SO GLAD you and your family enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know! ?
I’ve been making these without an instant pot for years and love them. I finally bought an IP and made them the way the recipe intended and they were so sour! What went wrong?
Hello Olivia! Thanks for trying my recipe. Did you measure the ingredients properly? the only thing that comes to my mind is that it had more vinegar than the recipe called for.
If you make this, I can’t recommend enough NOT browning the meatballs in the instant pot. I just tried several times to do it, and they kept sticking to the bottom no matter what I did. Stick with a non-stick pan and then use the instant pot!
Hello Mary! I agree… browning meat in the Instant Pot can be tricky. The trick to brown meat in the Instant Pot is to do it in small batches and not turning until they have formed a crust on the bottom, or they will stick. Hope this help!
*Panko bread crumbs 🙂
I made this last night with lean ground beef. I doubled the sauce and used Pablo bread crumbs and two eggs. We loved it! Thank you for sharing this easy and yummy recipe!
Hello Megan! I’m SO GLAD you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!?
Hi! Can I make these with lean ground beef? My hubby is allergic to turkey. Thanks! Looks delicious!
Hello Megan! yes, you can use beef or chicken if you prefer. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
I made these tonight and they were excellent!! My sauce didn’t thicken as much as I thought it would, but the taste was all there. I did use the modified version with the bread crumbs and egg, which I will do again. Definitely a keeper!!
Hello Meghan! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Fantastic recipe! I made it as written with the only substitution being white wine vinegar in place of the rice vinegar because that’s what I had on hand. I served them with with a mix of white and red quinoa (also done in the IP) and a ton of steamed veggies mixed with garlic, ginger and sesame oil. The entire family gobbled it up, especially my one year old! I look forward to making a lot more of your recipes, your blog is beautiful!
Hello Jenna! I’m delighted to hear you and your family enjoyed it so much. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!
How do you get these to not stick to the bottom of the instant pot when sautee-ing?? other than that problem the recipe is great.
Hello MS! Browning meat in the Instant Pot can be tricky. The trick to brown meat in the Instant Pot is to do it in small batches and not turning until they have formed a crust on the bottom, or they will stick. Hope this help!
Hi! Do you use a 6 quart pot and which lean ground turkey do you use with this recipe and amount of breadcrumbs? 90/10 Jennie o? Going to try these but want to make sure they are good the first time around! Thank you!
Hello Megan! Yes, I use 6Q IP. You can use any ground turkey that you like, or even ground chicken if you prefer. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
My mouth started watering when I first glimpsed the photo. Then I read the whole post and recipe and now it’s a full on craving! Dadgum it, Barb, now I have to go back to the grocery store again today
Thanks for your interest in my recipe, Big Mom! Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
Well now, i could just dive into that screen and help myself to one of them there drumsticks, ma’am! Looks delicious!
As per many other comments, the times are misleading. This was at the very least a one hour process (prep, searing in batches to prevent crowding, de-glazing, reaching pressure, pressure cooking and pressure release). My meatballs did not stick at all. You need to make sure that your insert is hot before adding the meat, and let it sit long enough to naturally release from the pan. If it’s sticking to the bottom of the pot, it’s not ready to flip. The natural sugars in the mixture will form a crust when they are ready to flip, and that crust when de-glazed will add to the flavor of the sauce. I actually liked the flavor of the sauce but I think I will use ground pork next time. I’m not a huge fan of turkey and this proved true once again. My toddler also refused to eat it and she eats almost anything in ground meat form. The rating is mostly based on the misleading timeline. I hate it when author’s don’t reveal the actual times. I have a part-time job, I am a stay at home mom, and I have a toddler. When it says 20 minutes it should be 20 minutes start to finish.
Hello Karla! Thanks for trying my recipe and for your feedback.
I featured your recipe on my blog. So great! https://www.threecrownsstudio.com/personal/2018/8/7/easy-summer-bbq-sides-with-neighbours
Thanks Dana ?
This recipe looks so delicious. I have been thinking of getting an Instant Pot. Chilli recipe is the one I am hearing a lot these days!
I love my Instant Pot, Wilma! So glad you like the look of this. Be sure to shout out if you have any questions!
Some quibbles with this recipe:
1) It takes far longer than five minutes to prepare the meatballs and sauce. More like 30 for me to assemble all the ingredients, chop the onions, mix the meatballs, adding more Panko as I go, rolling the meatballs, and then measuring out several more ingredients and whipping up the sauce. I don’t have a sous chef to put all the ingredients out in little bowls for me!
2) It makes no sense to try to saute in an IP if you’ve got a non-stick pan. The IP’s stainless pot is convex, meaning all the oil slides to the edge. Ground turkey is particularly difficult to brown on hot steel without any oil! The outer shell of the meatballs will stick to the pot, resulting in mis-shapen lumps when you try to turn the meat. Plus, unless you are very, very tall, it is hard to peer over the top of the tall, narrow, steaming IP to even see if the meat is brown yet. And of course your spatula or spoon is difficult to wield vertically when it’s time to turn the meatballs. Do yourself a favor and use a saute pan on your stove for the browning step. I see way too many IP recipes out there that try to make this device work for kinds of cooking it really isn’t very good at. Just because it’s got a saute function does not mean the IP is good at sauteing. Dirty another pan and keep your sanity.
3) Why use more expensive low sodium soy sauce, but then add salt to the meat mixture????? This is just silly. There is no need to add ANY salt to the meatballs IMHO. In fact, I would use 100% Panko or unsalted saltines etc. in the meatballs, because the soy sauce in the teriyaki sauce is already very salty.
4) The only way that an IP that’s just been pressure cooking on the high setting for 10 minutes is going to depressurize on its own in just FIVE minutes is if you put it in a sub-freezing room, put it in a cold water bath, etc. (not recommended). In my 62 F Alaskan kitchen, it takes my IP about 18 minutes to depressurize on its own. It will take even longer to cool down in a hot kitchen. Between this obvious physical impossibility and the major underestimation of how long it takes to prepare the meatballs and sauce, the recipe is quite misleading. Don’t rely on its time estimates.
In summary, the flavor of these meatballs is good, but next time I will use a frying pan to brown them, and I’ll also anticipate it taking about an hour to go from starting to pull the ingredients together to plating. I opened the pressure release on my IP after 10 minutes of cool-down. The meatballs were fine.
Hello AKLutraa! I agree with you, the instant pot is not the best way to sear meat, but I found out that if you do it in batches it works well. I don’t think the recipe times are misleading, I get these done in 30 minutes, of course, everybody cooks in a different pace. I’m so glad you enjoyed these meatballs. Thanks for trying my recipe. ?
Awesome. I will try this recipe. I love instapot because lots of nice recipes to cook with. Easy recipes to make delicious meals. I will try this for my friends and husband. Will be back with reviews.
Hello Hanna! I LOVE my IP too. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
I made this tonight. My third time using the Instant Pot. I don’t have much experience at cooking, but I know that I like doing it. I have to LOL at the 5 minute prep time. Just cutting the onions alone took longer than that for me. Then there’s grating the ginger, making the meatballs.. etc. It probably took me an hour and a half total. Maybe someone with more cooking experience can do it faster.. dunno.. but…
It came out of the pot perfect, and it tastes so good! I’m going to share with some co-workers for lunch tomorrow. I’m sure they’ll be impressed.
Hello Brandon! I’m SO GLAD you like this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!?
It looks yummy!
Will try it tonight!
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your interest in my recipe, Kruti. Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
Is it absolutely necessary to brown the meatballs? I’m always in a pinch for time! Thanks!
Hello Katy! You can skip the browning step. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
I made this recipe for dinner last night and it was delicious! I didn’t get any burn message and it had enough sauce for all the meatballs. I use ground chicken instead of turkey and add breadcrumbs instead of saltine crackers. My family loved the flavors so it will be added to my regular rotation. Great recipe!
Hello Jennifer! I’m SO GLAD you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!?
Just made these in a 6 qt Instant Pot.
The sauce becomes very thick, very salty, overly tangy, and pretty assertive. I wasn’t thrilled with the texture of the meatballs – very soft and I wondered at times whether they were fully cooked. (My family ate them, so we’ll find out soon enough, I suppose.)
I did worry throughout the 10 minutes about whether the pot would say BURN, but it did not as it did for other posters, so maybe they use larger pots? But still — the thickness of the sauce at the end of the 10/5 minutes of cooking/NPR made me wonder whether it would have been better to add the cornstarch after the cooking period ended.
It’s a good idea, but unfortunately, this particular one just wasn’t for us.
Hello Sher! I am sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. Thanks for trying my recipe though.
Absolutely delicious. Found that adding a little more bread crumbs helped them stay together and that they’re just as great with chicken.
Hello Blum Family! I’m SO GLAD you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!?
I received my IP just after Christmas. I’m a new mom, at the time my son is only a month old. As I loved cooking also I love to spend more time with my baby. Most of the time I got frustrated if I can’t finish preparing the food before my husband arrive. But thanks to the IP, no more frustration I can set the timer in my IP and it will do the job for me while I can spend more time with my baby and serve delicious meal. With the IP is like I hired a helper and the good part is I don’t have to pay. So excited to explore more on IP.
Hello Neeta!! Congrats on your new baby ?. The Instant Pot is fantastic if you are looking to save time. Make sure you check all my IP recipes. Thanks so much for your comment.
This was a failure. There is not enough liquid for this to come to pressure without burning first. We were able to salvage the meal by taking it out of the Instant Pot and cooking it on the stove but it is frustrating when a recipe doesn’t include enough liquid.
Hello Stacy! I am sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. Thanks for trying my recipe though.
I made these tonight (got my pot this week). Overall, they were delicious. There was little sauce left as it seems to have burned on the bottom (the insert is soaking now)– I rolled the meatballs before I removed them so they were coated. I may double the sauce portion and see how that works. Any thoughts on the burned sauce?
…one more thing….I have a 6qt and it’s a bit tight for browning…I may brown them on the stove first….
Yes, you can brown them on the stove. You can also use frozen meatballs if you like.
Hello DudeDad! I have no idea why your sauce burned. Did you use 1 lb of meat or more? It sounds to me like you might use more meat and the liquid in the pot wasn’t enough. I am so glad you like the recipe. Make sure to check my other Instant Pot recipe https://mommyshomecooking.com/category/recipes/instant-pot/ . Thanks so much for your feedback! ?
I’m going to double the sauce next time and see if that does the trick! They were delicious! Great recipe. I’ll check out your others.
Thank you!! I am glad you like it ?
I’m sorry but the DH and I didn’t like these meatballs at all. I tried to sauce (before and after cooking it separately) and it was way too acidic for our tastes. I added water to dilute it and it was a bit better, but we didn’t add it to the meatballs. I served them with dressing (Russian) and rice and broccoli. We ate only a few before throwing them out. Also, at 10 minutes, they were slightly moist, but mostly dry. Too long and the taste didn’t work for us.
Hello Hanzel! I am sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. Thanks for trying my recipe though.
So when I tried to brown them in the instant pot, they stuck to the bottom and kind of fell apart. Any tips for how to avoid this next time?
Hello Megan! So sorry to hear that. If you notice that the mixture is too wet add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of panko. This will help. Thanks for trying my recipe.
TRIed and failed. The prep time took me at about 15-20 minutes and they turned into mush in the IP.
FYI, the instructions don’t mention the garlic powder. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch it until after I had everything in the pot.
Also, make sure your inner pot is >clean< before sauteing the meatballs. I cooked my rice first, but didn't clean it before browning the meatballs and they stuck like glue to the bottom. My own fault, of course.
So I had an abundance of frozen appetizer italian style meatballs from a party, so I was looking for instant pot recipes to use them up! I doubled the amount of meatballs because they are appetizer size. I added some sriracha to the sauce and a little extra rice vinegar. I browned the frozen meatballs in some oil olive, then in the instant pot on pressure cook for 14 minutes. I left them in there too long to NR because I had something to attend to and got the “burn” notification. Deglazed the instant pot with some chicken stock and put it on “Saute” for a few minutes. The sauce was still delicious and thick and it didn’t even taste burnt. This was incredibly easy even with a snafu! I served it over some brown rice and was a definite winner!
Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know, Shana!
Is it absolutely necessary to brown the meatballs? I’m always in a pinch for time! Thanks!
Hello Rachel! I have never tried to make these meatballs without browning them before. I completely understand what it is to be short of time all the time, however, you can brown the meatballs directly in the Instant Pot, it just takes a couple of minutes. Next time I make this recipe, I will test it without browning the meatballs first and I’ll add a note. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. ????
I made these tonight. The sauce was amazing, as good as teriyaki sauce in any restaurant. The fresh ginger was great. It also thickened perfectly.
The meatballs were pretty good, but pretty dry. Extra lean ground turkey is so difficult to make tender! Next time I’m going to try adding a bunch of bread crumbs (like a good cup) instead of saltines, an egg, and 1/3 or 1/2 C cream instead of buttermilk. I think that will help make them more tender. Totally not a fault of the recipe, it’s just the nature of extra lean ground turkey and we really enjoyed dinner anyway 🙂
Thanks!
Let me add that I’m going to use fresh bread crumbs, not the dried type. I can let ya know how it turns out if you would like.
Hi Anna! You can totally add an egg instead of the buttermilk. I don’t do it because my daughter is allergic to eggs. Fresh breadcrumbs will work great. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leaving your feedback!????
I love this recipe! The meatballs and sauce are so good…. HOWEVER… You have grossly underrepresented the time it takes to make these!!! Prep is WAY LONGER than 5 min (took me 20 with browning the meatballs first) and they take 15 min alone to cook if you allow for natural pressure release! ???? Other than that, they’re great!
Hello Mia! Thanks for trying this recipe. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!!
These didn’t turn out at all. Total failure. The meatballs turned into piles of slime before cooking. I added more saltines to try and thicken them up but didn’t help. Tried to brown them and they completely fell apart. I used Jennie o lean turkey. First instapot recipe I’ve tried out if close to 30 that didn’t work. Was an utter failure.
Hello Justin, I am sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you. Thanks for trying though.
Hi — if I double the recipe do I need to increase the cooking time? Thank you!
Hello Sean! No, you don’t need to increase the cooking time.
Oh my goodness! Just made this for dinner tonight (only our second ever recipe made in our new InstantPot!!) and I told my husband that this recipe alone was worth the price of the cooker. SO. SO. GOOD. Honestly, I could’ve eaten the entire pound of meatballs myself, but fortunately for everyone, I did not. 😉 My sauce was not nearly as dark as yours for some reason, but either way, it was delicious! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
YES YES YES! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Jenn!!!! Make sure to check out my other Instant Pot recipes. Thanks for stopping by ????
Love this recipe!! I tried it the other night and it was a hit! Wondering though if i can make this and freeze it for a quick meal for next week?
Hello Jaylene! Yes, you can definitely make a double batch and freeze for later use. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!!!
Do you have specific instructions on how to freeze this meal for later use? I’ve never done make ahead meals.
Hello Jaylene! Let cooked meatballs cool completely and place in a freezer safe zip lock bag or container. When ready to eat, thaw in refrigerator and heat until hot.Thanks for stopping by ????
Can I use lowfat milk instead of the buttermilk?
Hi Susannah! yes, you can. If you don’t have any food restriction you can also substitute the buttermilk with one egg.
These look amazing! I don’t have any saltines on hand… Do you think 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs would be a good substitution??
Hi Stacy! Yes, you can definitely use breadcrumbs, but 1/2 cup might be too much, if you are making 1 lb of turkey, I would use to 1/4 cup. When you have a chance try the using saltines, it gives a wonderful texture to the meatballs. Thanks for stopping by ????
I didn’t have an instant cooker so I made these meatballs on the stovetop in some oil and then added the sauce after. The sauce didn’t thicken up like yours but they taste amazing. Thanks so much for the recipe!
I am glad this recipe worked so well for you!! If you are going to make them in the slow cooker I would recommend to add the cornstarch when they’re almost ready. Just whisk together cornstarch and cooking liquid, pour into slow cooker, stir to mix well. Cook on low for a few additional minutes to thicken up the sauce. Hope it helps. Thank for stooping by, Olivia!
These look incredible! I haven’t made turkey meatballs before somehow–I think this will be my first!
These are amazing! Just made them and are a huge hit with the family!
And SO easy, right? Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Christine! I’m SO GLAD you enjoyed it ????
These meatballs look and sound delish!! I don’t have an instant pot, can this recipe be done in a slow cooker too? What modifications would I likely need to use a slow cooker?
Hello Brandy! You can make this recipe in a regular pot, just adjust the cooking time to 20 – 25 min. If done in a slow cooker, sauté meatballs in a skillet, transfer to slow cooker and pour sauce over. Cover and cook low 6 hrs, or until tender.
I cannot find rice wine anywhere in my town! Can I leave this out or is there a substitution!?
Hello Christy! You can use cider vinegar. I buy the rice vinegar at Walmart. It’s usually located where all the asian products are. Hope it helps!
Is the Teriyaki sauce mixture enough liquid to reach pressure? Or do I need to add water? It looks delicious and would be trying this tonight. 🙂
Hello Jo-an! The liquid is enough if you use the same quantity of turkey meat. You don’t need to add water. Thanks for trying my recipes. Please let me know how you like the recipe.
It was absolutely NOT enough liquid, and I was very, very careful with what I did. Two things: it’s important to de-glaze the pot if any of the meat is stuck on the bottom before you pressure-cook, and then, there’s truly not enough liquid, so you get a “burn” message. Very disappointed. First instant pot recipe that didn’t work for me!
Hello Julie! I am sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. Thanks for trying my recipe though.
I had the same result as Julie; everything was precise, but got the burn message due to not having enough liquid. My guess is that we have the bigger 8qt, so the amount of liquid is probably insufficient.
Hello MIke! I am sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. Thanks for trying my recipe though.
I have made these several times and they come out perfect as written. I use ground chicken instead of ground turkey though.
I have a 6 qt
Thanks for trying this recipe, Jeannette! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!!
I really need to get one of these instapots so I can make recipes like this! Because wow! This looks out of this world!
What a totally yummy Alternative appetizer for game day! And I love that you can use the instant pot to whip them up! Thanks so much for sharing!
I am seeing all these delicious recipes using an instant pot. I’m going to have to get one. These look so yummy.
I love using my instant pot. These meatballs look delicious. I can’t wait to try them.
This looks awesome! My family loves meatballs so I’m definitely trying this for them!
I feel like an instant pot is a definite must in my very near future. And these meatballs are convincing me it needs to be as soon as possible.
YUM!!!!!! These look delicious.
Turkey meatballs are something that I have not ever considered. I bet they are really delicious. I would love to try them, especially with the teriyaki.
Your meatball recipe looks amazing! My family really enjoys trying different meatball recipes for dinner and I love the fact that it’s a healthier version.
These look very delicious. I love using turkey meats. Jennie-O is my favorite brand as well. Their products are really good.
I just got an Instant Pot for Christmas. I will have to get the ingredients I need to make this recipe on the weekend.
This recipe looks so delicious. I have been thinking of getting a Instant Pot. There are so many great recipes for it.
These Instant Pot Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs look so delicious and easy to make. I am really enjoying cooking with my Instant Pot.
Wow, these meatballs look stunning! I would love to recreate them for my big game celebrations.
Oh I think we’d really like these meatballs. The ginger must add some really nice flavor. I’d love to try this.
That looks so good! We just got an Insta pot for Christmas and we love using it. I have been pinning stuff like crazy and I am definitely adding this to the top of that list.
Se ven tan provocativas que con solo verlas me han dado muchas ganas de probarlas. Gracias por la receta!