Grilled Turkey Meatball Skewers
Jun 26, 2016, Updated Jun 18, 2025
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These juicy Mediterranean turkey meatballs are stuffed with olives and feta, then grilled on skewers. They make a delicious dinner or fun party appetizer! Meatball skewers are easy to prep, quick to grill, and full of flavor.
Grilled Meatball Skewers
These grilled Mediterranean turkey meatballs are loaded with chopped pimento-stuffed olives, crumbled feta, garlic, green onions, and fresh parsley. They have all the best Mediterranean flavors in one bite! And since I love any excuse to fire up the grill, I threaded the meatballs onto skewers.
Meatball skewers are perfect for casual weeknight dinners served over Mediterranean rice, weekend BBQs, or even as a party appetizer alongside Mediterranean baked feta. Plus, they’re super easy to prep ahead and cook in just 15 minutes!
Why I Have This Mediterranean Meatballs Recipe On Repeat
- Versatile. I serve them as a main dish or pass them around as a crowd-pleasing appetizer at BBQs and parties. I also love taking the meatballs and veggies off the skewers and tucking them into a pita pocket!
- Perfect for grilling. Meatball skewers cook up quickly and make a fun, easy summer dinner.
- Meal prep friendly. You can mix, shape, and skewer the meatballs ahead of time, and grill when you’re ready!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients needed to make these Mediterranean turkey meatball skewers. Scroll to the recipe card for the exact amounts.
- Ground Turkey – You could also make chicken meatballs or use ground beef or pork.
- Breadcrumbs – I use Panko crumbs, but any plain breadcrumbs will work.
- Feta Cheese – Chopped cheddar or goat cheese makes a good substitute.
- Olives – Pimento-stuffed olives or kalamatas are great.
- Green Onions – Trim the ends and tops, then slice thinly.
- Garlic Cloves – Minced.
- Fresh Parsley – Chopped. Fresh basil would work nicely here, too.
- Italian Seasoning – I like to add this in addition to salt and pepper.
- Egg – Lightly beaten, to help bind the ingredients.
- Bell Peppers – To thread onto the skewers in between the meatballs. I like to use a variety of colors.
Tips
- Don’t overmix the ground turkey. Just combine until everything holds together.
- Chop the olives and feta finely. This helps everything mix evenly without falling apart.
- Use a cookie scoop. It makes portioning the meatballs quick and consistent.
- Soak wooden skewers. Soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least 15 minutes to keep them from burning on the grill.
- Flip the skewers gently. Use tongs to rotate them every few minutes, so they cook evenly without breaking.
Recipe FAQs
Once you’ve shaped the meatballs and before you thread them, place them in the fridge to rest for 20 minutes. You can even let them rest overnight. This results in firmer meatballs that hold their shape and are less likely to fall apart on the grill.
Yes! Arrange the meatball skewers on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Bake at 400ºF for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs’ internal temperature reads 165ºF.
I love serving these turkey meatball skewers with the taratur dipping sauce from my chicken skewers recipe.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links) – Check out my kitchen shop here.
- Mixing Bowls – A sturdy, large bowl is key for combining the turkey mixture.
- Cookie Scoop – Helps portion out uniform meatballs that cook evenly.
- Metal Skewers – Reusable and perfect for grilling. Wood skewers work too, just soak them first.
- Grill Pan or Outdoor Grill – Use what you’ve got! A stovetop grill pan works if you’re not firing up the outdoor grill.
- Mini Food Processor – Great for chopping olives, garlic, or herbs in seconds.
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Mediterranean Turkey Meatball Skewers
Ingredients
FOR THE TURKEY MEATBALLS
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ⅓ cup plain panko crumbs or breadcrumbs
- ½ cup crumbled fat free feta cheese
- ½ cup chopped pimento-stuffed olives
- 2 green onions, cut into thin slices (trim the tops and ends and discard)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
FOR THE SKEWERS
- 8 to 10 metal or bamboo skewers
- 3 mini bell peppers (green, red, and orange) , cut into 1-inch squares
Instructions
- Prep. Heat your outdoor grill to medium-high and lightly oil the grates of the grill.
- Make the meatball mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey meat, bread crumbs, feta, olives, green onions, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and egg; mix well to combine.
- Shape and skewers. With moistened hands, shape the mixture into 16 meatballs, about 2 inches in diameter. Then, thread the meatballs and peppers alternately onto metal skewers.
- Grill. Place the meatball skewers on the grill and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating about every 3 minutes to cook evenly. Meatballs should be just cooked through, but not overcooked.
- Finish and serve. Remove the turkey meatball skewers from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
Equipment
Notes
- Makes 8 to 10 Skewers
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How To Make Meatball Skewers
- Mix the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, feta, olives, green onions, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and egg. Mix just until combined.
- Shape and skewer. Form the mixture into 16 meatballs. Thread them onto skewers, alternating with pieces of bell pepper.
- Grill. Preheat the grill to medium-high and lightly oil the grates. Grill the skewers for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Serve. Enjoy the turkey meatballs warm with garlic yogurt sauce or your favorite dip!
Oven Method
To make these in the oven, bake the meatball skewers at 400ºF for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165ºF.
How To Store
- Refrigerate. Leftover meatball skewers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you need to save space, remove them from the skewers before storing.
- Freeze. You can freeze the cooked meatballs (without the veggies or skewers) in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat. Warm them in the oven at 350°F until heated through, or reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Can you cook these in the oven?
Sure. Bake at 400หF for 15 to 20 minutes or until the meatballs’ cooked internal temperature registers at 165 degrees.
looking Amazing, i really like meatball yumy
These meatballs look great but how many is a serving?