Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs with Dill-Yogurt Sauce

Name: Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs with Dill-Yogurt Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 lb (454 g) ground turkey (85% lean); ⅓ cup (40 g) panko breadcrumbs; 1 large egg; 2 cloves (2 clove) garlic, minced; ½ tsp (2 g) lemon zest; 1 tbsp (4 g) fresh dill, chopped; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; ¼ tsp (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 cup (240 g) plain Greek yogurt (0% or 2% fat); 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh dill, chopped; 1½ tbsp (22 ml) lemon juice, fresh; to taste kosher salt; to taste black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, juicy ground turkey meatballs cooked quickly in the air fryer and served with a cool, herbaceous dill-yogurt sauce brightened by lemon and garlic. Perfect over pasta, rice, or with crusty bread.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 32 min
Makes: About 20 meatballs with 1 cup sauce

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Steps

Before you start

Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C)
Have a small bowl of water nearby to wet your hands for easier meatball rolling
Gather all sauce ingredients—it comes together while the meatballs cook

1
Mix the meatball base
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, panko, egg, minced garlic, lemon zest, chopped dill, salt, and pepper.
- Mix gently with your hands until just combined—do not overmix, or the meatballs will become tough.
- The mixture should come together loosely.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: ingredients are evenly distributed but not compressed
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten in the breadcrumbs, making the meatballs dense and rubbery. Mix until just combined.
2
Shape the meatballs
- Wet your hands with water to prevent sticking.
- Roll the mixture into 20 meatballs, each about 1¼ inches (3 cm) in diameter.
- Space them evenly on a clean work surface.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: all meatballs are uniform in size and smooth
Tip: Wet hands make shaping easier and faster. Keep water nearby and re-wet as needed.
3
Coat the air fryer basket
- Lightly brush the air fryer basket with olive oil to prevent sticking.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: basket is lightly glossy
Tip: A light coat of oil prevents the meatballs from sticking without adding excess fat.
4
Air fry the meatballsOven 390°F / 200°C
- Place all 20 meatballs in the preheated air fryer basket (they can touch but shouldn't be crowded).
- Air fry at 390°F (200°C) for 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through (at 6 minutes) to ensure even browning.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: meatballs are golden brown on the outside and register 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer in the center
Tip: Shaking halfway through ensures even browning on all sides. Don't skip this step if you want uniform results.
5
Make the yogurt sauce
- While the meatballs air fry, combine the Greek yogurt, minced garlic, chopped dill, and fresh lemon juice in a small bowl.
- Stir until smooth and well blended.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: sauce is smooth with no streaks of yogurt
Tip: Prepare the sauce while the meatballs cook so everything is ready at the same time. The cold sauce contrasts nicely with the warm meatballs.
6
Rest and serve
- Remove the meatballs from the air fryer and let them rest for 5 minutes—this allows the juices to settle.
- Transfer them to a serving platter and spoon the yogurt sauce over them or serve the sauce on the side.
- Serve warm with pasta, rice, or flatbread.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: meatballs have rested and are ready to eat
Tip: Don't skip the rest period—it keeps the meatballs tender and juicy.

Good to know

Tips

For extra tenderness, add 1–2 tablespoons of milk or water to the turkey mixture before shaping. This prevents drying in the air fryer.
If your air fryer is smaller, cook the meatballs in two batches to avoid crowding, which would steam them rather than brown them.
Serve the meatballs over Greek salad, couscous, or thick yogurt for a light, Mediterranean-style meal.
The sauce doubles easily if you're serving more people—just whisk together twice the yogurt, garlic, dill, and lemon juice.

Make ahead

Meatballs can be shaped and refrigerated, covered, for up to 24 hours before air frying. Air fry straight from the fridge—add 2 minutes to cooking time. The yogurt sauce can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate cooked meatballs and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat meatballs in a 325°F (163°C) oven for 8–10 minutes until warmed through. Store the sauce separately and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Substitutions

ground turkey (85% lean) → ground chicken (85% lean) or ground lamb. Chicken will be slightly more delicate; lamb will add richer, deeper flavor. Both work beautifully with the dill-yogurt sauce.
plain Greek yogurt (0% or 2% fat) → sour cream or labneh (strained yogurt). Sour cream will be tangier; labneh thicker and creamier. Both pair well with the lemon and dill.
fresh dill → fresh mint or parsley. Mint adds brightness; parsley is milder. Use the same amount chopped.
panko breadcrumbs → regular breadcrumbs or finely grated onion. Regular breadcrumbs create slightly denser meatballs. Grated onion adds moisture and sweetness without breadcrumbs.