Skip to Content

Tropical Turkey Meatballs

Tropical Turkey Meatballs are a perfect appetizer on their own or serve them in a piece of flatbread to make them more of a full meal item.  Light and tender, flavored with hints of mango and mild heat of habanero chiles…

Tropical Turkey Meatballs are a perfect appetizer on their own, or serve them in a piece of flat bread to make them more of a full meal item. Light and tender, flavored with hints of mango and mild heat of habanero chiles...

Today’s recipe for Tropical Turkey Meatballs was created for using La Victoria’s Mango Habanero Salsa.  Many thanks to La Victoria for providing this product for me to try, I was so surprised how perfect it was for an easy summer meal that was both delicious and quick to make up!  This post is sponsored by La Victoria, but my love for their Mango Habanero Salsa and the recipe and opinions here are ALL mine!   Oh, and yes, it’s a healthy appetizer too which is always a bonus!

La Victoria has been around for such a long time and I’ve used their products often. I love this Mango Habanero flavor of salsa because it reminds me of a tropical vacation. It must be the Mango in it!  The salsa has real mango pieces mixed in and the slight heat from the habanero chiles adds a lovely depth of flavor.

Tropical Turkey Meatballs are a perfect appetizer on their own, or serve them in a piece of flat bread to make them more of a full meal item. Light and tender, flavored with hints of mango and mild heat of habanero chiles...

The recipe for Tropical Turkey meatballs is a variation on my regular Meatballs here. I’m trying to eat a little healthier so I wanted to try turkey instead of beef and pork. I also left out wrapping them in bacon since I had the perfect sauce for them with the La Victoria Mango Habanero Salsa.

I was worried about not having pork in the meatballs because pork(and the pork fat) naturally give a juicy meatball. So I used a little of the Mango Habanero salsa in the meatball as well as the sauce for the top! I think you’ll find the mango pieces and the salsa gives it just the right amount of juiciness and you won’t miss the added pork fat at all!  The Sweet and Heat combination was a real crowd-pleaser at our house!  There was not one meatball left at the end!

Tropical Turkey Meatballs are a perfect appetizer on their own, or serve them in a piece of flat bread to make them more of a full meal item. Light and tender, flavored with hints of mango and mild heat of habanero chiles...

RECIPE POINTS OF INTEREST FOR TROPICAL TURKEY MEATBALLS!

EASY/HARD:  easy… the only thing to be careful of when making them is not to overmix and pack them too tightly. By using a gentle hand, you will get a light and moist meatball!

Cocktail Suggestion:  Since these remind me of a tropical island I suggest a Mai Tai or an Icy Rum Slush!  A Pinot Grigio would also work for wine to go along with it!

OPTIONS:  I served this as a snack when we had people over after attending a friends baseball game.  For the people that needed a little more than just meatballs (the boys who had played the game), I served them both with flatbreads wrapping them around like a taco and alone with a toothpick!

Yield: 6 servings

Tropical Turkey Meatballs

Tropical Turkey Meatballs are a perfect appetizer on their own, or serve them in a piece of flat bread to make them more of a full meal item. Light and tender, flavored with hints of mango and mild heat of habanero chiles...

Tropical Turkey Meatballs are a perfect appetizer on their own or serve them in a piece of flat bread to make them more of a full meal item. Light and tender, flavored with hints of mango and mild heat of habanero chiles...

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs Ground Turkey
  • ¼ cup Heavy Cream
  • 1 egg, , beaten
  • 1.5 teaspoons season salt
  • 1 tablespoon Dried Oregano
  • ½ cup Panko Bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup La Victoria Mango Habanero Salsa
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, , minced

Toppings:

  • 1/2 Cup La Victoria Mango Habanero Salsa
  • 1/4 cup Crumbled Feta cheese
  • Flat bread cut into pieces small enough to wrap around turkey meatballs

Instructions

  1. Using a wooden spoon or your hands in a large bowl mix together ground turkey, heavy cream, beaten egg, salt, oregano, panko bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Mango Habanero Salsa.
  2. Do not pack the meat too tightly, you want to use a lighter touch so that the meatball does not get too compacted allowing for a lighter moist (versus heavy, hard) final product meatball.
  3. Form the meat into balls, slightly bigger than a golf ball.
  4. Chill for a minimum of 15 minutes to set the shape.
  5. If you are making ahead to use the next day or later in the day, you can make the meatballs to here. The meatballs in the raw state will need to be covered with plastic or foil if you are waiting longer than an hour to bake them.
  6. Heat a saute Pan to high. Place meatballs in the pan and cook until meat is no longer pink. About 20 minutes. Rotate often to brown all sides.
  7. Place Meatballs on a serving plate and place a dollop of Mango Habanero Salsa on top.
  8. Crumble feta over top for added flavor boost.
  9. Serve along side flat bread pieces for those who wish to make a turkey taco.
  10. Also place a side bowl for additional salsa for those who wish additional salsa! (It will go fast!)
  11. Serve Immediately.

Notes

All recipe calorie information was calculated on what I purchased to make this recipe in My Fitness Pal. When you make the recipe, the calorie content could vary depending on what specific ingredients/brands you actually use. Please take that into consideration if you are following a strict diet.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

6 servings

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 398Carbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 36g

Did you make this recipe?

Be sure and tag us on Instagram (@michele_westviamidwest) to be featured in our stories or our weekly newsletter! We love it when you make our recipes and share the love!

Tropical Turkey Meatballs are a perfect appetizer on their own, or serve them in a piece of flat bread to make them more of a full meal item. Light and tender, flavored with hints of mango and mild heat of habanero chiles...

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Sign up to get recipes and tips for stress free entertaining!

we won't EVER sell or share your info!

I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information )

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

40+ Best Meatball Appetizers (Crowd Favorites) Take Two Tapas

Tuesday 12th of April 2022

[…] 42. Tropical Turkey Meatballs […]

Katie

Saturday 22nd of April 2017

Gotta say.... made this in a hamburger patty instead... loved the burger love the salsa! Thanks! So different than a normal turkey meal!

Lauren

Tuesday 19th of July 2016

Great timing! I was actually on the look out for more meatball recipes! I love making a ton for mini appetizers during the week.

Michele

Wednesday 20th of July 2016

We do that too... smaller portions all packed with lots of flavors! :)

jamie

Tuesday 19th of July 2016

These look really good. My hubby really likes sweet and spicy, Ill have to give these a try!

michaela403

Monday 18th of July 2016

I can't wait to try these! I think they will be a perfect addition to our tailgates this fall!

Michele

Wednesday 20th of July 2016

Yes Michaela! They will be great for tailgating... lots of flavor and not a LOT of work making them! ~m

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses affiliate links, such as Amazon which pays this site a small commission if you purchase at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read full info here.

Skip to Recipe

Sharing is Caring

Help spread the word. You're awesome for doing it!