These Breakfast Meatballs are sure to become a morning favorite. Made with your choice of ground turkey or pork, a refreshing touch of apple, aromatic sage, and an optional hint of fennel, these meatballs are a flavorful way to enjoy a protein-packed breakfast. Plus, with instructions for both air-fryer and conventional oven methods, this versatile recipe is perfect for busy mornings or leisurely weekends alike. 

PREP TIME: 10 min | COOK TIME: 8-15 min | YIELD: 4 servings 

Ingredients

• 1¼ pounds ground turkey or pork, or a combination of the two
• 1 medium apple, grated
• ½ teaspoon ground or rubbed sage
• ½ teaspoon fennel seed (optional)
• ⅛-¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Celtic or pink Himalayan salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper crushed red-pepper flakes (optional)
• Avocado, coconut, or olive oil pan spray

Instructions

Place meat in a medium bowl. Use the large holes on a box grater or a food processor with the shredding disk to grate the apple. Squeeze as much juice as possible from the grated apple. Add sage, fennel seeds, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red-pepper flakes (if using) and combine all ingredients.

Wet your hands and roll into 1" balls. Try to keep them the same size so they will cook evenly. You should get 16 small meatballs, about 1½ ounces each.

AIR FRYER METHOD:

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Place half the meatballs into the basket in one layer and lightly spray with pan spray. Cook for about 8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Remove and keep warm while cooking the second batch. Test for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. Turkey should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F and pork to 160°F.

OVEN METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 400°F, center the rack in the top half of the oven, and line a baking sheet with parchment. Place the meatballs in one layer, leaving a bit of room between each meatball. Lightly spray each meatball with pan spray and bake for 15 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Test for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. Turkey should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F and pork to 160°F.

Notes

If you make the meatballs larger or smaller (or if you make patties) you will need to adjust the cooking time.