These healthy turkey rissoles are a fun dinner idea, made with turkey mince, vegetables and herbs. Easy to make in just 30 minutes, they are perfect for a quick weeknight dinner for all the family!
Looking for a tasty alternative to chicken nuggets or turkey meatballs? These flavourful turkey rissoles are just the thing! Easy to make, they are so good as a main course served with sides of your choice (some ideas linked below!), or as an appetizer.
Love turkey dishes? I think you will like to see my turkey stew or my turkey with sage cream sauce as other dinner ideas for the week ahead! And for a tasty lunch, my turkey stuffed sweet potato is full of healthy ingredients.
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
Fun holiday recipe idea (but enjoy year-round!). Looking for another way to enjoy turkey during the holidays? This recipe is a little different, and can of course be made any month of the year!
Healthy ingredients. We use lots of vegetables and herbs, making this a healthier option than many turkey meatballs from the store.
Easy to make. It's a simple recipe where we simply combine the ingredients, give them a good stir then cook!
🦃 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
A few pointers on some of them:
- Turkey mince - you want to use plain, unflavoured mince. I use lean turkey breast mince rather than thigh mince.
- Herbs - I suggest that using fresh herbs gives a more fragrant and fresh taste than dried, if possible.
- Breadcrumbs - these help bind the rissoles together, so be sure to include them!
📖 Swaps and variations
Swap pre-prepared turkey mince for turkey breast that you mince yourself. I know some of my readers, such as my low histamine readers, may not tolerate turkey mince so you can always mince fresh turkey yourself. This tutorial on how to make minced meat is very helpful!
Use dried herbs. I do suggest fresh is better, but we all have times when we need to turn to the pantry, so dried works too. Just reduce the quantities a little as dried is more pungent.
Use gluten free bread. If you are gluten free, use appropriate bread to make the breadcrumbs by blending in a food processor for a few seconds.
📋 Equipment needed
Skillet - to fry the rissoles to get some browning before we bake them.
Tongs - to transfer and flip the rissoles in the skillet. Don't use fingers - the oil is hot!
Meat thermometer - using a meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of cooking your rissoles and is quick and easy to do.
🔪 Step by step instructions
A very simple turkey recipe, with just a few steps:
Step 1
Grate and dice the vegetables. Grate the onion and zucchini with a box grater, and then (very) finely dice the celery, as well as the herbs (image 1).
Step 2
Combine the ingredients. Transfer all the ingredients (other than the oil we fry the rissoles in) to a large bowl (image 2).
Recipe tip: give the egg yolk a quick beat with a fork before adding so it more easily distributes in the turkey mixture.
Step 3
Combine the ingredients. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to mix everything together, so you have a thick turkey mixture (image 3).
Recipe tip: wet your hands before forming the patties so they don't stick to you!
Step 4
Make and fry the rissoles. Take about 2 heaped tablespoons of mixture and roll it in your hands to form a ball, then flatten into a patty shape. Repeat with the rest of the turkey mince mixture, so you have 8-9 rissoles.
Drizzle oil in your skillet, and on a medium heat fry the rissoles so they are browned each side (about 3-4 minutes). Don't overcrowd the skillet, so fry 3-4 at a time, adding more oil if it seems too dry (image 4).
Step 5
Bake the rissoles. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, then place your fried rissoles on it (image 5). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until you have an internal temperature of 165F.
Serve as an appetizer, or with sides of your choice for a main meal.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- If turkey mince isn't suitable for you, then you can mince turkey breast yourself (there is a tutorial linked above to help guide you).
- Don't be tempted to coarsely dice the vegetables as they won't be too good in the rissoles. Grating the onion and zucchini helps flavour the rissoles more evenly and stops you from getting a big bite of vegetable!
- Wet your hands before forming the patties to help prevent the mixture from sticking to them.
- Drizzle more olive oil in the skillet if it becomes too dry.
- Check for an internal temperature of 165F after baking the rissoles to be sure they are cooked through.
📋 Frequently asked questions
Rissoles typically have a flat patty-like shape whereas meatballs are smaller and round in shape. Rissoles come in different forms depending upon the country where they are being served, with some encased in pastry, others coated in breadcrumbs, some containing potato or cheese or this version which contains breadcrumbs.
Yes, you can use the herbs you like best. Rosemary would be lovely!
You can just fry the rissoles, but be sure they are cooked through by using a meat thermometer.
🍽 How to serve rissoles
Rissoles can be served a few ways:
- Pair with my creamy potato cauliflower mash or my sweet potato wedges, along with some vegetables on the side.
- For a summer meal, they go so well with my broccolini slaw, my kale apple slaw or my sweet potato couscous salad.
- I love a drizzle of my tahini dill dressing either on the rissoles themselves or over a side salad.
🥣 More delicious turkey recipes
Find flavourful ideas on my turkey recipes page, including these recent ideas:
I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And please do leave a star rating or comment if you have tried the recipe - I love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Easy Turkey Rissoles
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound turkey mince
- ½ white onion grated
- ½ zucchini grated
- ⅓ celery stick finely diced
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoon thyme leaves diced
- 1 teaspoon sage leaves diced
- 1 teaspoon parsley diced
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 360F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Add all the ingredients to a large bowl (other than the olive oil) and use hands or a spoon to combine. Be sure to mix together well, so the egg yolk and breadcrumbs are evenly distributed amongst the mixture.
- Wet your hands, then take about 2 heaped tablespoon of the mixture and form into a patty. Repeat with the remaining mixture to make 8-9 rissoles.
- Drizzle olive oil in your skillet, and place 3-4 patties. Fry on a medium heat for around three minutes each side, so you have some browning. Repeat for the remaining patties, adding more olive oil if the skillet seems too dry. Place each batch on your lined baking tray.
- Bake the rissoles for 10 minutes, or until they have an internal temperature of 165F in their centres.
- Serve immediately with sides of your choice and enjoy!
Notes
- If you prefer, you can mince turkey breast yourself. There is a tutorial linked above in the post to help guide you.
- Give the egg yolk a quick mix with a fork before adding to the bowl with the other ingredients to help it distribute more easily.
- Wet your hands before making the patties as this helps prevent the mixture from sticking to them.
- Dice the celery quite finely, as well as the herbs. They won't be blended so will be that size when combined with the other ingredients. A big piece of onion or celery wouldn't be too appealing!
- You may need to add extra oil to the skillet if it becomes too dry.
- Check the internal temperature of the rissoles after baking for a reading of 165F on a meat thermometer.
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate not a guarantee.
- turkey scores 0, but you may prefer to mince turkey breast rather than purchasing pre-done turkey mince.
- bread (wheat), which scores 1.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
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