Turkey Poppers (Great for Meal Prep!)
These Turkey Poppers are so delicious and versatile. Great for meal prep, they are made of lean ground turkey, vegetables and seasoning all formed into a small patty, perfect for dinner, lunches and snacks.
What is a Turkey Popper?
Basically a small patty of ground meat with vegetables and seasoning formed into a small patty. Basically, a smashed meatball! I like these for meal prep for lunches. No fork needed, and they’re easy to eat on the go. Just pop them in your mouth. I.E. a popper!
HEALTHY FACT: Turkey poppers have 70 calories, and 10 grams of protein in each patty!
Turkey Popper Ingredients (and Variations)
These are essentially a meatball mixture. You don’t have to use ground turkey, you could use beef, chicken, pork, etc. Use this method to clean out your fridge actually! Any vegetables you have on hand would be great. I’ll give some ideas below.
- Ground Meat: I used ground turkey because it’s so lean and healthy (and tummy friendly for me!).
- Vegetables: I used red bell pepper, onion, & zucchini. Other ideas would be chickpeas, celery, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, jalapeños, squash, sweet potatoes.
- Panko Crumbs: To hold it all together. Breadcrumbs work great too.
- Egg: Acts as a binder.
- Seasoning: Granulated garlic, oregano, salt & pepper. Whatever you have on hand works. Fresh herbs would also be delicious.
- Feta Cheese: I added for extra flavor and to give a Mediterranean flare!
Cook the Poppers on the Stovetop
To form the patties, a cookie scooper works great for consistency. Then, smash them into patties. Cook them in just a smidge of olive oil on medium high heat. Flip after about 3 minutes on each side. Use a digital thermometer, the turkey poppers are fully cooked at 165 degrees fahrenheit internally.
TIP: I’ve found that the air fryer and oven dries them out. About a tablespoon of olive oil, and a pan on medium heat is your best bet for juicy ground turkey!
These keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but if you snack like I do, they will last about 24 hours! Store the in a lidded container, or wrap them individually in plastic wrap.
More Meal Prep Recipe Ideas:
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did! – Kathi and Rachel
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Turkey Poppers
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup diced zucchini
- 1/2 cup panko crumbs
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for pan)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ingredients. Mash with clean hands or a large spoon, until fully incorporated.
- Using a cookie scoop for consistency, scoop the meat mixture and form into a small patty. Place the formed patties onto a plate. Set aside.
- Prepare a large skillet on medium heat on the stove. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to pan.
- Add patties to pan, and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side. Poppers are fully cooked once they reach 165 degrees internally (use a digital thermometer for accuracy). Serve & enjoy!
Nutrition
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I see panko crumbs listed in the Ingredients & Variations discussion but don’t see them in the actual recipe list of Ingredients?
You’re right, left them out by mistake! 1/2 cup panko crumbs. Thank you so much for pointing that out!
So good! I love these for meal prep.