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What It Is Like Working with an Intuitive Eating Dietitian

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Have you ever wondered what it is like to work with an intuitive eating dietitian? I’ll give you three things that you can expect when you start working with one. You might be a little surprised.

We care far more about WHY you eat and less about WHAT you eat

Of course, we care about our client’s health, but honestly, nutrition is a smaller piece of that. A positive relationship to food is far more important. I care far more about WHY someone eats the way they do rather than what. Think about it for a minute. If you think that eating a donut is causing irreversible harm, then the stresses and anxieties surrounding that are probably more problematic. Or on the flip side, if you associate eating vegetables as a form of punishment, then that association is a big part of the problem. I never ignore the nutritional components of my clients’ diet, but there are usually more significant issues to focus on before we get into the weeds of nutrients. We can definitely use nutrition as a tool, but it’s not typically the very first one we focus on when starting an intuitive eating journey.

Overview of a table full of food in the background with the text overlay that says "instead of asking, is this food healthy? try asking, is my approach to this food healthy?" to help illustrate what it is like working with an intuitive eating dietitian.

There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to intuitive eating

Intuitive eating is based on ten principles that can guide you to a more peaceful and productive relationship with food. These principles are rooted in evidence, but there is a reason that they are called “principles” and not rules – principles are flexible. An intuitive eating journey isn’t linear, nor does it have to follow the principles in order. Based on what my clients are feeling and responding to, we might jump around the framework. It’s important to know that intuitive eating is also compatible with other types of self-care. Some of my most successful clients get support from not just me but also a mental health counselor. Food and nutrition therapy and mental health therapy go together like PB&J. Whatever type of support you choose from me, it’s always going to be individualized to your history and needs.

Intuitive eating is compatible with medically necessary diets, just not diet culture

It sounds like I’m saying the same thing, right? Let me explain. Most dieting is not medically necessary. For example, doing keto for the average, generally healthy person is not necessary. And often, there is way more than one nutrition strategy to manage a chronic illness. Cutting out carbs doesn’t necessarily help your diabetes, and it’s a not sustainable solution given carbs are a nutrient. There are multiple approaches to manage diabetes that don’t involve cutting out an entire nutrient. Even the American Diabetes Association doesn’t recommend one specific diet for the management of diabetes. However, many approaches could help you manage your blood sugar. Intuitive eating has a big focus on responding to how you feel, so if you’re eating with zero regards to your blood sugar fluctuations, chances are you are going to feel pretty crappy. Even if there is only one significant way to manage a condition, like in the case of an allergy – you can still incorporate intuitive eating practices. For example, if you are allergic to eggs, and you eat eggs with zero regards to how they make you feel, that’s not intuitive eating because you aren’t taking care of your needs and eating a known allergen is undoubtedly dangerous. Intuitive eating takes taste and culinary preferences into significant consideration, but they certainly not the only consideration. It’s about the whole picture.

Part of the individualization of the support you receive from an intuitive eating dietitian also takes into consideration your medical conditions. Intuitive eating is generally compatible with all sorts of medical conditions, and you can be assured that whatever recommendations are given are aligned with those in mind.

How to get started working with an intuitive eating dietitian

As you can tell, there is a lot of nuance in an individual’s intuitive eating journey. Sifting through all of this without support can be overwhelming and even scary. If this is you, then you would benefit from working with an intuitive eating dietitian. To see if I’m a good fit for YOUR needs, you can book a free video call with me and we can chat more.

Disclaimer: This website is for informational and educational purposes only. The website isn’t a substitute for individual medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Yogurt Flatbread Recipe

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This yogurt flatbread recipe has two ingredients and can be used for everything from flatbread pizzas to your favorite tacos.

It’s no secret around here that I love quick breads. I’ve used yeast in recipes, but I’m not well-practiced, so it can be a bit of a gamble as to whether it’ll turn out. So my go-to when baking breads is to use self-rising flour. I’ve done it before with my 3 Ingredient Beer Bread and my Pepperoni Rolls. This yogurt flatbread is no exception – it has just two ingredients and can be used for anything from flatbread pizzas to your favorite tacos.

Yogurt flatbread stacked vertically wrapped in a white tea towel and a jar of plain yogurt on the side with white subway tile in the background..

Ingredients for Yogurt Flatbread

Self-rising flour: You can buy self-rising flour in the grocery store, but rather than keep another bag of flour around, I like to make my own. To make your own, simply mix 1 ½ c flour (all-purpose or whole wheat), 2 tsp. baking powder, ¼ tsp. salt and you’ve just saved yourself an extra trip to the grocery store.

Plain yogurt: You definitely don’t want to get flavored yogurt; make sure it is plain. This recipe uses regular yogurt, which is more fluid than Greek yogurt.

Close up of yogurt flatbread wrapped in a white tea towel and a jar of plain yogurt on the side.

How to Make Flatbread with Yogurt and Flour

Simply mix the yogurt and self-rising flour using a paddle attachment on a stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can do this with a large spoon, and once it comes together, you can knead it by hand. Obviously, making it by hand will take longer. Once you’ve formed a dough ball, it may be a bit sticky. Lightly dust the dough with more flour and knead it a few times until it’s no longer sticky.

Divide the dough into 4-6 equal balls, depending on how you’re using the flatbread. I usually will divide it into four equal balls if I’m going to make personal flatbread pizzas. If I’m going more towards tacos, I’ll divide it into six equal balls. You’ll roll these balls out to their desired thickness or size.

Then you’ll heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook each tortilla one at a time in the dry skillet for about 1-2 minutes on each side. You’ll know when to flip the yogurt flatbreads when bubbles form all over the dough. If you’re using them for tacos, I like to serve immediately or keep them warm by wrapping them in aluminum foil until ready to serve.

If you’re making these for meal prep, then keep in mind it will only keep for about 2-3 days before they start to go stale. You can freeze the flatbreads, but freezing can alter the texture. If you want to try freezing, wrap the cooled flatbreads in aluminum foil and store them in a freezer bag for about one month in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then use as usual when making flatbread pizza. If you’re using them for tacos, then I would heat them in a dry skillet for a few minutes on each side, just like you did when you initially made them.

Yogurt flatbread wrapped in a white tea towel on a white background with plain yogurt on the side.

How to Serve Yogurt Flatbreads

You can certainly make this to eat alongside food as a carb source like a dinner roll. Plus flatbread pizzas, tacos, wraps, etc. are all super tasty ways to enjoy them – the sky is the limit!

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Yogurt Flatbread Recipe

Close up of yogurt flatbread wrapped in a white tea towel and a jar of plain yogurt on the side.

This yogurt flatbread recipe has two ingredients and can be used for everything from flatbread pizzas to your favorite tacos.

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 flatbreads 1x
  • Category: quick bread

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cup self-rising flour
  • ¾ cup plain yogurt (not Greek)

Instructions

  1. In a stand-mixer bowl, add the self-rising flour (or flour, baking soda, and salt). Add the yogurt and mix with a paddle attachment until dough comes together into a sticky ball. 
  2. Lightly dust flour on a work surface and turn the dough out on the surface; knead the dough until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, using more flour as needed to make dough smooth. 
  3. Divide dough into 4-6 equal balls. Roll each ball out flat to desired thickness or size. 
  4. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is preheated, cook tortillas one at a time for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned on each side. Tip: when the flatbread begins to get air bubbles, it’s a good time to flip.

Keywords: yogurt flatbread

Homemade Pepperoni Rolls with Peppers

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These pepperoni rolls are a fun twist on the original, made with an EASY homemade dough and rolled up with cheese, pepperoni, and bell peppers.

One of my favorite childhood foods is pepperoni rolls. I thought it was high time to make my own spin on the humble pepperoni roll by making my own dough and putting a slight twist on the classic with the addition of bell peppers.

What are Pepperoni Rolls?

If you grew up in western Pennsylvania or West Virginia, then you know what pepperoni rolls are. These are not to be confused with any pizza roll-type concoction as there is no sauce – only cheese, bread, and pepperoni, and they’re easy to make. As children, we sold them for school fundraisers and could buy them at the concession stands at sporting events. Some people make them homemade, and you can even find them in gas stations (not the good ones, though). My favorite kind are the ones that are golden brown on the outside and slightly doughy on the inside. 

Fun fact about pepperoni rolls is that they were created by Italian immigrants that came to work in the coal mines of West Virginia in the early 1900s. The Italian-American credited with creating pepperoni rolls was Giuseppe “Joseph” Argiro, who hailed from Calabria, Italy. This is the same region that my Italian great-great-grandparents emigrated from in the late 1800s.

Sliced pepperoni rolls showing the pepperoni, cheese, and peppers in side on a white background.

How to Make Pepperoni Rolls

What you’ll need to make the rolls:

  • Dough: You can buy pizza dough or make your own if you desire. There is a recipe for “two-ingredient” dough that I’ve seen lurking about on the internet that is used to make all sorts of things from pizza to bagels to garlic knots. It kind of sounds very diet-y by making a dough that is made of only self-rising flour and non-fat Greek yogurt, but it actually tastes good, and it’s super easy. So, I chose to use the famous “two-ingredient dough,” and I really like the flavor that the Greek yogurt yields. It reminds me of sourdough but easier to make. I didn’t use self-rising flour, so technically, it’s a “few extra ingredient dough.” My dough recipe calls for flour (all-purpose or whole wheat), baking powder, salt, Greek yogurt, and an egg. I have tried making the dough with whole fat, low fat, and non-fat Greek yogurt, and surprisingly the best texture and flavor comes from the non-fat. The fat makes the dough too tender, and it falls apart, so definitely stick with the non-fat yogurt if you’re going to use my dough recipe. 
  • Pepperoni: You can use whatever kind of pepperoni you desire – pork, beef, turkey, plant-based, etc. It’s your call, so whatever floats your boat. 
  • Mozzarella cheese: Shredded or a block sliced up works just fine. 
  • Sliced bell peppers: Traditionally, pepperoni rolls aren’t made with any fillings except cheese and meat, but I love the taste of sweet bell peppers. I used orange, red, and yellow peppers in mine. Feel free to throw in some spicy peppers, too, like jalapeno. 
  • Seasonings: I like to sprinkle the tops with Italian seasoning before popping them in the oven, and I also like a little dash of red pepper flake for a kick when serving. 
Close of up the pepperoni roll slices where you can see the pepperoni, cheese, and peppers inside on a white background.

Tips for Making this Pepperoni Roll Recipe

  • When rolling out your dough, try to make your dough into a rectangle so that you can easily roll all of your fillings into a nice, smooth log shape. Admittedly, I’m not very good at rolling my dough into perfect shapes, but my rolls still turned out just fine.
  • Seal the ends tightly. One of mine leaked some filling, so make sure those ends are tight!
  • I love eating these rolls hot or cold, and they make great meal prep for lunches or snacks. I made mine yesterday, and today I had a couple of slices for a quick bite on the go. They’d be a great addition to a school lunch, too!
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Pepperoni Rolls

Sliced pepperoni rolls with one intact pepperoni roll sitting on a white background with red pepper flakes and bell peppers scattered.

These pepperoni rolls are a fun twist on the original, made with an EASY homemade dough and rolled up with cheese, pepperoni, & bell peppers.

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 4 pepperoni rolls 1x
  • Category: lunch, dinner, snack
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: Italian-American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup flour (all-purpose or whole wheat or a blend of both)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 4 oz mozzarella, shredded or sliced
  • 4 oz. pepperoni
  • 1 1/3 – 2 cups bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Italian seasoning, for sprinkling
  • Red pepper flake, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. 
  2. In a stand-mixer bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the yogurt and mix with a paddle attachment until dough comes together into a sticky ball. 
  3. Lightly dust flour on a work surface and turn the dough out on surface, knead the dough until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, using more flour as needed to make dough smooth. 
  4. Divide dough into 4 equal balls. Roll the each ball into a thin rectangle – it doesn’t have to be perfectly shaped. Divide mozzarella, pepperoni, and bell peppers between all the rectangles. Starting with a long side, roll the dough up tightly and pinch the seams and ends to seal. Place on the prepared baking sheet and brush with egg. Sprinkle each roll with Italian seasoning.
  5. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with red pepper flake. 

Keywords: Easy pepperoni rolls

Vanilla Overnight Oats Recipe

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These Vanilla Overnight Oats are creamy and silky with a classic vanilla flavor and make for the perfect easy and quick breakfast. They can be topped off with your favorite toppings.

Overnight oats have become a big thing in the last several years, and I can see why. Breakfast is a meal most of us struggle with, especially those of us (including me!) that aren’t morning people. I love taking my time with breakfast on the weekends, but I often need and want something a little quicker during the week. These Vanilla Overnight Oats are literally just assembly, no cooking or heating required. The liquid is soaked up in the oats overnight, doing the work to soften the oats that cooking them on the stovetop in the morning would normally do. I like to eat them cold, but if cold breakfasts aren’t your thing, you can certainly microwave it a bit in the morning just to take the chill off.

An overview of the top of the vanilla overnight oats with berries on top and a napkin and spoon on the side and oats scattered around.

Ingredients

Vanilla kefir: Kefir is a probiotic (healthy bacteria) drink that is essentially fermented milk. It is similar to a drinkable yogurt (which you can substitute if you have trouble finding kefir). However, kefir typically contains a lot more probiotics than yogurt. I love the vanilla flavor since I can really customize my toppings for the overnight oats, but feel free to try a different flavor if you’d like.

Old-fashioned rolled oats: This is my preferred choice for oats. You can use other types, but there are drawbacks. Instant oats may get too soggy, and steel-cut may remain a little chewy. The rolled oats are the perfect middle ground. Oats are also a great source of fiber, which is a prebiotic – more on that later.

Vanilla extract: This obviously will give it just a touch more vanilla flavor. As always, use the real stuff; the imitation version may give it a slightly off-flavor.

Honey: This is optional if you have a very sweet kefir. I find most kefir to be pretty low on the sweetness, so I like to add a touch extra sweetness for flavor and satisfaction.

Toppings: For the photos I used berries, but feel free to customize. I like to make sure that my breakfast has a combination of carbs, protein, and fats for adequate satiety and satisfaction to fuel my day. The kefir has some protein, but you can boost this by adding nuts or nut butters like peanut butter, almond butter, etc. Nuts are a great source of fat as well. The oats have fiber-rich carbs, but I like to round it out a bit more with some fresh fruit.  You can also add in some other fun ingredients for toppings like chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or jam (like this chia seed jam, which is rich in omega-3s and fiber).

A jar of vanilla overnight oats with berries on a top and on the side on a wooden cutting board and a white and blue napkin on the side. White subway tile is in the background. A spoon is resting on top of the jar with oats and a blueberry on the spoon.

Benefits of Combining Probiotic and Prebiotic Foods

One of the best things about this recipe is that it combines probiotic (healthy bacteria from the kefir) with prebiotic foods (fiber from the oats). We need good bacteria to populate our guts for a healthy immune system and digestion, and prebiotic foods like the fiber from the oats help feed the good bacteria. Both of these can help keep our digestive systems regular and functioning well. Probiotics and prebiotics are the perfect symbiotic relationship.

A jar of vanilla overnight oats with berries on a top and on the side on a wooden cutting board and a white and blue napkin on the side. White subway tile is in the background.

How to Make Vanilla Overnight Oats

This section will be short and sweet because there isn’t much to it. Simply mix all of the ingredients in a container. I like to use old jars with lids. Then refrigerate overnight. In the morning, top off with your favorite toppings, and off you go. It’s okay to leave the jar for an extra day or so; just know that it’ll be a little soggier, but then again, it is oatmeal, and that’s basically its texture. If it looks a little dry when you remove it from the fridge, you can always add a little bit of milk or more kefir and stir it up until it is your preferred consistency.

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Vanilla Overnight Oats

A jar of vanilla overnight oats with fruit and a spoon on a wooden cutter board and a white and blue napkin along with white subway tile in the background.

These Vanilla Overnight Oats are creamy and silky with a classic vanilla flavor and make for the perfect easy and quick breakfast. They can be topped off with your favorite toppings.

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 hours
  • Total Time: 8 hours
  • Yield: 1 jar or container 1x
  • Category: breakfast, oats, overnight oats, brunch
  • Method: no-cook

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup vanilla kefir (or yogurt drink)
  • ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. honey (optional)
  • Toppings: fruit, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, seeds, nuts, and/or nut butters

Instructions

  • In a jar or container with a lid, mix together all of the ingredients except for the toppings.
  • Refrigerate overnight (or at least a few hours), then serve cold with your favorite toppings. 

Keywords: breakfast, oats, vanilla overnight oats, brunch

Oat Flour Pancakes Recipe [Gluten Free]

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This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This Oat Flour Pancakes recipe makes the fluffiest oat flour pancakes you’ll ever have! Plus, these pancakes are gluten-free to boot.

I thought I needed to try out some oat flour recipes, so I decided to try out an oat flour pancake recipe. They turned out so fluffy! I really love how these turned out. I absolutely love the texture that the oat flour gives the pancakes. It’s slightly chewy and has a nutty flavor from the oats. Plus, oat flour is gluten-free, so if you can’t have gluten, this recipe is perfect for you. Recently, my brother was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, so I’ve really wanted to do more experimenting with gluten-free recipes like this pancake recipe.

A plate of gluten free oat flour pancakes topped with berries and yogurt with butter, oats, syrup, a blue and white napkin, and silverware on the side on a white background.

Ingredients for Oat Flour Pancakes

Oat flour: Technically, oats are gluten-free, but they are often subject to gluten cross-contamination, so if you’ll need to buy gluten-free oats if you want this recipe to be gluten-free. I make my own oat flour rather than buying it ready-made. You’ll need 3 cups of oats to make about 2 ½ cups of oat flour that this recipe calls for. See the notes section of the recipe for more info on making your own oat flour.

Sugar: Just a little bit of sweetness goes a long way in pancakes. You can also sub in honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar. If you do make the substitution to a liquid sweetener, whisk it into the wet ingredients.

Salt: You’ll need just a touch of salt to balance the sweetness.

Baking powder: This gives the pancakes the rise and fluff of the perfect pancakes.

Egg: Eggs are necessary for binding the batter together.

Unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so that I can better control the salt. If you use salted butter, you’ll probably want to omit the salt in the recipe.

Milk: Any type of milk will work, but I like milk with a little bit of fat in it to help tenderize the pancakes.

Vanilla extract: This gives the pancakes a really nice flavor, but feel free to use another extract like almond if you prefer.

How to Make Oat Flour Pancakes

Making oat flour pancakes is super easy. You’ll mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Then whisk the wet ingredients separately, then add to the dry mixture. Once everything is mixed together, you’ll have the consistency of pancake batter, and you’re ready to fry up your pancakes. I typically use a non-stick pan to make pancakes, but I still like to put a little bit of butter in the pan for flavoring. You can also use spray oil if you prefer.

A fork with a bite of gluten free oat flour pancakes taken out of a stack of pancakes. The pancakes are topped with yogurt and berries. On side side there is a butter knife, a butter dish and a blue and white napkin. The background is a white subway tile backsplash.

Tips for Working with Oat Flour

If you’re like me, you’ll just want to make your own oat flour from old-fashioned rolled oats rather than buying oat flour. To do that, you’ll just need to pulse oats in a food processor or blender until it’s the consistency of flour.  About 3 cups of oats will yield about 2 ½ cups of oat flour, but you’ll want to measure the oat flour for the recipe just to be sure.

Also, this oat flour pancake batter will thicken the longer that it sits. So you might find that the batter is thicker and harder to spread the longer it sits. It’s okay, though. All you need to do is add 1-2 tbsp. of water to the batter and whisk again to bring it back to a more spreadable batter.

Toppings for Pancakes

I love mixing and matching my toppings on pancakes. Options that you may like to try to mix and match:

  • Fresh or frozen fruit
  • Fruit compote or jams (this Strawberry Chia Jam would be really good)
  • Coconut
  • Nuts or nut butters (this Banana Nut Butter would be awesome!)
  • Classic maple syrup and butter
  • Yogurt
  • Whipped cream
  • Chocolate chips

If you make the recipe, share it on social and tag me! You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

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Oat Flour Pancakes Recipe [Gluten Free]

A stack of gluten free oat flour pancakes with yogurt and berries on top. Maple syrup is dripping down the sides of the pancakes. On side there is a napkin and a butter dish with white subway tile in the background.

This Oat Flour Pancakes recipe makes the fluffiest oat flour pancakes you’ll ever have! Plus, these pancakes are gluten-free to boot.

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 10–15 pancakes 1x
  • Category: breakfast, brunch, pancakes, gluten free

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups gluten-free oat flour (see notes)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 egg 
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 ½ cup milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • Butter or spray oil, if desired
  • Toppings of choice: fruit, jam, shredded coconut, nut butter, butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, chocolate chips, yogurt, etc. 

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (oat flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder). In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together egg, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. 
  2. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Spray with oil or butter the pan, if needed/desired. Using ¼ or ½ cup measuring cups (depending on the desired size), pour the batter into the pan, spreading the batter flat. Cook until you see bubbles at the outer corners. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat until all of the batter is used. If batter in the bowl thickens while cooking pancakes, add 1-2 tbsp. of water to the batter and stir until consistency is like pancake batter.  
  3. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Notes

If you don’t have oat flour, you can make oat flour by blending old-fashioned rolled oats in the food processor or blender until fine or a flour-like consistency. About 3 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats will yield about 2 ½ cups of oat flour. 

Keywords: breakfast, brunch, pancakes, gluten free

Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs Recipe

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This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

These Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs are quick and easy to make, not to mention super tender and flavorful! This is a great all-purpose recipe that can be used in multiple dishes.

Everyone loves meatballs. They’re so versatile! You can put any type of sauce you want with the meatballs, and it seems like you have an entirely different food. Use them in marinara, and it’s the classic Italian spin, or you can use teriyaki sauce, and it’s got a bit of an Asian flair. You can use them as an appetizer or a main dish to pair with sides.

These Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs are a great all-purpose recipe. They make 12 larger meatballs, but you can certainly roll them into 24 mini meatballs that you can use for soups like Italian Wedding Soup or as an appetizer. Plus, these meatballs are made in the air fryer, which you know how much I love my air fryer.

Ingredients:

Ingredients for air fryer turkey meatballs in a yellow bowl on a white background.

Ground turkey: Turkey is one of my favorite meats to make meatballs, but you can certainly substitute other ground meats if you prefer.

Egg: This helps bind the meatball together.

Panko breadcrumbs: This kind of breadcrumb is much bigger than regular breadcrumbs, giving the meatball a less dense and more airy texture.

Parmesan cheese: Parmesan cheese makes everything better, am I right? I’m all for easy swaps and buying pre-cut things whenever needed, but grating the parmesan yourself yields a superior taste, in my opinion, compared to pre-grated parmesan cheese.

Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce are my go-to seasonings for meatballs.

Olive oil: Since ground poultry is relatively lean, I like to add a little bit of fat back into the meatballs with some olive oil. Fat helps with feeling satisfied from food, which is one of the Intuitive Eating principles. You can skip the olive oil though if you swap for a fattier cut of ground meat like pork or beef.

A black air fryer basket with 4 turkey meatballs inside.

How to Make Air Fryer Meatballs

You can put all of the ingredients in one big bowl. I typically mix everything together with my (clean) hands as it’s much easier to get all of the ingredients evenly distributed rather than using a mixing spoon or spatula. No one wants to bite into a chunk of breadcrumbs because the ingredients weren’t evenly mixed. Also, don’t overwork the mixture. When you’re mixing together all of the ingredients, be careful not to overmix. If you do, the meatballs might become tough. Mix just long enough for the ingredients to be evenly distributed.

I usually use a cookie scoop or small ice cream scoop to scoop out the mixture from the bowl to get uniform meatballs. They will cook more uniformly when they are uniform in shape.

I preheat my air fryer so that when I put the meatballs in the air fryer, they’ll get a light sear on the bottom. After cooking them for about 10 minutes or until they reach 165 degrees F internally, the air fryer turkey meatballs are ready to be tossed in your favorite sauce.

White plate of air fryer turkey meatballs on a white background with a blue and white napkin on the side.

Why use the Air Fryer for Meatballs?

Air frying works so well because it uses very hot air that circulates rapidly around the food. This allows the food to crisp or sear quickly. When we sear meat, we lock in the moisture. When moisture seeps out, we can get dried out meatballs, which aren’t pleasant. Air fryers is just a small convection ovens, but they are an incredibly easy and efficient way of cooking, which is exactly why I have so many air fryer recipes on my site.

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Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs

White plate of air fryer turkey meatballs on a white background with a blue and white napkin and a white bowl of tomato sauce on the side on the side.

These Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs are quick and easy to make, not to mention super tender and flavorful! This is a great all-purpose recipe that can be used in multiple dishes.

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 12 meatballs (or 24 mini meatballs) 1x
  • Category: meatballs, dinner, appetizer
  • Method: air fryer

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat air fryer at 400 degrees. Mix all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until all is evenly distributed.
  2. Divide the meat into 12 (or 24 for mini meatballs) equal balls. Place in air fryer basket and cook for 10-12 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees. Serve with your favorite sauce. 

Keywords: meatballs, dinner, appetizer