Tender Turkey Meatballs Tomato (Printable)

Tender turkey balls baked or simmered in tomato sauce, paired with pasta or rice for a comforting dish.

# What You Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1.1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1 large egg
03 - 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
04 - 2 tbsp milk
05 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Tomato Sauce

11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
13 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
14 - 28 oz (2 cans) crushed tomatoes
15 - 1 tsp dried basil
16 - 1 tsp dried oregano
17 - 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ To Serve

19 - 10.5 oz pasta or cooked rice
20 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
21 - Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, gently combine ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper until just mixed.
03 - Shape the mixture into 16 to 18 meatballs, approximately golf ball size, and arrange them on the prepared tray.
04 - Bake the meatballs for 18 to 20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking to achieve a light golden color and ensure they are cooked through.
05 - While meatballs bake, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3 to 4 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar if using, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Transfer baked meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce. Continue cooking gently for 10 minutes, spooning sauce over the meatballs to meld flavors.
08 - Meanwhile, prepare pasta or rice according to package instructions until al dente or tender.
09 - Serve the meatballs and sauce over the cooked pasta or rice. Garnish with fresh herbs and additional Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Turkey keeps these meatballs incredibly tender without that greasy aftertaste that sometimes haunts the beef version
  • The oven first, sauce later method gives you a gorgeous golden crust while still letting flavors meld in the simmering tomatoes
  • Everything comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
02 -
  • Overmixing the meat mixture makes tough, rubbery meatballs, so mix just until everything is incorporated and stop immediately
  • Letting the meatballs rest on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before turning them helps them hold together better
  • The meatballs will continue cooking in the sauce, so remove them from the oven when they are just barely cooked through
03 -
  • Chill the meat mixture for 15 minutes before shaping if it is too soft and sticky to handle
  • Use a cookie scoop to get perfectly uniform meatballs that cook at the same rate
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